User Comments - John

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John

Posted on: The Third Tone
February 3, 2008 at 6:08 AM

If you like lotsa third tones, we have another lesson just for you: Elementary - Tone Rule: Two Third Tones

Posted on: All You Can Eat and Drink
February 2, 2008 at 9:46 AM

LostInAsia, Mmmm, I love Korean food. I know this great place near my home where I can get "all I can eat" (which is a lot) for less than I pay for real "all I can eat" Japanese food...

Posted on: The DVD Ploy
February 2, 2008 at 5:17 AM

chris1, Aw, shucks. Thanks! We enjoy making these lessons. I suppose that shows. Yeah, I am married now, but back when I was a single guy, "the DVD trick" was pretty well known in my group of friends. Basically, it goes like this: if a girl is willing to come over to your place to watch a DVD with you, then she is interested in you. Pretty common sense, right? Still, it's best not to get excited and take it too far, like the failed Romeo in this lesson.

Posted on: The DVD Ploy
January 30, 2008 at 9:39 AM

One thing I find is that if native speakers don't clearly differentiate between certain words (or characters), then it's something you, as a learner, likely don't need to obsess over. :)

Posted on: The Second Tone
January 30, 2008 at 1:40 AM

Steveme, We did test the Vocabulary Manager extensively, both internally and externally (user testing). We received your e-mails and have been looking into your problem, but you are actually encountering problems that no other users are reporting. The tech team is working now to figure out what is special about your case, and we will have it fixed ASAP.

Posted on: The Second Tone
January 29, 2008 at 7:18 AM

changye, Yes, I am far too modest. Thanks for doing my dirty work! :)

Posted on: Introducing the Grammar Guide
January 29, 2008 at 3:23 AM

azagoth, I can't give you a definite date because there are too many variables, but I can tell you that it is currently under development.

Posted on: Evading Nosy Questions
January 25, 2008 at 8:58 AM

changye, Our academics have confirmed your "ordinal number" rule and support the first tone 一点钟 (yī diǎnzhōng) pronunciation. That said, don't be too shocked if you hear something else out there "in the wild." Remember that "standard Mandarin" only really exists in classrooms and CCTV broadcasts. Reality is a bit more complex. Don't lose sleep over it, please. :)

Posted on: Evading Nosy Questions
January 25, 2008 at 6:05 AM

changye, Very good question, and another reason why "yi" tone changes are trickier. Let me get back to you on this one after some consultation with the native speaker teachers.

Posted on: Introducing the Grammar Guide
January 25, 2008 at 6:04 AM

wei1xiao4 and henning, Yes! Let there be complements. They will be in there, along with LOTS of examples. :)