Chinese-word-roots.org

AP Annual Conference 2007
College board

July 13 - 14 at Venetian Resort in Las Vegas

Subject: Chinese Etymology

Presenter: Tienzen (Jeh-Tween) Gong

Abstract and outline:

While there are at least 60,000 Chinese characters in the Chinese dictionary, an average educated native Chinese person learns about 6,000 Chinese Characters one at a time, as stand-alone characters.
Thus, Chinese written language is viewed as one of the hardest languages to learn. In this session, participants will learn that the Chinese word system is a 100 percent word root system with only 220 word roots, and it could be simpler than the high school geometry. The original meaning of every word can be read out loud from its face, and any educated foreigner who did not know a single Chinese character could master the Chinese word system within six months. At the end of this session, participants will know why a given word is written as it is.

More than 90 AP Chinese teachers attended this session.

For more info on Chinese language and etymology, the followings are useful links.