User Comments - Kyle

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Kyle

Posted on: Death by Ninja
October 2, 2007 at 2:28 AM

Wasn't the voice of Peter a native speaker?

Posted on: Getting Reimbursed
October 2, 2007 at 2:21 AM

I'm reminded of the other day in class when I really got one of my students going because I corrected her on her tones. She was trying to ask me what 器官 was in English, but she kept saying qi1guan1 and not qi4guan1. I actually had to show her in the dictionary that it's qi4 not qi1. Yes, avoid native speakers at all costs. Hilarious, Henning! =)

Posted on: Of Beauty Pageants and Plastic Surgery
October 2, 2007 at 2:14 AM

@ luobinzhenmei Any type of nose job is technically referred to in English as rhinoplasty, which includes, but is not limited to, making the nose smaller, larger, thiner, thicker, etc. "Rhinoplasty" in Chinese is 鼻整形术 (bi2zheng3xing2shu4).

Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
October 2, 2007 at 2:06 AM

It may be a regional difference. Both are used up here in Harbin, though everyone seems to favor 好像. Both of the meanings equate to about the same: it seems / it appears / it looks like

Posted on: City Comparison
October 2, 2007 at 1:41 AM

@ nhaibens Some characters are 多音字 (duo1yin1zi4), or characters with more than one tone. The tone of the character is often contingent on context or combination. For example, 不 is always a 4th tone unless preceding another 4th tone, in which it becomes a 2nd, as in 不是 or 不对. Another example, 为 is neutral, or 5th tone, in 因为 but 4th in 为什么. So, to answer your question, most of the time there are rules which you can use to help you remember the tones of 多音字. @ semajmil7 I don't know about others, but I've never heard 比较 used as 较比. Sometimes the 比 is used alone, as when comparing two things: 他比我大. (ta1 bi3 wo3 da4 - He's bigger than me.) or used together when serving as a comparative 他比较大. (ta1 bi3jiao4 da - He's bigger.)

Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
September 30, 2007 at 8:26 AM

Would you consider a BA holder an intermediate learner? If so, then, yes, I'd let them teach. Especially since teaching is part of graduate training for an MA and/or PhD in the States.

Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
September 30, 2007 at 5:37 AM

Making mistakes is part of the learning process. If only those who were 100% correct all of the time posted, well, the CPod community wouldn't be as vibrant as it is. Not to mention many of the people studying here do not have the resources otherwise to practice their reading, writing or speaking skills. The forums, then, become an integral part or the learning process for many people. Everyone is allowed to make mistakes, challenge those mistakes and ask questions. =)

Posted on: Accents and Subway Survival
September 29, 2007 at 10:47 AM

Doesn't an unaspirated 't' become a 'd'? Same with k & g and b & p?

Posted on: 你好 (Nǐhǎo) is a Many-Splendored Thing
September 29, 2007 at 7:56 AM

It wasn't until I heard this podcast that it made sense--the Chinese never do use 你好吗--and that was after almost a year of being here in China. When people great each other it's usually just with 嘿 or grunting. If you haven't seen someone in awhile you may ask 怎么样, which seems to be the colloquial equivalent to 你好吗.

Posted on: Do you have a menu?
September 29, 2007 at 2:24 AM

The 'q' and 'ch' sounds are very similar. The small difference is in tongue placement. It sometimes takes a little time for new learners to get acquainted with the nuances of the q vs. ch, x vs sh, etc. Regarding the "qing" vs. "qi-ung' sounds, from what I understand, that little bit of -ung sounds that mixes with the -ing finals is suppose to be more standard than the clean -ing sounds... if that makes any sense. For example 行 as in 行了 would be pronoucned xi-ung and not xing. Amber's 行's are very clean sounding, for example. Maybe it's just a regional thing, but all the Chinese here in Harbin add the -ung, like xi-ung. Is this making sense to anyone else?