User Comments - Mingmao

Posted on: 为何要在雾霾中跑北京马拉松

In the transcript, the pinyin for 吐槽 is written as: tǔcáo, but the hosts pronounce it as tùcáo.

Posted on: Using "avoid": 省得 (shěngdé) vs 以免 (yǐmiǎn)

Curious about that also. Although in previous episodes, Chinesepod presenters have mentioned that people in the south are more concerned with being polite whereas people in the north are more straightforward. So it may not have to do with heartlessness so much as social convention.

Posted on: Using "avoid": 省得 (shěngdé) vs 以免 (yǐmiǎn)

What a well-presented differentiation between these three terms. Thank you.

Posted on: Cosmetics

Oh, such a useful distinction, thank you! I actually didn't know that 嘛 could have a demanding tone.

Posted on: Cosmetics

Thanks David. In that case, is 了 acting sort of like 嘛 in the dialogue sentence and in these examples?

Posted on: Talking about Figure Skating

Okay, I think I understand. I guess that 得了 can have various meanings, whereas 想的美 is very specific. Thanks.

Posted on: How to Say 'Blame' in Chinese

Interesting, thank you.

Posted on: Cosmetics

I feel like this is something I should understand, but you explain the role of 了 in this sentence? 

我也要买眼霜和洗面奶了。

Thanks. 

Posted on: Cosmetics

"It's moisturizing effect is very good."
 

This should be "Its." "It's" is a contraction of "it is." "Its" is the possessive of "it." 

Probably your English translator knows this; it's an easy mistake to make. Just make sure you invest time in editing your material. (: 

Posted on: Cosmetics

Hi. I know I've commented on this before, but I just wanted to add my 2¢. I vehemently disagree with si1teng2. The world is full of listening practice for every kind of Chinese accent, but lessons, I think, are particularly about taking the time to repeat and mimic pronunciation.

My listening comprehension is based much more on my familiarity with the phrases being spoken than on being familiar with the sound of a particular accent. If I am very familiar with an expression being used, I can understand it in context even when speaking with someone with a very nonstandard accent.

My ability to speak accurately, however, is based mostly on the clarity of the Chinese of the lessons I listen to and practise repeatedly. Lessons are designed to be listened to repeatedly -- indeed, the Chinesepod format repeats each dialogue from 2 to 6 times per lesson, not including a separate dialogue-only file that I presume is meant to be listened to several times over. This is great. This is the perfect way to get words and phrases drilled into one's mind so that they're available for ready use. And that is exactly why it is _so important_ for the accents in the dialogues to be as close to standard as possible -- because this is the way students are going to end up talking. It is certainly the way I end up talking, and I actually have to avoid certain Chinesepod lessons with actors with particularly nonstandard accents because I end up talking like them.

While both listening comprehension and accurate pronunciation are important, I think that lessons are far better suited to improving a learner's pronunciation.

Material for practising understanding various accents is available all over the web, in formats that are not based on repetition and drilling something into your head. Furthermore, as I said, I don't actually believe that exposure to a particular accent is anywhere near as important to comprehension as familiarity with the vocabulary and terminology being used.

If you really want to provide material for students to practise listening to non-standard Mandarin accents, may I suggest that you provide links to other materials on the web; choose a variety of challenging accents for students to grapple with, in a context where practising listening comprehension is not combined with vocabulary building and repetition, and thus will not lead to affecting the students' own Mandarin pronunciation.