Part of
Introducing Chinese Linguistics: A handbook for Chinese language teachers and learnersHang Zhang and Lan Zhang
[Studies in Chinese Language and Discourse 16] 2022
► pp. 1–24
Before delving into Chinese linguistics, this chapter provides readers with accessible introductions to major concepts and terms within contemporary linguistics, followed by a succinct overview of second language acquisition theory and research, and concludes with a brief but comprehensive background on Mandarin Chinese, including Chinese dialects. If you have never taken a linguistics class, understanding these basic linguistic concepts will help you identify and analyze Mandarin Chinese patterns in and out of this book.