Do Arithmetic as
Quickly as Chinese Students
Last year an article in the Wall Street Journal, “The Best Language for Math” by Sue Shellenbarger, caused a dispute. Ms. Shellenbarger said, “Chinese use simpler number words and express math concepts more clearly than English, making it easier for small children to learn counting and arithmetic”. Some disagreed.
The dispute boils down to a controversial theory, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This hypothesis contends that the language I speak determines the way I think. I accept the Sapir-Whorf theory. In addition, I believe language is thought. They are two sides of the same coin because they can’t be separated. I support Ms. Shellenbarger when she says “confusing English number words are linked to weaker skills” which is also the subtitle of her article.
In general, English is more advanced than Chinese when we regard language as a tool of thinking. However, English is less efficient than Chinese in expressing Arabic numbers. English uses twenty-seven words to express the counting numbers from one through ninety-nine (1-99) whereas Chinese uses only ten words. They are: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.
In addition, seventeen English number words are unnecessary. They are: eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, and ninety.
Ten words are enough to represent numbers within one hundred. The principal is that one digit uses one word. Eleven in Chinese is “one-ten-one” or in a shorten form “ten-one”.
English words “eleven through nineteen” are suited to the old British currency system, mixed duodecimal-vigesimal. That is 12 pence equal 1 shilling, 20 shillings equal a pound sterling. In a decimal system this is inappropriate. The numbers eleven through nineteen do not fit a decimal system. More words don’t aid understanding.
If you want to do arithmetic as quickly as a Chinese student does, follow these guidelines. Break down the seventeen words. For example, eleven is “ten-one”, twelve is “ten-two”, continue with “ten-three” through “ten-nine”. Twenty is “two-ten” or “two-ty”. Similarly, “thirty” is “three-ty” and “four-ty” through “nine-ty”. Either “teen” or “ty” means tenths. Accordingly “twenty-one” is “two-ty-one”. “Twenty-two” is “two-ty-two” and so on, until “nine-ty-nine”.
Switch to the Chinese Multiplication table which Chinese students call “Small Nine Nine”. Actually, it is smaller than the American multiplication table. The Chinese times table is nine by nine while the American table is twelve by twelve. In a decimal system, ten by ten is the same as one by one. Eleven and twelve are not useful.
Now you use only ten numeral words in the table. They are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten or ty. Some tricks will help you read and recite the table. When you read “two times three is six” skip the word “times”, like this, “two three is six”. When you read “six times seven is forty two”, you skip “times” and replace “is” with a short pause, like this, "six sevens (shortly pause) four-ty-two".
Drop off all phonemes behind the first vowel in these ten words. Read them like abbreviations, as long as you can distinguish them. For example: fo(ur) and fi(ve), si(x) and se(ven). All the equations in the table are in four or five words. Now when you read an equation you feel as if you are reading a short line in a poem. At first, recite the equations in order, then mix them up. Practice makes perfect. Soon you will blurt out any product!
Keep in mind that it doesn't matter which of the two factors is first or second, the product is always the same. This will cut the job of recitation in half. Recitation is not hard work. Almost all Chinese students can do it.
After you learn the Chinese multiplication table by heart, it is like an application installed in your mind. You will do arithmetic as quickly as Chinese students.
Last year an article in the Wall Street Journal, “The Best Language for Math” by Sue Shellenbarger, caused a dispute. Ms. Shellenbarger said, “Chinese use simpler number words and express math concepts more clearly than English, making it easier for small children to learn counting and arithmetic”. Some disagreed.
The dispute boils down to a controversial theory, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This hypothesis contends that the language I speak determines the way I think. I accept the Sapir-Whorf theory. In addition, I believe language is thought. They are two sides of the same coin because they can’t be separated. I support Ms. Shellenbarger when she says “confusing English number words are linked to weaker skills” which is also the subtitle of her article.
In general, English is more advanced than Chinese when we regard language as a tool of thinking. However, English is less efficient than Chinese in expressing Arabic numbers. English uses twenty-seven words to express the counting numbers from one through ninety-nine (1-99) whereas Chinese uses only ten words. They are: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.
In addition, seventeen English number words are unnecessary. They are: eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, and ninety.
Ten words are enough to represent numbers within one hundred. The principal is that one digit uses one word. Eleven in Chinese is “one-ten-one” or in a shorten form “ten-one”.
English words “eleven through nineteen” are suited to the old British currency system, mixed duodecimal-vigesimal. That is 12 pence equal 1 shilling, 20 shillings equal a pound sterling. In a decimal system this is inappropriate. The numbers eleven through nineteen do not fit a decimal system. More words don’t aid understanding.
If you want to do arithmetic as quickly as a Chinese student does, follow these guidelines. Break down the seventeen words. For example, eleven is “ten-one”, twelve is “ten-two”, continue with “ten-three” through “ten-nine”. Twenty is “two-ten” or “two-ty”. Similarly, “thirty” is “three-ty” and “four-ty” through “nine-ty”. Either “teen” or “ty” means tenths. Accordingly “twenty-one” is “two-ty-one”. “Twenty-two” is “two-ty-two” and so on, until “nine-ty-nine”.
Switch to the Chinese Multiplication table which Chinese students call “Small Nine Nine”. Actually, it is smaller than the American multiplication table. The Chinese times table is nine by nine while the American table is twelve by twelve. In a decimal system, ten by ten is the same as one by one. Eleven and twelve are not useful.
Now you use only ten numeral words in the table. They are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten or ty. Some tricks will help you read and recite the table. When you read “two times three is six” skip the word “times”, like this, “two three is six”. When you read “six times seven is forty two”, you skip “times” and replace “is” with a short pause, like this, "six sevens (shortly pause) four-ty-two".
Drop off all phonemes behind the first vowel in these ten words. Read them like abbreviations, as long as you can distinguish them. For example: fo(ur) and fi(ve), si(x) and se(ven). All the equations in the table are in four or five words. Now when you read an equation you feel as if you are reading a short line in a poem. At first, recite the equations in order, then mix them up. Practice makes perfect. Soon you will blurt out any product!
Keep in mind that it doesn't matter which of the two factors is first or second, the product is always the same. This will cut the job of recitation in half. Recitation is not hard work. Almost all Chinese students can do it.
After you learn the Chinese multiplication table by heart, it is like an application installed in your mind. You will do arithmetic as quickly as Chinese students.
written in 2015
reference: New Concept Linguistics
The Best Language for Mathhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-language-for-math-1410304008
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