Preparing for a Chinese Talk: tips for non-Chinese speakers
On Monday I prepared for a Chinese public talk on screening for cancer. I had a presentation on the same topic already in English so what I needed to do was to translate it and prepare the slides in Chinese.
For all you “banana” (Chinese-illiterate) boys and girls who are intending to do something similar, here are a few tips and tricks.
1. You can use one of several translating or dictionary applications for translating from English to Chinese and vice versa. Among the ones that I use most often are:
The last two are actually using the same engine or lexicon (I believe, correct me if I’m wrong) as the translations seem to be always the same. Translate back and forth to make sure you’ve got the right word for the right context.
2. You can actually download a Yellowbridge toolbar here to use on IE or Firefox. They’re very useful, especially if you’re reading a Chinese website. You just need to copy and paste the words to the toolbar search space and click a button.
In addition, there’s a Chinese “Talker” which pronounces the words in Chinese. Unfortunately, this one is not free of charge. You can download the programme for a trial and buy if you find it useful. I found it useful as it helps when I need a fast vocalisation to jsut job my memory of the words I’m reading. Once I hear the words being read aloud, I can sometimes understand it without even looking up the dictionary. Of course, the most important function would be to verify how the words should actually be spoken.
I had a problem with the talker when I converted to IE7 recently and I contacted the support. They replied promptly and settled my problem immediately. Thanks!
3. When I need to translate technical words or jargon, I use Google’s advanced search to look for journal or websites in Chinese. Limit the results to those in Chinese. The results will include many sites from China and Taiwan from which I copy a few candidates and choose the best phrase that is an internationally used term.
4. So, how to display Chinese characters and type an input in Chinese? I’m taking for granted that you’ve enabled Chinese input on your Windows XP and Windows Office 2003. If you haven’t, you’ll need to enable Chinese language but going to the “start” > “control panel” > “add other languages” > tick the box for “install East Asian Languages” > “ok”.
Also, there are Chinese fonts to download and install. Among the sites to look for and install Chinese fonts would be ktmatu.com and sinosplice.com.
Finally, there’s the Input Method Editor (IME) to install. Go to microsoft.com to download the IME.
5. No matter how you research the net and double check with don’t know how many translation applications on the net, you would still need to test it by reading with with a Chinese speaker who can point out some local jargon and syntax or grammatical mistakes.
So there you go … easy steps to learning Chinese on the net and preparing a translation for your presentations.
So… the result?
from Nanyang Siang Pau
Not bad eh? Anyone’s got any other ideas or suggestions? I’m open to suggestions… 
Cool! I am definitely a Banana, but till they started blogging in chinese, I never had any trouble at all! One of these days, I am gonna go Italian!
haha same like LB also.. i am a banana but at least not the critical type till can speak chinese lingo la.. kekeke
You are not a banana obviously but you like the colour of banana, right? As your blog background is yellow?
I am the only one of my 4 sisters who is a banana.
hey Dr BErnard, if u don mind can teach me how to upload banner in blog?
i have a banner ready.. problem is i dunno how to upload le..
hope will hear from you soon…
LB, dun worry LB… I’ll load your page using google translator or even any of the other translation apps, e.g. systrans or world lingo.
Blog in Italian… romantic!
Raychin, good lah.. chinese lingo meaning mandarin?
I’m not sure what the name of the template in your blogspot is … but on my old blogspot (was using it to experiment), there is a section like this:
I added a background picture for the header by adding this element :
right after the “#476″ before the “;”
Dun blame me if it screws up the template… i’m no pro
just me, hahaha.. aiyoyo.. they’re earth-tones lah. actually I am a “banana”. I learned to speak in my undergrad days and learned to read and type only in the past year or so. Still can’t write… typing is easier.
hahah, its ok bernard.. I have successfully completed my banner project…
tiring and it really tested my patience.. damn..
u are welcome to drop in and say hello to my new banner.. purely designed by myself…
my photoshop abit kantoi la.. hehehe
ya lingo means mandarin…
can speak canto and a lil bit of hakka.. hokkien… kantoi big time.
when i was in ipoh doing my form 6 the canto there very strong,
imagine, they can curse in vulgar language in chain.. sometimes really fook them la.
fuiyoh…keng..*tabik..menyesal dulu dulu bila ade bahasa ibunda mia class , i ponteng…(always lepak at the mamak shop next to the school)..but lucky thing dunno how to read n write chinese , i can at least speak la..
Ooo, so keng… come out in Nanyang Siang Pao…
I’m forcing myself to learn Chinese now going for classes. Sigh.. doing language classes as an adult needs a lot of discipline and practice, practice, practice… Sigh..
Ray, awake until half-past three, eh? The things we do for love ;-)…
The satay looks delicious, mannn!
eve, no problem… the most important is can kelentong. can or not?
jonzz, that’s great jonzz… frankly, it’s be much more fun if you have a target or a project to work on. which is what i had; and will have some more. err…. how about going on IM in chinese? give it a try ^-^ …
There another translation that i used called Babelfish.
I really respect your effort, Bernard.
????
p/s The photo…hey… go scold them as they make you look a bit plump ^-^
Daily conversational chinese is much easier than business chinese. Tongue always tied when come to talk to Taiwanese or Chinese counterparts.
Can the software translate literally from english to chinese? I know it sound funny to do it from Malay to English.
Hari ini hari apa? = Day this day what??? heheee
yenjai, ??. ?????????????… ??
hoiling, I find that I’m better at medical talk than home talk… ‘cos that’s what I use the most. I don’t have anyone to talk Chinese to at home.
Of course the translation cannot be used enbloc, it would have to be restructured. Usually, I use it to translate phrases rather than sentences.
Oooo…Bernard the banana man learning Chinese…hahahahaha….okie…enough insults…hahahahaha….I’m kind of grateful to my parents that makes me and my brother multilingual…
Keng chao!!! Tabik and *Applause*
really phuey fok!