User Comments - RJ
RJ
Posted on: Farewell, Son 游子吟
January 22, 2009 at 11:11 AMCassie - Brent is english teacher now :-) only his students are younger than you. Good explanation Brent - I wish I knew the fancy grammar behind it but I agree with you totally. Cassie that goes for me too - if you ever want help with english - no problem. Its the only way to take that final step. It also feels good to give back after asking so many similar questions about Chinese. Take care.
Posted on: Farewell, Son 游子吟
January 21, 2009 at 12:59 PMPete,
As far as length and depth goes, you can go a little longer (I think) but leave something for the members to do. Maybe ask a question, give some hints, or assign some homework and let us figure it out in the discussion. Part of the fun, right? That way you can have your Oscar Wilde cigarette, and smoke it too.
Posted on: Plants Need Watering
January 20, 2009 at 2:40 PMI dont get along well with plants. Im more of an animal guy :-)
Posted on: Farewell, Son 游子吟
January 20, 2009 at 11:19 AMPete,
I am not a big Elvis fan but it took guts to take the risk and Ill give you points for that. I do welcome the chance to learn something about wenyan, poetry, and ancient culture. Dig as deep as you like and I will try to follow along. Jiaojie was flawless and beautiful, as always.
Posted on: The Final Show
January 20, 2009 at 9:51 AMClay,
Nice to hear your "voice". Glad to know you are alive and well. (It means I can still collect on that beer you promised me.)
Posted on: Will you Marry Me?
January 19, 2009 at 1:54 PMHe, compared to what exists in the middle of my imagination, is good (better). That which belongs to my imagination?
Just my guess.
Posted on: The Broken Chair
January 16, 2009 at 9:06 AMpretzellogic,
the way I look at it is that the ba turns the verb to sit into a suggestion rather than a command. The result is more like "sit?" or "would you like to sit"
zuo ba = sit? = would you like to sit? = sit if you please = please sit. To me the literal translation is the sugggestion "sit?" Myself, I need the literal translations to make the links. Paraphrasing comes later.
Posted on: Terrorized at the Airport
January 15, 2009 at 10:20 AMlooking good Rich. I hate that expo guy though. What were they thinking.
Posted on: Seeing Somebody to the Door
January 8, 2009 at 10:56 AMI have to agree with bababardwan, the translation is not really a stretch here. Way back, walking was pretty much the main mode of transportation. I see it this way:
wo zou le = Im walking = Im traveling = Im leaving
wo song ni = I deliver you = I send you off = I escort you out.
man zou = slowly walk = dont rush off and/or walk (travel) carefully.
Long ago to send someone off or to deliver them meant to walk them home or perhaps half way. Modernity has changed that but I can see where the expression comes from.
Posted on: Farewell, Son 游子吟
January 22, 2009 at 6:52 PMCassie- Standuke pretty much nailed it. What you have left to learn does not come from a book. It will come from us. (native speakers). The same for me and my Chinese, if I ever get to that final step.You are much better at English than I am at Chinese. But I will catch you. Some day. Maybe. If I live to be 100 :-)