New ideas about literacy learning

Lexical compounding game- Morpheme Chains

To support Chinese word and character learning, one simple type of oral language learning is lexical compounding. Lexical compounding is important because putting morphemes together in a structure helps us to read Chinese better. In addition, it is strongly related to vocabulary development. The Chinese game called “word chain game” is one good example of how to do this. In this game, the last morpheme of the word becomes the first morpheme of the next word. (English: campfire--firewall—wallflower—flowerpot—pothole).

Here are two Chinese chains:

 

例子一:中文-文化-化學-學習-習性-姓名-明白-白色

Mandarin Pinyin: zhōng wén - wén huà - huà xué - xué xí - xí xìng - xìng míng - míng bai - bái sè

Cantonese Pinyin : zung1man4 - man4faa3 - faa3hok6 - hok6zaap6 -

                                  zaap6sing3 - sing3ming4 -ming4baak6 - baak6sik1

 

例子二:改變-變動-動作-作品-品嚐-嚐試-試題-題目

Mandarin Pinyin: gǎi biàn - biàn dòng - dòng zuò - zuò pǐn - pǐn cháng- cháng shì - shì tí - tí mù

Cantonese Pinyin: goi2bin3 - bin3dung6 -dung6zok3 - zok3ban2 -

​                                ban2soeng4 - soeng4si3 -si3tai4 - tai4muk6

 

Another way to emphasize lexical compounding is to ask children or adult learners to make up words using morphemes. For example, a boot for an ant would be called an antboot (not a bootant). Here are a few questions we have asked children ages 5-10 tapping this skill:

 

bracelet

If bracelets on wrists

bracelet-chi

Are called “wrist bracelets”

anklet

Then…

What would we call bracelets we wear on our ankles?

anklet-chi

Answer:

“ankle-bracelets”

school establishment

If the day we celebrate the establishment of a school

school celebration

Is called “school-celebration”

family establishment

Then…

What would we call the day we celebrate the establishment of a family?

family celebration

Answer:

“family-celebration”

beans soup

If soup made out of beans

beans soup-chi

Is called “beans-soup”

eggs soup

Then…

What would we call soup made out of eggs?

eggs soup-chi

Answer:

“eggs-soup”

bunny ears frogs

If frogs with bunny ears

bunny ears frogs

Are called “bunny-ears-frogs”

duck beak frogs

Then…

What would we call frogs with duck beaks?

duck beak frogs-chi

Answer:

“duck-beak-frogs”

banana

If bananas with a sweet smell

banana

Are called

“sweet-banana”

rotten banana

Then…

What would we call bananas with a rotten smell?

rotten banana

Answer:

“Rotten-banana”

cow oil

If oil made out of cows’ milk

cow oil

Is called “cow-oil”

goat oil

Then…

What would we call oil made out of goats’ milk?

goat oil

Answer:

“goat-oil”

rain boots

If boots we wear in the rain

rain boots

Are called “rain boots”

snow boots

Then…

What would we call boots we wear in the snow?

snow boots

Answer:

“snow-boots”