User Comments - bababardwan

Posted on: Dinner with Friends

btw..just curious.Though I always have been and still am [just double checked] subscribed to the ellie channel,this lesson never made it on to my ME page.Is it just me,or did others find this?

Posted on: Asking the Bus Destination

bodawei,

hehe,救命 was one of only a handfull of words I knew before coming to CPod as it was on the inside cover of my pocket tourist phrasebook,and yet I've never struck it since.I always remembered it because my mnemonic for remembering it was thinking of a guy called Joe Ming and that one would just call out for this helpful chap when in serious trouble..he'd show up in a flash.So it's cool to see you post it here.It's strange but I always feel like a word has been validated when I see it pop up for a second time somewhere else.Does anyone else get that feeling when they're learning Chinese? Anyhow,I think your advice is spot on.In such a situation ..short simple to the point and most of all easy to remember when under pressure is going to be the most reliable and effective.I'm also under the impression that a foreigner speaking Chinese in forceful confident way in such a situation would have quite the element of surprise and attract attention as you say.

Posted on: Asking the Bus Destination

orangina,

No worries.Use with caution though.I did just make it up.I'm not sure how valid it is [but if it's a silly thing to say you may get a laugh which may defuse the situation in a different way].I hope you get some more answers.Cheers :)

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

changye,

I don't personally think "rest" ever specifically means "sleep" [but of course sleeping is an excellent way to rest].However,if you ever saw the movie,"honey I blew up the kid" ["No nap,NO NAP"...dreaded words to parents],you may understand how suggesting to a toddler to go lie down and have a rest [when you're really hoping they'll then nod off and have a sleep] may be a much wiser way to put it.

Hey Jason,

I love a lot of literal translating.Gives good insight into how concepts are formed,and what is literally being said.

Posted on: Asking the Bus Destination

orangina,

Good question and glad to hear you're enjoying China [looking forward to some tales].I dunno but I'd try something like 不撤退就捣乱 bùchètuìjiùdǎoluàn [If you don't back off there'll be trouble].Might not be correct,but I do like all the emphatic 4th tones.Good luck.Stay strong. :)

ps You could try the lesson two tough ladies:

http://chinesepod.com/lessons/two-tough-ladies

....but from what you're saying I take it that it's not the ladies giving you the trouble.

Actually,just looked through the intermediate archive and also the search tool but can't find any lessons on harassment so that could be a good topic for a future lesson.

Posted on: Executive Plan, Newbie Changes, and More

it's true what jamestheron says about the participation thing.Expanding a little on my last post,if republishing the best of newbies was an option,it might be best to keep the one from the archive with it's comments intact and at the same time the republished version could be a copy of that sans the comments [and perhaps even a new lesson avatar].That way the comments are starting with a fresh clean slate.Dunno,just a thought.

Posted on: Dinner with Friends

I love this 喽 lóu。In this case it's like...dinners ready..woohoo!.My rollover has it as .."final particle equivalent to 了"。Clearly it's being used as a final particle ,but is it used in exactly the same way as 了 with the same rules and implications?

In this lesson we have 做菜 zuòcài..cooking。Is there a difference between this and 做饭 zuòfàn ..cooking ..in usage application,regional application,etc?

You talk of 家常菜 jiāchángcài ..home style cooking..being on the menus of restaurants.I presume this is not specifically indicated on the menu but rather just understood? Also,it seems to have the implication that it means the dish is ordinary or humble,and yet often home cooking can be the best.Can it ever take on this latter more positive meaning?

Can 试试 shìshì [to test or try] be used in this case instead of 尝尝？ Am I correct in presuming the latter is just more specific to trying/tasting food and the former is more of a general word applied to trying in a variety of situations?

Is 呵呵 always awkward or did you mean just in this particular lesson? If always the case then I never realised that.

Posted on: Executive Plan, Newbie Changes, and More

yingxiong,

I understand what you mean mate about fresh,though I've never noticed a quality issue [though I've hardly listened to any newbie lessons that were released before I joined a little over a year ago as I never found the time to go back and like you wanted to listen to the fresh lessons that were being discussed.I do know that a few of the original lessons were removed due to purported quality issues].I wonder if it would be possible for CPod to have a recommended Newbie lesson each week from the best of the archive [and kind of refeed it into the me page of all those subscribed to the newbie channel] so that for the new newbies it's freshly discussed and everyone's on the same page.I also think it'll be great when this new programme comes that has been hinted at.Good luck and best wishes with your studies.

Posted on: Love Tangle 2: A Lover Returns

Thanks Jason for going to the trouble of completely answering the question. :)

Posted on: Executive Plan, Newbie Changes, and More

roderick1234,

I think you are absolutely correct mate.I'm pretty confident it's for anyone who wants to fast track their Chinese.