User Comments - DaveCragin

Posted on: Handsome Foreign Student

That Peking Univ is a top University is not just a Chinese perspective.  Peking U. (PKU) and the nearby Tsinghua U. are now the 2 top universities in the world in regards to the number of their undergrad's who get PhDs at US universites (it used to be that US universities were top).

I teach as an Adjunct for both a US university and Peking U. and I find the grad students impressive at both universities. 

At recent stay at a hotel by PKU offered a fun example of creative translation: 

Hotel's English name:  "The Lakeview Inn" 

Hotel's Chinese name:  Beida boya guo ji jiudian (北大博雅国际酒店).  The literal translation of the Chinese name: "Peking Univ Boya Tower International Hotel."  To see the relationship, you need to know that PKU's "Boya tower" overlooks a famous "no name" lake. (Beida is the common abbreviation for Beijing Daxue). 

I think hotel did a great job at simplying a name that would have been too long in English. 

Posted on: How to Protect the Environment

As an environmental scientist (a toxicologist), I'll confirm that this is an excellent (and extremely useful) lesson.  Although I do it rarely, the printable PDFs are quite useful and I'd hate to lose the ability to print them.

Also, while conserving paper is a good idea, consider the environmental impact in context:  A piece of paper weighs ~1 gram whereas burning a liter of gasoline creates ~2400 grams of carbon dioxide.  Hence, avoiding a single trip in a car/taxi by taking mass transit (bus or train) will have a much more of a beneficial environmental impact than conserving many sheets of paper. 

Both China & the US get most of their power from coal, so CP's recommendations on shutting off electrical equipment is important for similar reasons (= less pollution including carbon dioxide).   

Posted on: Endless Summer

My biggest struggle has been moving from Ele to Int.  I still need much of the language that is taught in Ele, but I like that the Int lessons have much much more Chinese.  The Ele lessons are entertaining.  However, when I use Ele's, I mostly think in English.    

To add more Chinese content to the Ele's, I put ~5 of the dialog-only into a playlist and listen to the dialog sometimes 15-20 times before listening to the full lesson. 

As offered by Modernnomad, movies are invaluable for driving comprehension & training one's ear.  Even though I use subtitles, the movies help me enormously (I study Chinese in an English-speaking environment, so I need opportunities to hear it spoken beyond that offered by the lessons). 

Posted on: Organic Food

As a toxicologist, it's interesting to see the world-wide perception that organic foods are grown without pesticides or fertilizers.  The reality is that conventional & organic crops use both.  In California, the top pesticide used by both organic & conventional farmers is the same:  sulfur (as fungicide).  The only difference is that organic farmers don't use purified sulfur (yes, this is bizarre).   It's not as if organic farmers can negotiate with fungus and insects and say "don't damage my crops."

As with many things, China has an ancient history of using pesticides that goes back thousands of years (reported to before 1000 BC).  The difference is that modern pesticides are used in a much more controlled manner and the pesticides themselves are much less hazardous.  "In the good old days" before the introduction of DDT, the primary insecticide used in the world was lead arsenate.

Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip

Last year, in a visit to Peking Univ, I remembered my student host saying "fúwù yuan" 服务员 to waiters, despite that she's a native Bēijīng rén.  This lesson triggered me to ask her why she didn't say "fúwù yuár" 服务员儿.  Her response is below. 

I'd be interested to hear any reactions to her answer, i.e., is her feeling not to use 儿 with people just personal or is there a polite/impolite aspect to this. 

Yes, as you have already recognized,we do add 儿 almost in every noun in Beijing style mandarin. It does not make an exemption when it comes to 服务员。The reason for me personally preferring not to add 儿 after this particular title is that, I feel it is not that polite to call them this way in face. It is like saying "Hey you" rather than "waitress please". It may just be my personal preference, because I hear people calling 服务员儿 over all the time. In fact I seldom put 儿 after any addressing words for people. Items are fine to put 儿 afterwards.

Posted on: Light and Dark Colors of Clothing

I concur with all the comments about Jenny's additional use of Chinese at the Ele level.  It's done in such a natural & effective way that I almost didn't notice it.  This is a superb way to help us move into the Intermediate level. 

Posted on: The Guanxi Myth

I've enjoyed Jenny's new show and I also sensed that something was missing, but I didn't realize what until I read Quasifrog.  Quasifrog is spot-on. 

The superb book "Made to stick" suggests that things such as "wit, personal observations and colorful descriptions" are keys to helping people remember information.  The vignettes from Jenny, Ken & John do much to make their lessons "stick" (while also making the lessons enjoyable).     

Jenny is more dynamic than virtually any speaker from any country <g>, so following Quasifrog's recommendations will only serve to add verve to the show.   

Posted on: China Street Smart with John Chan

Jenny - Wonderful show!  You're definitely my favorite <g>.  I watched your interview with the Malaysian news several times.

Knowing even limited Chinese has multiple impacts on business.  Most importantly, it shows deep respect, particularly when they learn you are self-taught.  It creates instant chemistry.  I'm still astonished how speaking some Chinese creates an instant rapport.    

With outside business partners, if you begin in Chinese, they won't know exactly how much you understand and it will reduce their ability to engage in sidebar discussions in your presence. 

A non-Chinese example:  An Indian colleague had to do an audit in a Tamil-speaking area of India.  Beforehand, he learned some Tamil to begin the discussion.  Then he switched to English.  They had no idea how much Tamil he knew.  He wanted to prevent them from saying to each other "Hide this.  Don't tell him that..."  He didn't need to show fluency, but just enough to create doubt in their minds.  

Posted on: What Would You Like to Eat?

Here are some thoughts on the value of food lessons:  Food is a universal conversation opener.  Also, for those like myself who don't live in China, the food lessons have much relevance since we can use it in restaurants. 

In addition, regardless of whether an individual wants to learn Chinese for business, travel, teaching , or  personal reasons, the food lessons are useful.  I find that I wish I knew more food vocabulary.