How to Say the Lord's Prayer in Chinese

China, a historically diverse land

Mandarin Chinese is the most common of all native languages spoken in the world. Chinese uses a range of dialects and separate languages. Within this range, the two main types of Chinese are standard Cantonese and standard Mandarin, the the latter being the official language of mainland China. Whether you choose one or the other, or another Chinese dialect entirely, the process of learning the Lord's Prayer in Chinese is the same.

Instructions

1. Decide which version of the Bible to use for learning the Lord's Prayer. There are numerous versions. Obtain a transliterated version of the Lord's Prayer in the version chosen that also shows the transliterated characters with accent marks. Learn the transliteration system pronunciation. Learn the characters.

2. Obtain professional audio recordings of the Lord's Prayer in Chinese, in the version chosen, and imitate the speaker to improve pronunciation. Listen to the audio recording throughout the day. If it is a learning tape in which the presenter asks you to repeat after he says a word or phrase, then follow along. Use a visual recording in order to visualize the physical vocalization of the characters.

3. Record your pronunciation of what you are learning. Play back the recording, and then compare it to the audio recordings of the Lord's Prayer. Have someone else listen to what you are saying and compare it to the professional audio recording.

4. Establish a schedule for learning the Lord's Prayer. Break up the prayer into sections, adding a new section once the last one is learned.

Tips & Warnings

• Find a class or group if an outside schedule or group feedback on pronunciation will help with the learning process. Find a group that is studying basic Chinese, grammar and intonation patterns. Expand into similar dialects using the same process. Take the Lord's Prayer to class, and explain what your project is. Ask for help from the instructor and for practice partners in the class.

• Learning the Lord's Prayer in either Cantonese or Mandarin (or both) is a matter of motivation and preference; and other Chinese languages are not to be dismissed.

References

• Instant Speak Chinese: Pinyin
• Western Kentucky University: Information Technology Division: Chinese Tones
• Palomar College: Language and Human Culture an Introduction to Human Communication: Introduction
• "The development of a lexical tone phonology in American adult learners of standard Mandarin Chinese"; Sylvia Henel Sun; 1998

Resources

• How to Learn Any Language: Mandarin Language Profile
• How to Learn Any Language: Cantonese Chinese Language Review
• Cambridge Journals Online: Annual Review of Applied Linguistics