-=> Quoting Dan Triplett to Rick Pedley <=-
 RP>But 26 letters and 42 phonemes should be a snap compared with what
 RP>most Chinese kids have to learn! Even all the exceptions to the rules
 RP>in English could be easily memorized, and _were_ when I was a kid.
 RP>The whole system has gone wimpy.
 DT> I don't understand how what Chinese children have to learn is a
 DT> reasonable argument regarding anything concerning American education.
 DT> I  think you may be referring to the number of Chinese symbols that
 DT> need to be learned vrs the few in America.  The comparison you offer
 DT> cannot be  regarded as proof for your argument that American children
 DT> *should* be  able to learn to read in a snap.  Chinese writing is
 DT> vastly different  than English.  I'm not sure an adequate comparison
 DT> can be made.
You're absolutely right, there IS no comparison!
 DT> that learning may  be. I cannot comment on the state of Chinese
 DT> education or  the difficulty of the written language since I don't have
 DT> any data.  I  do know they have a 30% illiteracy rate (approximately).
 DT> You say that reading is simply a matter of memorizing phonics and then
 DT> one can read.  Not true.
I didn't say that. Show me where I said that.
 DT> You say that when you were a kid that
 DT> children memorized in a *snap* all the sounds, all the blends, all the
 DT> exceptions, and that since then (since you went to school) the system
 DT> has detoriated (gone wimpy) to a point where children are not being
 DT> taught to read.  Again not true.
You're taking that out of context with the first sentence above; I mean
of course, in comparison with what the average Chinese must memorize,
5,000 ideograms.
 DT> I am also inferring that you suggest that this lack of learning to
 DT> read  is not a soceital issue; it is merely an educational one.
 DT> Teachers  aren't doing their job -- the system is failing.  I don't
 DT> agree.
You can infer all you like, it don't mean squat. Your definition of
"infer" appears to mean "putting words in my mouth" and I resent that.
 DT> I will write more about this next time if you need additional
 DT> information to help you see that for _many_ children learning to do
 DT> anything, including and perhaps especially reading, is anything but a
 DT> *snap.*
Thank you very much, but I think you've given me enough "information".
Please continue with your crusade.
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