User Comments - Lantian
Lantian
Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
September 26, 2007 at 5:05 AMTHE BOYS - When I heard "tu", in my mind it brought up the English associations of crass, crude and indolent adolescent boys. "Dorky" in my mind conjures up images of being clutsy, wearing round glasses, and wearing plaid pants. These days I think it has also morphed into some positive connotations, much like geek. I don't get the feeling that Li Yan is giving that kind of positive vibe to the other boys in her class. I could imagine myself yelling at another man on the street and using "tu" to insult him, but I could never do that with "dorky" in English. Can 'tu' be used in this forceful way? The dictionary suggests "boorish". Is "dorky" really the best translation? OTHERS - About "不像班里的其他男生" and specifically "其他", can you talk more about that. It's the first time I've noticed it. I would have instead said something like, 不想别的班里(的)男生 Is "qi2 ta1" high frequency? More prone to being in writing versus speech? 我总是有很多问题。谢谢你们的努力！ And lastly, some have commented to me "你真享受你。" No doubt. :)
Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
September 26, 2007 at 3:07 AMA's HAVE IT - I still have a tendency to say a more English-like "a" sound when I read the pinyin for "a" in Chinese. For this lesson character's name, "燕" yan4, it definitely sounds more like an English "e" as in "ehh". Where is that pinyin guide? Reviewing it now. So is it the "y" or the fourth tone, that causes this "an" to sound as it does, in contrast to the "an" of Tiananmen? Which to my ear is a definitely more "ahh-nn" sound. I have this similar question for words like 原来，元. What is the difference in "a" versus "e" in Chinese pinyin? And any tips to help my mouth/ears/eyes more clearly distinguish it. You know, like how my mom always used to tell me to say, "li-brrra-ray" in English.
Posted on: Arrival in Jizhou
September 25, 2007 at 3:38 PMHi Nic, Okay, I guess we'll just agree to disagree, as I think everyone should feel free to post. BTW, your typos in English are really messing up my English, so I'm gonna only read newspapers that have properly been edited, and will try to skip your comments in the future. [I just so don't get your opinion] On another topic: about the levels I actually think that the levels and placement in a level is all very arbitrary. There is something to be learned from newbie lessons even by more "advanced" learners. I think the real "secret" to learning language is to stay engaged in it on a steady basis over a long period of time. Each day a new lesson comes out, and it sparks a little part of my growing lexicon. If it's a word I know, I can focus on it's pronunciation, or how it is used in lesson, or some cultural point in the banter. I could spend a little more think time on the hanzi itself. Heck I could look at a pretty picture from the lesson page. Nic, you would deny me all this? I'm gonna pretty much say the same thing now in Chinese for practice, please don't hurt your eyes reading it. Look away, look away! :p 我觉得高级学生可以用所有的中文播客学中文。那，我不写了，太无聊的题目。人家都知道了。我还觉得尼克是在逗我们。祝大家中秋节快乐！
Posted on: Arrival in Jizhou
September 25, 2007 at 5:37 AM天下 - 真喜欢这首/部/个（？）故事。我要听听多次！John，听说Detroit的suburbs/ 小区很漂亮。中文怎么说“hibbi-jibies"? (有点怕怪怪的感觉时）人家知道吗，高地方真不要洗澡太多为了那边比较干净，没有车油气，也水比较小，是生活的做法，不是小看别人的老一套。真的有趣，比”How to exchange RMB at the bank" 那种故事好! 我等等你们推出 “Jizhou Lost Mountain" 的碟， 不过我只能花5-7块。如果你加个”Jenny's Director Commentary" 的话，我可以花 18-22 块吧。 ;p
Posted on: What's tomorrow?
September 25, 2007 at 4:27 AMI think "obrigado" is such a cool word. I love saying it.
Posted on: Arrival in Jizhou
September 25, 2007 at 4:20 AMHi Nicolas, I prefer to read comments that aren't TROLL-like. We're all aware of your view on source material, and welcome you going out to the outhouse and reading it. 明白我的意思吗？ míngbai wo de yìsi ma？ Understand my meaning? (literal translation) Get what I'm saying? (colloquial translation) [Nic, I do believe that all the Chinese is correct in the above sentence, plus it has triplicate transformations, sorry I didn't write in trollese too] Haha,Ｉguess I took the bait. Cheers.
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 24, 2007 at 11:14 AM如果真就是爱，为什么你还没回来？
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 24, 2007 at 11:06 AMGAL: Do you like this dress? GUY: 如果你喜欢的话就买吧。 rúguǒ nǐ xǐhuan dehuà jiù mǎi ba。 If you like it, why don't you buy it? Does that work?!! I am still trying to understand the feminine vernacular. ;p
Posted on: Death by Ninja
September 24, 2007 at 10:56 AMThe Rule of Law On a stroll one day Cars seemed without fa3 lv4 (法律, laws) My friend no, there are gui1 ze2 (规则, rules) Is that so.
Posted on: Li Yan's Diary: Love and Italian Food
September 26, 2007 at 5:43 AMEXPANSION - Some questions. 1. 他升职了，所以最近心情特别好。 (She got promoted, ) Can that "ta/他" also be used to indicate a "she". Or is that "Pat"? 2. 我还想看看其他东西。 (I still would like to look at other things.) Can it also be "qi ta/ 其它" and if so, is that more appropriate in this case with "things?" In this sentence, any thoughts on the difference between saying "我要看其他的东西 versus 我要看别的东西？”Is "de/的" more typically left out when using 其他？