Intermediate - A Convenient Misunderstanding
Right-Wingnut
April 03, 2013 at 05:50 AM posted in Transcripts with TalLesson here.
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 07:57 AM
Jenny: 现在有点不方便。
John: Right, you don't even have to say 说话，you can just say 现在不方便。
Jenny: 对对对。
John: OK.
Jenny: 而且我们也很爱吃方便面。
John: Oh man, don't go there.
Jenny: 所以方便在中文里面还有好多的用法。
John: So anyway, we hope you enjoyed this joke and you learned something from it.
Jenny: 好可爱啊。然后我们下次再见。
John: 再见。
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 07:51 AM
15:31
John: Yeah, that's a good one.
Jenny: 对吧。
John: For example, you make a phone call to someone and you want to know - is now a good time?
Jenny: 对。
John: But you don't translate literally 'is now a good time'. In Chinese you would say ...
Jenny: 你现在说话方便吗？
John: Right, or if you want to say ...
Jenny: 比如你要...我觉得就是 scheduled 东西的时候，like 'would Saturday work for you?'. 然后我们常常［？？］说：星期六方便吗？
John: Right, right.
Jenny: 对不对。
John: And also if you want to say 'I can't talk now', then you can say ...
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 07:44 AM
15:08
Jenny: 如果你是一个外国男生的话，我想你讲这个笑话中，国人会爱死你。你会很 popular。因为很好笑啊。
John: But also this word 方便 in Chinese meaning 'convenient' is way more common in Chinese than 'convenient' is in English,so we really need to learn it.
Jenny: 我们经常［就是］说：你什么［受］方便。你现在说话方便吗？
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 08:17 AM
13:01
John: So 'after hearing that'.
Jenny: 对对。这个外国人就晕倒了。
John: 晕，1st tone，that means 'to faint', and 倒 means 'to fall over'.
Jenny: 所以＇晕倒了＇就是你先 feint，然后［这个］人就摔倒了。就 feint 在地上。
John: OK.
Jenny: 好。那我们再听一遍今天的对话。
13:23 - Dialog
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 08:04 AM
12:32
John: OK.
Jenny: ＇找个方便的时间＇就可以的。
John: OK, here's the end. What happens?
Jenny: 听完这句话，这个外国人就晕倒了。
John: 听完这句话 - after finishing hearing this sentence of speech - its so hard to translate into English.
Jenny: 对［哦］。[???]
John: 这句 refers to a sentence.
Jenny: 对。一句话。这句话就是刚刚那个人说的。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 07:47 AM
12:03
John: So 'find a time when you and I are both convenient, when its convenient for both of us'.
Jenny: 对。找个你我都方便的时候。所以这里＇你我＇就是＇你和我＇的意思，对不对。
John: OK.
Jenny: 然后：你我都方便的时候。
John: So you can say 找个...什么什么...的时候。
Jenny: 对。
John: You cam also say 找个...什么什么...时间。
Jenny: 对。找个天气好的时候。找个天气好的时间。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 07:32 AM
John: OK.
Jenny: 好。那这个外国朋友完全不知道该怎么回答了。［？？］中国人很 persistent. 一定要在他方便的时候［？？］吃饭。
John: And its so crass.
Jenny: 对。那这个中国朋友呢最后又说：没关系啦，那就以后吧。以后找个你我都方便的时候一起吃饭。
John: 找个 ... 什么什么 的时候。
Jenny：找个你我都方便的时候一起吃饭。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 07:16 AM
11:01
John: OK.
Jenny: 就接着说：如果你最近不方便的话。如果什么什么的话就是 if 对吧。我们可以改天。改天。
John: 改天 - 3rd tone, 1st tone - literally means 'change the day'.
Jenny: 是的。
John: So it means 'do it on another day'.
Jenny: 对。
John: You can also use this before the verb.
Jenny: 就。我们改天一起去吃饭。
John: On another day we'll do it.
Jenny: 对。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 07:01 AM
John: That's 3rd tone, 2nd tone.
Jenny: 没错。
John: So he thought is was inconvenient for the guy.
Jenny: 对。然后这个中国朋友就接着说，接着说：如果你最近不方便的话，我们可以改天。
John: 接着说，what does this 接着 add to it?
Jenny: ＇接着＇就是＇然后＇。
John: Kind of 'continued'.
Jenny: 对对对。
John: [?] he was saying before, so he continued on and said.
Jenny: 对。＇接＇就是 link 的意思。
toianw
April 15, 2013 at 05:09 PM
Jenny(2): Is it 你*叫*回答? It sounds like jiao4 to me, though I'm not sure that makes sense.
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 06:43 AM
10:05
John: So 'even stranger'.
Jenny: 那这个中国朋友看他没有回答。
John: 回答， two 2nd tones, that is 'answer' a question.
Jenny: 对。别人问你，你将回答。
John: OK.
Jenny: 那中国朋友看他没有回答，以为他不方便。
John: 以为, that's the verb which means 'mistakenly believe'.
Jenny: 对对。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 06:38 AM
That's what I thought too, but it seemed odd to describe a 朋友 with 种. Nevertheless, its probably right.
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 04:43 AM
9:28
Jenny: 对。我想在你方便的时候请你吃饭。他加了一个＇在＇就是很清楚的 ［表明 or 标明 ？］，就是我想在这个时候，这样的一个 occasion，一个 situation。
John: So if you want to make the time interval very clear, make the occasion very clear, you can sandwich it with 在 on the one end and 的时候 on the other end.
Jenny: 对。
John: And it just means 'when its convenient'.
Jenny: 对的。
John: Obviously you can misunderstand it to mean something else.
Jenny: 是的。那这［？］外国朋友，他就 misunderstood，然后他就觉得更奇怪了，对不对。
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 04:36 AM
9:01
Jenny: 对对。Hospitable 的意思。
John: So what did the person say?
Jenny: 我想在你方便的时候请你吃饭。很 crass 吧。［？？I have absolutely no idea what she says next ？？] 我想在你方便的时候请你吃饭。
John: Now here's something that's kind of interesting. We know that 的时候 means 'when', but here on the front end of this little time phrase we have the 在.
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 04:25 AM
8:31
John: 另一个人。
Jenny: 对。
John: 另一个朋友。
Jenny: 对。
John: So 'another one'. OK.
Jenny: 很热情地对他说。热情地对他说。
John: 热情 - that's 4th tone, 2nd tone - that means 'enthusiastically', 'earnestly'.
Jenny: 对。特别就是说：当你 entertain guests，有客人的时候你要很热情。你是 host，你是主人。你要很热情。
John: Kind of like 'hospitable' too.
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:45 AM
8:03
John: Its kind of like just 'and then', 'as a result'.
Jenny: 对。
John: OK.
Jenny: 好。那他们就吃饭。［?????］要走的时候，另一位中国朋友 - 好多中国朋友请他吃饭。
John: 另一位中国朋友。 So 位 - this is the measure word for people, the polite one.
Jenny: 对。在这里这个＇另一位＇也是比较正式的。一般口语里面我们就会说：另一个中国朋友。
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:36 AM
7:33
John: So his friend gave him a spoon because he said he wasn't comfortable with 筷子.
Jenny: 对。
John：But 于是 - what is that?
Jenny: 其实也是一个连接，一个 linking word。就是说：因为一件事情所以就是有［连］一个 consequence。
John: Its like the logical consequence.
Jenny: 对。
John: But you see this a lot more in written stuff than in spoken Chinese.
Jenny: 而且我觉得讲故事的时候，也常常用。
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:28 AM
Jenny: 对。这是很 incredulous，不能相信。
John: 难道，then he's asking himself this question.
Jenny: 对。然后，因为他以为＇方便＇就是上厕所的意思啊，所以朋友问他你用筷子方便吗？他赶紧说：“我不方便。
John: 赶紧说, that's two 3rd tones，赶紧，and that means 'quickly'.
Jenny: 对。就是马上的意思。
John: So he hurried to reply.
Jenny: 对。我不方便。于是，他的朋友就拿了一个勺子给他。
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:21 AM
6:32
John: Not that weird. You don't take chopsticks into the restroom.
Jenny: No.
John: So 吃惊 - 吃 means 'to eat'.
Jenny: 对啊。
John: But its just an expression, there's no ...
Jenny: 对对。就是很 surprised 的意思，很吃惊。
John: Don't try to understand the eating.
Jenny: 对。那当你吃惊的时候呢，你经常就会自己问自己：难道，是这样的吗。
John: 难道 - 2nd tone, 4th tone - is this rhetorical question marker. 'Could it be that ...', 'Is it possible?'.
toianw
April 15, 2013 at 04:50 PM
John(1): Even though...
John(final): to be surprised
Jenny(final): 没错。*他想:*...
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:14 AM
6:01
Jenny: 对。
John: [??] he was thinking it meant something else.
Jenny: 对的。
John: OK.
Jenny: 好。你用筷子方便吗？
John: What's his reaction though? His initial reaction?
Jenny: 吃惊。他非常了吃惊。
John: 吃惊，two 1st tones, means 'surprised'.
Jenny: 对。因为 ...
John: [??] surprised.
Jenny: 没错。好像难道中国人用筷子上厕所？我知道中国人很 weird to foreigners sometimes，但是我们没有这么 weird。
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 07:00 AM
J(2): I'm glad you can make that one out - you must have finely tuned ears!
J(3): Really? I can't hear a 2nd 你, even at half speed.
toianw
April 15, 2013 at 04:48 PM
Jenny(2): 有一种 I think
Jenny(3): clumsy *你*用 chopsticks 的时候
Jernny(final): *就*是
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:06 AM
5:32
John: Now obviously they didn't mean 'use chopsticks to 方便'.
Jenny: 你很恶心啊。
John: What does the question actually mean?
Jenny: 这里的＇方便＇就是［？？］convenient 或者 comfortable 的意思。
John: So '你用筷子方便吗？' means 'are you comfortable using chopsticks?'.
Jenny: 对。还是说：你很 clumsy 用 chopsticks 的时候。
John: OK. And he answers 不方便 meaning ...
Jenny: 这是我不太会用。
John: So that's how they understood it.
Right-Wingnut
April 08, 2013 at 06:26 AM
John: 单词 - isn't that 'word'?
Jenny: 是啊。但是我觉得＇单词＇一般都是形容英语的单词，或者就是 non-Chinese，其他 language。
John: So Chinese has this weird double standard, where foreign languages have 单词 but Chinese has 词。
Jenny: 对。
John: OK.
Jenny: 吃饭的时候呢，这个...有一个中国朋友啊，看这个外国人不太会用筷子，就对他说：你用筷子方便吗？你用筷子方便吗？
Right-Wingnut
April 08, 2013 at 06:18 AM
John: Its not as if ...
Jenny: ［？］我从来不用［？］
John: You said the joke is crass. Is this expression crass?
Jenny: No，这个说法其实它是一个 euphemism，对不对。
John: So its pretty polite.
Jenny: 对的。
John: OK.
Jenny: 好。那这个外国人呢，他现在知道：Oh，［一个来］方便就是上厕所的意思。他很高兴自己又学会了一个词。
John: So 'he learned another word'. How do we say 'word'?
Jenny: 词。词。
John: 2nd tone.
Jenny: 对。
Right-Wingnut
April 08, 2013 at 06:08 AM
Jenny: 对。
John: Now I have to ask you, this usage of 方便，how common is it?
Jenny: 我觉得女性，女生，很少这样用。
John: So its kind of a guy thing.
Jenny: 对。也 guy thing，男的用。而且我感觉它有一点点过时。
John: So its a little bit outdated.
Jenny: 有一点 out，对。
John: I think Jiaojie (characters?) said that its more likely to be an older man using it because its a little outdated.
Jenny: 又 manly，又 outdated。
Right-Wingnut
April 05, 2013 at 05:33 AM
3:32
Jenny: 对。那你知道方便，它是有这个 convenient 的意思。
John: Right, but that's an adjective.
Jenny: 对啊。那这里这个动词的＇方便＇是什么意思呢？这个外国人他不理解，不 understand。
John: 理解，that's like 'comprehend'.
Jenny: 对。然后他的另外一个朋友就告诉他：方便就是上厕所的
意思。
John: So 'go use the restroom'.
Right-Wingnut
April 05, 2013 at 05:27 AM
3:03
John: So he's already arrived.
Jenny: 对。
John: [His lie］is often used to mean something that will happen in the future.Or something someone will want to do.
Jenny: 是的。
John: OK.
Jenny: 然后他来到中国，他的中国朋友请他吃饭。那吃饭的时候呢，一个朋友就说：不好意思，我去方便一下。我去方便一下。
John: So we see 方便一下. We know that this 方便 must be a verb.
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 06:52 AM
I'll have to take your word for that. It sounds like it actually starts with an 'l'.
Right-Wingnut
April 15, 2013 at 06:30 AM
Thanks, I hadn't come up against this structure. I guess it must get covered in the UI lessons.
marina169
April 15, 2013 at 05:31 AM
这里的结构是“反正。。。虽然。。。”。你百度一下，有很多例子。比如，信不信由你，反正我是信了，虽然我是男生。还有 - 北京真的那么不堪吗？反正我很喜欢，虽然我不是土著.
Right-Wingnut
April 14, 2013 at 08:55 AM
The problem with 虽然 is that it must be followed by something:
虽然 ... 但是 ...
At least I don't think it can appear after the clause it is linked to like 'although' can in English. The first 60 sample sentences on Nciku had 虽然 before a 但是 (or just 但).
Right-Wingnut
April 05, 2013 at 05:17 AM
2:29
Jenny: 其实我第一次听到这个笑话。
John: Really?
Jenny: 那我觉得很好的笑。
John: I think that foreigners tend to hear the jokes about foreigners a little bit more.
Jenny: 反正我觉得这个笑话好可爱。［？］有一点crass。好。那我们听听这个笑话里面有一个外国人，对不对。
John: Right.
Jenny: 他来到中国。
John: So I want to ask you, this 来到中国，why is there a 到 there? Is that the same as just 来？
Jenny: 因为有＇到＇这个字，所以它就是很clear，很清楚得告诉你这个人已经到中国了。
Right-Wingnut
April 05, 2013 at 05:06 AM
2:22
John: So Jenny, actually we didn't invent this joke, its been floating around for a while, but we rewrote it and gave it our own take.
Right-Wingnut
April 05, 2013 at 05:03 AM
John: Why is it funny, and what are the other meanings this word can take on. We're going to find out in this joke.
Jenny: 好。那我们赶快听今天的课文。
0:38 - Dialog
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 06:50 AM
Jenny (2): could it be 事由 ?
Jenny (3): I hope they were typos, because I can't explain how else I could have come up with that
Right-Wingnut
April 03, 2013 at 05:57 AM
Jenny: 大家好，我是Jenny。
John: Hey guys, this is an Intermediate lesson, I'm John.
Jenny: 今天我们［show??］一个笑话吗。
John: Yeah, today its a joke.
Jenny: 这个笑话是很中文个义愤词有关系的。
John: So what is the key word that is the pun here?
Jenny: 方便。方便。
John: 1st tone, 4th tone. That means 'convenient'.
Jenny: 对的。那方便这个词它到底有什么好笑的地方呢。
Right-Wingnut
April 19, 2013 at 07:51 AM16:00-end