User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Fun at the Beach

Comments above doubting that this is an authentic experience for the Chinese - interesting.  

For me this sounds a very authentic dialogue.  I don't get round to complimenting ChinesePod on the lesson content much so this is an excellent opportunity.  I wonder if Connie authored it?  (As ChinesePod is not keen on crediting writers we can only speculate.)  If it was written by a foreigner they have a good feel for Chinese culture.  

That said, I know what is meant above about some things being a little 'foreign' to China, eg. soft, fine sand.  I have been on a few Chinese beaches and this is not common.  Actually, I visualise the dialogue being set in foreign climes - Thailand, Bali or even Australia. Chinese tourists like these places more and more.  

Good work ChinesePod, liked it a lot.  

PS. There is quite a bit of 防晒油 (sunscreen) around but getting it without whitener is difficult.  Also, generally the sunscreen factor is low compared to that commonly sold in Australia. 

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

I can't get this image of the corn cob out of my mind, 12 hours later. I cannot imagine any sports commentators in Australia (and they are an eclectic bunch) displaying a half-eaten anything while talking on TV. This Chinese commentator was even visibly chewing while listening to another speaker. In Australia it would not be uncommon to see some coffee cups on the desk, and a commentator taking an occasional slurp, but I can't remember seeing solids. Roy & HG of course made the famous link between sport and food with enormous meat trays displayed in the studio, but I don't remember anyone hoeing-in on camera. Another cultural difference to contemplate.

PS. Australia was humiliated by Germany, true. Whatever happened to sport for fun? There was a time when it wasn't all big business, and massive taxpayer subsidies, but I am showing my age.

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

I don't know how to say a thrashing (perhaps we need to equip ourselves with the language - it seems we'll have lots of opportunity for practice?) - just off the top of my head I would say

我们斗不过他们

(a phrase I have learnt and use in non-sporting situations)

hope to be understood, and then see if my audience offers a better way of saying this.

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

I have been watching the Chinese coverage of the World Cup tonight. One of the commentators has, for the past ten minutes, been wielding a half-eaten corn cob to make his points. (I have been under the impression that pointing is rude in China.) If it wasn't for the corn I would have fallen asleep already.

Now some students are having a debate - I see that 正方 zheng4fang1 and 反方 fan3fang1 are the opposing sides in a debate - 正方 is for, and 反方 is against. I am nodding off. 正反两方面的看法 (the pros and the cons.)

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

'I guess 'root' wouldn't collocate with 'for' in the naughty sense.'

Well, I am fairly broad minded, but ... no, that would be a bit weird. :)

I am aware that this is a lesson thread and I apologise now for getting a fair way from soccer. But I am up waiting to watch Australia v. Germany, that's my excuse.

Actually, although everyone probably has got the idea now, I just noticed that your question was admirably covered by go_manly above, and I quote:

It does seem strange to say 'The whole of Australia is rooting for the Socceroos'. Sounds like everyone would be too occupied to actually watch the game.

Posted on: Working at the United Nations

Precision in most fields is overrated. I appreciate its value in say heart-valve surgery, but in learning Chinese not so much.

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

Thanks for 支持日本队 .. 支持者。 I only recently noticed 持的支持 in:

保持环境安静整洁bao3chi2huan2jing4an1jing4zheng3jie2 (keep the environment quiet and clean). Notice on the walls at my university. Here the 保持 means 'keep', and 持 alone means 'to hold' .

Actually the full message is:

请爱护设备设施 qingai4hubei4sheshi1 (please take good care of equipment and facilities)

保持环境安静整洁bao3chi2huan2jing4an1jing4zheng3jie2 (keep the environment quiet and clean)

I am planning to put it in my Signs Group if I haven't already go it there.

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

Dear Zhenlijiang, yes 'rooting' is a crude word not used in polite company in the non-American English-speaking world. It might make it onto TV screens after say 8 pm in Australia, but my mother still wouldn't approve. I gave a broad hint above, intimating that a 15 year-old would find it hilarious. My advice is don't use it when your audience is international.

Posted on: Doing the math with 算 (suàn)

Few native English speakers I meet could describe the work of an actuary - so it is no surprise to me that I have seen at least three different 'definitions' of actuary in Chinese. At least they are triyng. One equates an actuary to an accountant (!?) - but then the word for economics has 'business' in it. Everyone knows economists are hopeless at business.

In a Chinese dictionary they seem to favour 精算师 jīngsuànshī - what do you think of this term Jason? Makes it sound very esteemed?

Posted on: World Cup and Diamonds

Hey RJ, I'm sure that you have quite a list of words - hope you practice them regularly. :) For that trip to Australia...

Actually we Aussies in China have a hard time because it seems that most people believe that the rest of the world speaks American (or if they don't, they should.) Every now and again I hear an Australian accent coming from a Chinese person on TV and it is music to my ears. Unfortunately now Matt has gone from ChinesePod we never hear it there.