Why is Chinese so damn hard?

John and Jared are going to revisit and unpack this classic question posed by Dr. David Moser three decades ago and identify what is hard about Chinese, what is easier now, and whether Chinese really is harder than other languages.

The guest interview is with Sarah Kutulakos, a lifetime Chinese learner and the executive director at the Canada China Business Council.

Links from the episode:

Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard, by Dr. David Moser
Why Learning Chinese Is Hard (Sinosplice)
The Princess Bride: “Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” (YouTube)
YCLC Episode #8: Tones, Music, and Confidence, with Dr. David Moser
YCLC Episode #39: The Future of Learning Chinese, with Terry Waltz
The Monkey’s Paw (Mandarin Companion Level 1 Graded Reader)
The Simpsons: The Monkey’s Paw (YouTube)

Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcasts and they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram.

Because his tolerance for pain is so high, after learning Chinese, John went on to study linguistics at a graduate level entirely in Chinese. Today John is knee-deep in learning Chinese and since started Mandarin Companion, AllSet Learning, Sinosplice.com, the Chinese Grammar Wiki, and co-hosts the You Can Learn Chinese Podcast.

Jared learned Chinese on the streets of Shanghai after up and moving his family to China. He co-founded Mandarin Companion and is host of the You Can Learn Chinese podcast. He has started a number of businesses, got an MBA, published 17 books (and counting), and delivered 2 babies.

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