User Comments - bababardwan
bababardwan
Posted on: Expired!
February 19, 2009 at 3:25 AMChinese have a higher level of lactose intolerance compared with some westerners.A discussion of the significance of this from wikipedia:
In east Asia, historical sources also attest that the Chinese did not consume milk, whereas the nomads that lived on the borders did. Again, this reflects modern distributions of intolerance. China is particularly notable as a place of poor tolerance, whereas in Mongolia and the Asian steppes horse milk is drunk regularly. This tolerance is thought to be advantageous as the nomads do not settle down long enough to process mature cheese. Given that their prime source of income is generated through horses, to ignore their milk as a source of calories would be greatly detrimental. The nomads also make an alcoholic beverage, called Kumis, from horse milk, although the fermentation process reduces the amount of lactose present.
Of course it's now possible to make lactose free dairy products,so I'm wondering it that partially accounts for the increase in popularity in recent times.
Another funny dialogue.Yes,so much with food is in our perceptions.好喝 changing to 恶心 with new information.hehe.I'm guessing it's the reverse with acquired tastes like stinky tofu.恶心 changing to 好吃.
Posted on: Where Do You Live?
February 19, 2009 at 3:01 AMchangye,
Thanks for your detailed explanation above.Your comment:
“to add 一个, or not to add”
reminded me of Hamlet's "to be or not to be".I'm wondering how that would go in Chinese? 是还是不是 just doesn't seem too likely,though I like all those 是's.hehe
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 2:51 AMThanks again jimijames.Your insights have been very helpful.
Does anyone know how to write 一个劲儿 in pinyin with numbers and not tone marks? yi1ge5 jin4er5 and yi1ge5jin4er5 doesn't seem to be accepted in the audio exercise.I've tried playing around with the er5 thing,but can't get it to work.
ps jimijames.No worries.Thanks for clearing up 外科医生 for surgeon.
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 2:03 AMWhoa,that is so 奇怪.I have no idea how that CPod page got in my above post and the editor won't let me delete it.Sorry,I feel guilty by association [like someone standing near a precious artifact that breaks when you didn't touch it] but I swear it wasn't intentional.
Pete,
But my question 4 has just a blank line with no words,yet the audio gives a whole sentence.What gives? Do you have a whole sentence on your computer for question 4 with only 1 word missing?
Addendum.Don't worry.I've reloaded and the problem has gone[now have a whole sentence written bar one word].Strange,because it was only a problem with that one sentence and that's why I didn't think it was a loading problem.
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 1:57 AM
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 1:41 AMI'm very sorry.I honestly didn't mean to cause 不好意思.I was genuinely just a little confused initially until later I listened to the audio.You guys do a great job and typos are so easy to make at any time [特别时候你们加班 ,as so many of you seem to be posting at all hours!].Thanks for clearing it up.Cheers :)
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 1:07 AMSorry,but I'm a little confused now.I thought 医生 was more respectful and 大夫 was more informal.Are you now saying that 大夫 is more respectful? Or are you actually saying that 医生 is just the more formal way to address,but once you have built a trusting respectful relationship that 大夫 shows that you are acknowledging the respect that has built up and it is more respectful while at the same time more informal/close.I think you are saying the latter actually,but it'd be nice to know if I have this clear or not.
In the first exercise,is anyone else having trouble lining the dots up? The lines aren't connecting the dots on mine.How do you guys take a screenshot to show what I mean?
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 3: Prenatal Checkup
February 19, 2009 at 12:40 AMI'm a little surprised by your comment:
"内科would be a doctor dealing with internal body medicine. eg Heart Surgeon"
because even though the heart is an internal organ,I understood surgeons were referred to as 外科医生
I'm also curious about your comment:
"The 内科医生 at most times is repected more amongst the Community of Chinese Doctors".
By "Chinese Doctors" do you mean those practicing western medicine or Chinese medicine? And are you saying that physicians are more respected than surgeons?or dermatologists for example? Also in the Uk,my understanding is that dermatologists undergo physician training before they subspecialise.Dermatologists do work on the most external organ of the body and their treatment can include surgery,but it can also involve taking internal medicines.
Thanks again for your insights.
加班 for work overtime is interesting.Even though it's different characters and tones,it did make me think of 家 for home ,and 办 from 办公室 for office;to make your office your home..to work overtime.But I realise I'm onto the wrong characters and tones here,but it may help me remember all the same.
Posted on: Where Do You Live?
February 19, 2009 at 4:43 AMilearnben,changye,cassielin,
谢谢你们
so funny to hear it in Chinese.For once ,the English is perhaps more concise here than the Chinese.
"这是（一)个问题" ...哈哈