In March, 2012, BBC launched cartoon Mandarin lessons named The Lingo Show to school-age children. An animated bug called “Wei” taught young viewers basic vocabulary such as the words for “hello” “thank you” , the names of colors and numbers up to 10.
Learning Mandarin is going to be the way forward. The series aims to extend children’s cultural knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
—The show’s producer said.
It’s tonal, so it lends itself very well to imitation. People talk a lot about the Chinese education system and rote memorization, but for younger children repetition works quite well.
—Dr Frances Weightman, lecturer of Leeds University said.
Mandarin 普通話
lingo外國話
school-age children 學齡兒童
bug 蟲子
tonal 音調的,聲調的
lend itself ... to 適合于
imitation模仿
rote memorization死記硬背
repetition 重復
lecturer 講師