This new Mandarin learning manual written by the French sinologist Renaud de Spens offers an original method, fluid, fast, at the same time, profound, because it goes straight to the point and, above all, it “uncomplexes” us because it responds to simple, obvious questions that only non-Chinese can ask about this language with its essentially … pragmatic grammar! Even though it is written in Chinese and French, the original learning idea can be adapted to all European languages!
This method offers 132 SPOKEN Chinese dialogues, such as « there s, say”, addressing all areas of daily life, even the most intimate or sensitive! It’s a practical, colorful, effective Chinese, to build real social relationships with the Chinese, I would say, essentially, in China!
The cultural context is very well explained. Which can avoid a lot of discomfort on the spot
In the subtitle: “and as no one will ever dare to teach you”, we recognize the somewhat “impertinent” style of his famous Dictionary of China (reissued in 2017). But Renaud de Spens, like many lovers of China, considers that, as in a couple, there are moments of love and dislove for the loved one. The criticism of the methods of the official manuals of “standard” Chinese are constructive (which does not bother the Chinese in general) but also all of extenuating circumstances.
I interpret his words here. We are not going to learn the “French language” of Reality TV at the Alliance Française, are we? Nor riddle the dialogues of a French textbook with our famous “du coup” and even less with “putain”
That said, typical expressions, even a little insulting, can be useful to us in China. At the very least to understand what is happening to us
Renaud explains to us in what circumstances and offers us a rather evocative panel of these sometimes rather flowery terms.
It must be said that a young and brilliant Chinese from Yunnan, studying in Paris, Célestine Syu and the excellent translator Xu Ying from Shanghai collaborated on this book to precisely validate the relevance of the subject and its explanatory clarity.
Oh, I forget : the dialogues have been recorded on MP3 for download. Real Chinese actors and actresses participated in this quality recording.
After all, who is this book for? The level is “From beginner to advanced”. Being in the 6th year at the Confucius Institute, I myself learned grammatical shortcuts and typical expressions! Let us also think of the Chinese language lovers of Molière, who, in the opposite direction, could find the exact translation and put into context, of their Chinese into French.
To conclude, I ask myself a question: what if this pragmatic, abundant and colorful manual had the sole purpose of preparing us happily for the reopening of China?
Renaud de Spens is a Sinologist (and Egyptologist!). This allowed him to work at the French Embassy in Beijing, in Chinese companies and even at Peking University.
Alongside his production of books on China, he organizes meetings between Chinese and French entrepreneurs.
