"Space Cowboy" > writes:

> Lew,
>
> I've always wondered why Google couldn't do better. I'm starting to
> learn some Chinese grammar and I can see the problem with
> constructions like aspect markers, measure words and topics. I
> wished Google would give a literal pinyin translation which makes it
> easier to see the grammar.

I understand what you're saying: that would be useful for people like
us. I admit that I actually have a tool like that, though I'm not
releasing it publicly because it's kind of ragged and also because I
pay for the bandwidth. But I think Google rightly is more interested
in the far more numerous people who want a real translator.

> I've picked up some college Chinese grammar books but assumes you
> know the basics which I don't. Fortunately I found a couple of good
> books at the Library no longer in print which explain the basics.
> As one preface explained which I paraphrase People think Chinese
> grammar is easy to learn because there is no grammar like the West
> but the Chinese assume more by saying less which is really the
> grammatical learning curve in Chinese.

The text I'm using, which is in print, is _Integrated Chinese_,
principal authors Yao and Liu. I'm happy with it, but I have nothing
to compare it with.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html