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Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Discussion Post March 1
Mandarin Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. Languages can change over time in diverse ways: the meanings of certain words can either be transformed or dropped as common patterns or new senses of words arise. Sounds can change…
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Mar 1
Sydney Vermeeren posted discussions
Feb 22
Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Cultural Post 2
Oracle bones are commonly recognized today as incredibly important artifacts that have provided key insights into the development of the Chinese language, as well as Chinese history. It is difficult to identify when they were first discovered, but a…
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Feb 15
Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Discussion Post 4
 There are many sounds in Chinese that are not used the same way, or don’t exist, as in American English. The most noticeable difference is in the tones used — I am learning to adjust my intonation to communicate the words I learn, as different…
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Feb 14
Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Discussion 3 Spring 2026
Chinese primarily follows the same subject-verb-object structure as English, but I am still learning the different ways in which words can be arranged. For example, in some cases, I can signify having completed an action by adding the word “le”…
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Feb 7
Sydney Vermeeren replied to Michael Marsh-Soloway's discussion Due by 5pm on Sunday, September 15: Discussion Post #2 on the Ning
"The readings for this week provided interesting assessments of culture and the ways people might respond to different ideas or behaviors. Figuring Foreigners Out presented five aspects of culture: individualism and collectivism; nonverbal…"
Feb 1
Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Language Learning Plan
Tuesday’s presentation provided helpful direction by allowing me to use my reactions to the beginning of my language learning to guide the structure I wanted to create, and by reminding me how important it was to be specific and set goals to stay on…
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Jan 28
Sydney Vermeeren posted a discussion
Cultural Artifact Post 1
For my first cultural artifact post, I decided to research the Chinese civil service exams. I had often heard them referenced in various history classes or discussions of education and government structure, and I was curious to learn more. It was…
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Jan 26
Sydney Vermeeren posted discussions
Jan 25
Tal Sheleg and Sydney Vermeeren are now friends
Jan 18
Sydney Vermeeren is now a member of The SDLAP Ning
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Jan 14

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Language Journal #2

In the last month I have developed more of a schedule with my language partners, meeting twice a week on italki. I have made noticeable language gains and can feel myself becoming much more fluent in conversation again. In the year after my Boren study I did not practice enough--relying only on occasional conversations with Indo friends and news sources in Indonesian to remain in practice.When I started again I saw myself forgetting really basic words like cepat (fast), tulis (to write), and Monday (hari senin). This would really get in the way of my communication as me and my language partner told travel stories or discussed elements of Indonesian culture. We would go from talking about international relations or the growth of renewable energy in Indonesia to me forgetting a simple adjective like jahat (mean/evil). This was really discouraging at first, but my vocabulary has continued to expand with greater practice and use of flashcards. I hope to get more books in Indonesian…

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Started by Luke Orris in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
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Cultural Artifact #2

For my second cultural artifact, I decided to look deeper into the concept of Pancasila, the foundational ideology of Indonesia. Previously, I did research and wrote a thesis in Indonesian on the historical legacy of this ideology, and decided to dig deeper into it with my language partner on italki.Much like the United States with the creation of its constitution, Indonesia required a set of institutions and a political system that would be seen as legitimate in a country with diverse peoples and ideologies. The Pancasila was essentially a mission statement for the country, that laid out both an identity and a set of goals for the new country. The 5 tenets of Pancasila are: Belief in one god,which was inclusive of Christian minorities and Balinese Hindus, who were considered to worship one God, albeit with many faces; a just and polite humanity; Indonesian unity (one country, indivisible); rule guided by elective representatives (democracy); and social justice, shared by all the…

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Started by Luke Orris in Spring 2025 Culture Posts
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Discussion Post #5

One of the cultural topics I found most interesting in my research was the cultural significance of dance in terms of how it is connected to Latin culture and the Spanish language; “Many of today’s Latin American dance styles evolved from a blend of Indigenous, African and European dance traditions across Latin America. Dance styles originating from Latin America, including afro cuban dances such as salsa and bachata, are known for their energetic movements, rhythmic patterns, and deep cultural significance” (https://www.fredastaire.com/blog/ballroom-dances/types-of-latin-dances). I want to learn more about the origins and cultural significance of bachata, salsa, tango, and merengue particularly. Vocabulary is required in this area due to the different names of the dances and the different types of styles and movements used. I also want to do more research into understanding the cultural value of la familia and how it extends beyond the nuclear family and how exercising this value is…

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Started by Lila Taylor in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
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Discussion Post #6

Mandarin belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family, which includes Cantonese, Burmese, and Tibetan. The primary regions are East Asia and southeast Asia. So it shares its ancestry with China, Myanmar and Tibet. I would have thought it shared its lineage with Korea or Japan as I often group those together culturally. What’s interesting is how Mandarin also shows contact with other cultures over time. The PDF talks about areal influence, and Mandarin definitely reflects that. I looked up some examples: words like (fó) (Buddah) come from Sanskrit through the spread of Buddhism and (kāfēi) (Coffee) comes from English. Also, a lot of modern political or technical terms entered the language through contact with Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Structurally, Mandarin is typologically analytic, meaning it has simple word forms and grammar is expressed through word order. Since grammar isn’t carrying tons of information through endings, meaning depends more on context, tone,…

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Started by Grayson Charlton in Spring 2025 Ning Discussion Posts
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