User Comments - light487

Posted on: Munich

I thought that Peking was the 广东话 Guǎngdōnghuà (Cantonese) way of pronouncing Beijing or something like that.. in the same way that the same character is pronounced differently in 广东话 as it is in 普通话 pǔtōnghuà (Mandarin).

Or possibly it was the old way of romanising the language before pinyin was made official.. something like that anyway..

Posted on: Munich

I just listened to the lesson again to see what all this fuss about "the new format" was about and I have to admit I didn't really notice anything different other than I felt I got a lot more out of this lesson than previous Intermediate lessons. I think all of the extra details (and Jenny speaking a little bit more English than normal) really helps me to nail down the meanings of what is being said.

I am used to this format in Newbie and Elementary, and I think it is a good thing because it makes the transition from Elementary to Intermediate easier. One of the big issues I have seen poddies raise over the time I have been here is that this transition is difficult and that there seems to be a huge leap from Elementary to Intermediate. Hopefully this new format will work out narrowing that gap a little.

P.S. Yeh... I notice there is a little more discussion happening.. I like it! :) Makes it easier to listen to. It's a lot like the original lessons from 2005 and 2006.

Posted on: Munich

干杯！ ：）

So I am assuming that there's no 黄啤酒 because the default state of 啤酒 is yellow?

Posted on: Bad Cell Reception

Hee hee.. When I called ChinesePOD via Skype, pretty cheap really, a girl answered (it's obviously an answering service or reception desk of some kind because the conversation begins in Chinese.) :) I felt really excited and thrilled when I called.. :) So you can just say "ChinesePOD please" and she will put you through but I wonder if you could use this "bad reception" dialogue to prolong the initial conversation with her.. hehe.. :)

Posted on: Bad Cell Reception

Here's a clip of the scene from Cool Hand Luke that Jenny referred to in this lesson. It's also on the start of the popular Guns'n'Roses song called "Civil War".

Posted on: Sorry and Thank You

I guess the thing that stands out to me and makes this episode seem "weak" is the length.. it's just under 5 minutes long when most lessons on cPOD are between 10 and 15 minutes. Like I said before, this is a good topic it just wasn't fleshed out as much as I'd have liked, such as explaining the "nod" for example. It was mentioned in the opening but not explained in the dialog.

Posted on: Sorry and Thank You

babbardwan:
I prefer the ones with sub-titles.. even though they are in traditional characters, it makes it much easier to follow along.

The one you posted can be found by clicking here (decided not to embed this one into the post)

Here's another one, it's a slower song and sung by females so is a little easier to keep up with the singing:

S.H.E - 別說對不起 (biéshuō duìbuqì) (Don't Say Sorry)

Posted on: Sorry and Thank You

Oh it was rj.. I always get you two mixed up :) 对不起！ :)

@changye:  So this one can't be used in the same way.. as in "I'm sorry that I didn't meet your expectations." This is more to do with "making sure that I do something" rather than making up for it after with a sorry?

Posted on: Sorry and Thank You

While I understand the need to explain the difference in the cultures I don't feel these were explained fully, and the subjects only glanced upon. This Qing Wen could have contained twice the content if it was under a different banner. For example, during the opening/introductory dialog you mentioned the "nod" but did not explain its usage during the main dialog.

I share a similar view to Henning on this one.. QingWen has never really been a Chinese Culture show but more of a way to highlight weird and perculiar grammar usages as well as concepts that don't fit into lessons. If stuck for ideas on QingWen maybe you could pull from the previous week's lessons, and discuss some of the more strange or complex grammar that has come up. The only thing I really got from this QingWen is that 对不起 should be used when "I have caused trouble".

I believe that there is a need and a place for this content at ChinesePOD but with the Dear Amber show gone, there is no real outlet for a proper Chinese Culture show now and that is why QingWen is beginning to take on this role. Rather than this trend continuing I would much prefer to see a new show that is specifically aimed at teaching chinese culture, and cultural differences, emerge.

I dislike criticising the cPOD team for anything because you guys do such a great service to me and I don't want to cause any disrespect or loss of face to anyone but this QingWen was awful and it needs to be said. As calkins said: short, weak, dilute.. like bad coffee. :(

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Inner Mongolia

Very interesting lesson, nice new (but not alien) vocabulary and fun stuff too.. love the combination! :)