Help Me Please. Learning Vietnamese but just a beginner. Dictionary not Working

[Texan]

I had asked for help with a translation for an e-mail from a friend. I suppose that was too much to ask for. I only received one snotty e-mail reply in two days from some one who rebuked me for placing personal e-mail online for everyone to see. I can only say that I hope some day this person is in the same position as myself and ask me for help. They will not receive it from me. Sorry that I asked for some innocent help! I am in the process of learning the Vietnamese language. It is a difficult language, but I will learn it! In the mean time, thank you for nothing! Will not be seeing me back here on this community forum. I have helped many Vietnamese people to write letters to immigration for applications of political asylum, correct grammar and spelling for business letters and to learn proper English. Thank you so much in return! I still have some Vietnamese friends who are true friends. I will not forget them. Here is what I have to say to the others.

[Tricky42]

The point being made was about intercepting messages between 3rd parties which is illegal in in the UK... think of Rupert Murdoch OK?

If you need something translating then most people are helpful here. Send me the mail personally and I will do my best to translate it for you OK. Don't get put off simply because some pious individual has some issue and lashes out in the wrong direction!

[duynguyen]

HI Texan,
I am an ESL learner but a master in Vietnamese. I can be of help. For a beginner, three basic things to start with a new language are: pronunciation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Vietnamese pronunciation needs 3 weeks to master (provided learner strictly follows the rules). You need a CD and a native to help you (It is good if this native possesses a language teaching credential issued by an accredited institution) Remember, not any native speaker can be a good language teacher.

Sentence structure and vocabulary can be found at www.tinhhoavietnam.net. There is book entitled Cẩm Nang Ngữ Pháp tiếngViệt 'Vietnamese Grammar Handbook'. There you can learn vocab from A to Z and you will master 7 basic sentence structures. It may take you a while to master Vietnamese the sentence structures (in comparison with 5 basic English structures). Don't ever think about "dialects."

When I first learned English in 1958. I learned FrenchEnglish. In 1963 I learned British English, 1965 I switch to American English. Now can speak some English dialects: New Yorker, Bostonian, Texan, Londoner....
What you need is basic, standard Vietnamese. With this you don't make any mistakes: The Northerners make terrible mistakes with the initial sounds: ch =tr, s=x, d, gi = z, n = l; the Central and the Southerners are not better; they don't make any distinctions of terms ending -n/-ng, -c/-t, low rising/high broken 'dấu hỏi/dấu ngã, and so on.
Remember it takes you forever to speak a second language natively if you are not a three year-old learner.
Hopefully these hints will help you learn the language authentically and linguisticallly.

Happy Holidays

Duy Nguyen

[dragonwing04]

HI Texan,
I am an ESL learner but a master in Vietnamese. I can be of help. For a beginner, three basic things to start with a new language are: pronunciation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Vietnamese pronunciation needs 3 weeks to master (provided learner strictly follows the rules). Sentence structure and vocabulary can be found at www.tinhhoavietnam.net. There is book entitled Cẩm Nang Ngữ Pháp tiếngViệt 'Vietnamese Grammar Handbook'. There you can learn vocab from A to Z and you will master 7 basic sentence structures. It may take you a while to master Vietnamese the sentence structures (in comparison with 5 basic English structures). Don't ever think about "dialects."
When I first learned English in 1958. I learned FrenchEnglish. In 1963 I learned PR English, 1965 I switch to American English. Now can speak some English dialects : New Yorker, Bostonian, Texan, Londoner....
What you need is basic, standard Vietnamese. With this you don't make any mistakes: The Northerners make terrible mistakes with the initial sounds: ch =tr, s=x, d, gi = z, n = l; the Central and the Southerners are not better; they don't make any distinctions of terms ending -n/-ng, -c/-t, low rising/high broken 'dấu hỏi/dấu ngã, and so on.
Remember it takes you forever to speak a second language natively if you are not a three year-old learner.
Hopefully these hints will help you learn the language authentically and linguisticallly.

Happy Holidays

Duy Nguyen

Do you have any other examples on the differences between north and south dialect and/or mispronunciations of the local people? Or maybe you can elaborate on the ones you've mentioned above?

I'm very interested in knowing more about the differences of these dialects

thank you

[duynguyen]

Hi Dragonwing,
There are plenty of diferrences. Here are some:

Pronunciation: chiến tranh chính trị (Nam) > chiến chanh chính chị (Bắc), gia đình (N) > za đình (B), biết rồi (N) > biết zồi (B), Chị Dung giùng giằng giận dữ bỏ đi ra (N) > Chị Zung vùng vằng zận zữ bỏ đi za, and more. ...
làm diệc (N) > làm việc; người Diệc (N) > người Việt (B). Ở đây có sữa tươi (B) > Ở đây có sửa tươi. (N), ... Con thằng lằng (N) > con thằn lằn (B), Ông Chính (N) > ông Chín (B) , cái wa (N) > cái hoa (B)...

Vocabulary: hẻm (N) > ngõ (nhỏ nữa thì ngách (B) > kiệt (Trung), ốm (N = thin) > gầy (B), ốm (B = sick) > đau, bịnh (N), dơ (N) > bẩn (B), tìm (N) > kiếm (B), ...

Please read Cẩm Nang Ngữ Pháp tiếng Việt 'Vietnamese Grammar Hanbook' for more information. There is a chart comparing four key dialects spoken in Vietnam, and there is another list of terms used in the South and in the North, and the combination of both.

Thanks for asking.
Have a great weekend.

Duy Nguyen

[duynguyen]

Hi Dragonwing,
You can visit this website: www.tinhhoavietnam.net. There you will find the Vietnamese Grammar Handbook. Look in Chapter Two for Vietnamese phonology, under Dialects. There is a chart that sums up four main dialects and the shortcomings of each.

Happ Tết!

Duy Nguyen

[dragonwing04]

Ah, cam on ban, website nay rat hay!