User Comments - auntie68
auntie68
Posted on: 好莱坞大片
January 14, 2008 at 10:37 AMBtw, I hope CPOD will consider providing more translations -- in English -- of personal and place names referred to at the "Advanced" level. That would be a huge help. It is not easy to infer names, since they usually comprise relatively difficult/rare Chinese characters. Well, not for me. The actually name is easy enough to guess... if you know how the characters sound! Proper nouns which I've/we've tripped over since I started on "Advanced" were names like: Sir Stanley Ho, Tony Leung, Carina Lau, Potala Palace, even "Hollywood" took a bit of thinking because the last time I saw the characters was in the Intermediate (Upper-Intermediate?) lesson on Bruce Lee. Please? Thanks!
Posted on: 好莱坞大片
January 14, 2008 at 10:19 AMHello soulman2001au, I'm not the person at whom you directed your question, but here is a suggestion anyway: Why don't you just stick to "Upper Intermediate" for now, but give "Advanced" another go in -- say -- 2 months? The reason why I'm suggesting this is that when I first discovered CPOD (Nov 2006), even "Intermediate" was a bit too difficult for me. After about three months, I was comfortable enough with that level to have a go at "Upper Intermediate"; no sweat. However, bridging the gap to "Advanced" was another matter. I tried getting into that level's classes about six months ago, but gave up quickly because it was too difficult for me. However, when I tried a second time three months later, my foundation in Mandarin (and in the CPOD vocabulary base) had improved just enough -- simply through the daily podcasts -- for the transition to be quite smooth. Hope this unsolicited "advice" is helpful to you in some way! CPOD teaches so effectively that even three or four additional months in the existing level can make enough of a difference for you to make the "leap" without breaking in to a sweat. Having said that, I would definitely recommended listening to each new podcast as it is published, even if it is "below" your level, ie., Newbie, Elementary or Intermediate. The lessons are so well designed that even somebody who is already comfortably in "Advanced" can learn something useful from them. Which is why you will see comments in those levels, for every lesson, from members like changye, xiaohu, and henning, inter alia, whose knowledge of Mandarin is extremely advanced. Good luck, soulman2001au!
Posted on: Singapore
January 14, 2008 at 12:40 AMDear justinisonlinerightnow, [SINGLISH] Wah! Singapore like dat also can call classy one meh? Shiok, man. Happy only. Dis angmoh sure never kena before the taxi driver talk so much until forget to go destination. Must be never kena before kiasu Singaporean push here push there like want to fight but actually is not fighting, is Big Sale. Ask question also must ask many time because if don't have English subtitle then angmo sure catch no ball one (Singlish, lor). Singaporean also very clever to anyhow scold their foreign maids. Go MacDonalds die-die also must take extra chillie sauce and napkins (later go home can use). [/SINGLISH] I'm glad you had a good time over the New Year! obitoddkenobi: If you have indigestion or heartburn from reading those posts, the classic Singaporean remedy is "ENO's Fruit Salts" in a glass of water, or you could try rubbing some Axe Brand Oil on your tummy (although you'd be smelling of cloves and wintergreen for days). Best, Auntie
Posted on: Bad Service Restaurant
January 12, 2008 at 1:48 AMThe kind of alcohol that hits the spot when you are feeling 闷? Hee hee, thanks tvan.
Posted on: Singapore
January 12, 2008 at 1:22 AMYou're welcome. Well, that's just how I understood the English "subtitles"... the Chinese dialogue includes the "foreign talent" and tourists in the list of what makes the place a 多民族的国家, together with the 华人，马来人，and 印度人. That's a really beautiful baby in your avatar... so happy-looking!
Posted on: Singapore
January 11, 2008 at 11:36 PMbryan, that's how I understood the sentence too. I think that the sense of the English translation may have been closer to (pardon my rotten Mandarin): 虽然小，其实还是个多民族社会，有华人、马来人、印度人、并且新加破又有好多世界各地去工作或者旅游的人，所以很有活力。 Good luck with your Mandarin studies, bryan!
Posted on: Bad Service Restaurant
January 11, 2008 at 11:44 AMDear changye, Heh heh. Thank you for writing in Chinese; it's good practice for me. I like the word, "闷酒"! Another tricky word for me is 数 (shu4 or shu3?). Cheers, Auntie
Posted on: Singapore
January 11, 2008 at 8:13 AMThank you again, Amber!
Posted on: Bad Service Restaurant
January 11, 2008 at 2:55 AMOkay, last example, I promise: - 闷 （"men4"; boring/ to be bored):- 整天闷在家里 = To be bored at home all day 家里很闷 ＝ Home is very boring 你不觉得闷？＝ Isn't it boring?
Posted on: Singapore
January 14, 2008 at 10:45 AMHeh heh. Amber's great example sentences on 亲得到 for Taipan would apply quite neatly to President Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni too, I imagine...