User Comments - RJ
RJ
Posted on: What would you like to drink?
March 7, 2009 at 11:43 PMGeorge-
yoghurt is a dairy product made by bacterial fermentation of milk. It is thicker than milk and quite tangy.
dragon well or long jing tea is a brand of tea that originated in Hangzhou and is made by a special process. It is well known as one of the best teas in China. There are 7 grades and I drink the top shelf stuff myself.
according to wikipedia:
The name of this tea literally means "dragon well", a well that contains relatively dense water, and after rain the lighter rainwater floating on its surface sometimes exhibits a sinuous and twisting boundary with the well water, which is supposed to resemble the movement of a traditional Chinese dragon. It was widely known that to achieve the best taste from Longjing, spring water from the "Hu Pao Quan" was to be used. Water is boiled then cooled to about 80 degrees celsius before being used to brew the tea leaves.
Posted on: Late December News
March 7, 2009 at 5:43 PM爸爸,
I tried it also, but its not for me. I guess Im just not cut out to be a twit.
Posted on: Too Heavy!
March 7, 2009 at 5:02 PMmiantiao
Americans would probably think a bum bag was the thing hobos tie to the end of a stick. These are the only bums we know.
and may I add that I wouldnt think any self respecting bogan would use either a bum bag or a fanny pack. Man up, put the bag down. :-)
Posted on: Saved by the Gong: Cutting Open a Frog
March 7, 2009 at 12:08 AMhuibert
I have to agree. I prefer hyper-exact literal translations. Im trying to learn a language. I can paraphrase myself but it doesnt help me learn when the translations are conceptual rather than literal. To me its valuable to see the literal and then understand how that means what it means. If you know what I mean. :-) Im not sure Im in the majority in that regard however and Pete needs to do what the people want. I always have to look it up myself and do the literal, at which point a light goes on and Im usually thrilled by how the Chinese language works.
Posted on: Munich
March 6, 2009 at 10:51 AMbababardwan,
your point was valid, sometimes I just cant quiet the devil within :-) I could go either way with the lessons, since I have to listen many times anyway. I am not a language sponge by any stretch of the imagination. Wish I were.
干杯
Posted on: Munich
March 6, 2009 at 10:38 AMHenning,
what German city would you like to see in a future lesson?
Posted on: Munich
March 6, 2009 at 10:19 AMI didnt have a problem with the format. bababardwan old friend, its a tape, play it again. :-)
Posted on: Munich
March 6, 2009 at 9:59 AMBeer I understand, but these guys definitely could use some advice on fashion.
Posted on: Hanging Up the Phone
March 8, 2009 at 12:13 AM那就这样吧 (na jiu zhe yang ba)
easy enough, so I thought I would use it as I wrapped up a conference call the other day. Silence. So I said gua le a and hung up. Later I visited the office of a friend who was born and raised in China to see if he could understand me. I prepped him with the necessary contextual info re the fact that I said this at the end of a phone call and tried it on him. Nope. again and again - nothing. After I explained what it was, he said it back to me - just like I said it to him (to my ears). By the time I left he claimed I was now saying it right, but I hadnt changed anything. I tried it on the guy across the hall (also Chinese) - same reaction. So frustrating, I can say other sentences and they get it, but for some reason there are some that I just bomb out on. It seems this one was more of a rythym thing than tones. They are all 4th tones after all. Easy. Right? Native Chinese interaction is essential if you want to learn to speak. At least for me. Sign up for that practice plan now, or take a Chinese co-worker to lunch. I will be reinstating my tutor.:-)