http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/channel/Language Courses/ The latest ten episodes in The Language Courses Channel 60 Thu, 24 May 2012 18:21:23 EST en-us http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/The-Interminable-Wait/ At forty-five minutes past the hour Mark was visibly restless, and by a quarter past he was positively pacing. It didn't matter to him that this was a sensitive legal affair involving three major parties across two continents. Considering that Hawkins-Billet was extending its services pro bono - hardly an inexpensive favor - surely it wasn't too much to expect punctuality from the client? Learning mandarin? Our lesson today teaches how to make confident statements about the future using what Brendan refers to as a "prediction sandwich" and the rest of us call the 会... 的 construction. But don't let this grammatical lingo scare you off -- by the end of this lesson you'll have learned a tremendously easy way to make predictions about what will happen. So join us for today's show and if you have any questions, feel free to let us know in our discussion section below. Thu, 24 May 2012 18:21:23 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/The-Interminable-Wait/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/The-Anti-Foreign-Crackdown/ If you've been following the news, you'll know our title for this show refers to the latest "official crackdown" going on in Beijing: this time aimed at the apparent flood of itinerant foreigners in China to steal money, jobs and women from Yang Rui at CCTV. In unrelated news, if you want to buy some drugs, you can apparently still pick them up at Sanlitun. As far as we can tell, the most immediate effect of all this commotion has been a clampdown on visas issued in Hong Kong and a tightening of the agency system many people rely on to assist with visa applications. But what is likely to happen long-term? This is a topic worth talking about, which is why in today's show Amber, Brendan and Echo take to the studio to chat about public enemy number one. In the process, we cover some of the more useful vocab you can use for talking about these developments with your own friends and colleagues. Mon, 21 May 2012 20:04:15 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/The-Anti-Foreign-Crackdown/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/andreippo/in/Brazilian-Portuguese-Podcast/episode/Learn-Portuguese-vocabulary-about-books/ Minicast with vocabulary related to books. Thu, 24 May 2012 19:29:46 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/andreippo/in/Brazilian-Portuguese-Podcast/episode/Learn-Portuguese-vocabulary-about-books/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/QuickNDirtyTips/in/Grammar-Girl-Quick-and-Dirty-Tips-for-Better-Writing/episode/133-GG-A-Historic-Podcast/ "Historic" versus "Historical". The Grammar Girl print book is now available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/2pkej7 Mon, 21 May 2012 19:42:13 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/QuickNDirtyTips/in/Grammar-Girl-Quick-and-Dirty-Tips-for-Better-Writing/episode/133-GG-A-Historic-Podcast/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Stirring-up-the-South-China-Sea/ This week on Sinica, as the situation in the South China Sea simmers and Chinese society turns noticeably xenophobic, we're pleased to be joined by Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt from the International Crisis Group, a non-governmental organization which has just released a fantastic report on the actors and factors in Chinese policymaking that are contributing to increased tensions in the South China Sea. In contrast with much of the writing on this issue which assumes that China is a unitary actor, this report reveals a more complex picture of competing government agencies. Don’t miss this episode if you're curious about what is really happening in the South China Sea and why. Joining Stephanie in our studio today is another guest we are delighted to have: Jeremiah Jenne, Dean of Chinese Studies at the IES program in Beijing, and the force behind the popular China blog Jottings from the Granite Studio. An expert on Chinese history and observer of current trends, Jeremiah joins us to talk about the recent upsurge in anti-foreign behavior in the Chinese media, including a new social movement encouraging Chinese citizens to turn in illegal foreign residents and workers. Can't get enough of Sinica? Be sure to join us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our show through iTunes to download our latest episodes automatically as they are released. To take care of this manually just click on the option "Subscribe to Podcast" in the "Advanced" file menu of iTunes and provide the URL http://popupchinese.com/feeds/custom/sinica when prompted. We also encourage everyone to download this show as a standalone mp3 file and share it with friends and colleagues. Mon, 21 May 2012 20:04:16 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Stirring-up-the-South-China-Sea/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Occupational-Hazard/ Flying into Los Angeles at night was like falling into the stars themselves. Below the plane, the darkened sprawl stretched to the ends of the horizon, the streets bathed in a hundred thousand glimmering lights, flashing and twinkling as the cars on the expressway churned their way home. And welcoming them all was the LAX airport in the distance, its runways framed by strobing lights.... Fri, 18 May 2012 00:21:20 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Occupational-Hazard/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Drinks-with-the-Boss/ Remember the time you worked for that state-owned auto company and got invited to the annual banquet and said yes and were surprised when everyone started relaxing and having a good time and soon you were even flirting with Xiao Li and thinking it might go somewhere but then the next thing you remember was waking in a pitch-black room with your body wracked in a kind of throbbing scream and your mind seized with visions from Ecclesiastes, wondering how you managed to get from the banquet hall to this place, and where exactly was this place anyway? Let us be frank: it does not take much exposure to China to learn that there are some activities in this country that are not conducive to either learning mandarin or continuing to live. This lesson covers one of those cases, but is also a bit of a dual-use podcast. Because while the mandarin we cover has the potential to get you into trouble, it can also help keep you sane in a different context. So listen up and use your newfound powers for good or evil as you wish. Tue, 15 May 2012 23:56:25 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Drinks-with-the-Boss/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/QuickNDirtyTips/in/Grammar-Girl-Quick-and-Dirty-Tips-for-Better-Writing/episode/321-GG-Janus-Words-Im-Chuffed/ Be careful of your context. Sun, 13 May 2012 21:05:57 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/QuickNDirtyTips/in/Grammar-Girl-Quick-and-Dirty-Tips-for-Better-Writing/episode/321-GG-Janus-Words-Im-Chuffed/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Interesting-Times/ Joining Kaiser Kuo and Jeremy Goldkorn on Sinica this week are special guests Gady Epstein from the Economist and Ed Wong from the New York Times, here to discuss what has been a surreal two weeks even by Chinese standards, bringing us the spectacle of a blind activist's refuge in the American Embassy in Beijing, the ensuing diplomatic negotiations for his release, and an upsurge of popular Chinese outrage over a maritime dispute with the Philippines. Our guests also chat about "Ferrari-gate" and address the persisting rumors that a tuxedo-clad princeling drove up to the US Ambassadorial residence in a red Ferrari. Enjoy the Sinica podcast? In addition to listening to new episodes through Popup Chinese, we invite all listeners to download and share this recording as a standalone mp3 file. Please also feel welcome to check out all of the other shows in our Sinica archives, or by subscribing to our dedicated iTunes feed. We also welcome your thoughts either in the discussion section below, or on facebook or twitter. Sun, 13 May 2012 21:26:55 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Interesting-Times/ http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Thinking-and-Feeling/ Our lesson today is for absolute beginners to the Chinese language, which means that even if you don't know any Chinese you should still find it accessible enough to pick up some of the basics. In it we cover two useful verbs you can use to tell others what you are thinking and feeling. And as a bonus, we also cover a useful phrase for apologizing in Chinese, either so you can apologize yourself, or so you can demand satisfaction from everyone around you. New to Popup Chinese and not sure what we have in store? This lesson is for absolute beginners to the Chinese language, but if you're a more advanced student don't worry: we have hundreds of lessons at your difficulty level in our Chinese lesson archive. Just create a free account for yourself and you'll get full access totally free of charge. So create your own free account today and let us know what you think of our stuff. Thu, 10 May 2012 12:57:33 EST http://play.callisto.fm/podcasts/by/popupchinese/in/Popup-Chinese/episode/Thinking-and-Feeling/