User Comments - maxiewawa
maxiewawa
Posted on: Hawaii
December 30, 2007 at 12:45 PMMike, you might translate 你们都会去吗 that way, but without the 们 it doesn't really make sense that way.
Posted on: Beauty Ideals and Ayi
December 17, 2007 at 7:35 AMWhenever I'm in a tourist trap like 豫园, I flip around every one of those crappy 福 fridge magnets I see. Annoyed shopkeepers always tell me it's upside down. "Exactly", I reply. They laugh along until I'm out of earshot, swear, and turn them back the right way up.
Posted on: Interviewing an Ayi
November 25, 2007 at 9:20 AMI've had the same ayi for about 2 and a half years! She's much... rougher... than this dialogue! I have to say that "ayi" is the only uniquely Shanghainese English that I can think of. Most English speakers in Shanghai will know what an "ayi" is (a maid/cleaner/cook). Even 老外 who can't speak a word of 普通话 will know what an ayi is. I can't think of any other Chinese word that has entered into the contemporary Shanghai English lexicon... Maybe someone else in Shanghai (or from China) can think of something.
Posted on: Sydney, Australia
November 21, 2007 at 11:16 AMAnother weird Australian word is from one of the suburbs. One of the earlier settlers noticed a virile native on the beach one day, and was so inspired that he decided to name it after him. He looked so strong and manly, so he decided to name the place Manly.
Posted on: Sydney, Australia
November 20, 2007 at 8:34 AMI'm listening right now and it's just so exciting! A lot of 台湾居民 refer to 悉尼 as xuě lí. I'm not sure about the 汉字. And indeed, in Sydney, 每天都很无聊。Almost the complete opposite of my life in 上海. It's always weird when 中国人 come to Sydney. They usually hit the ground running... they're so used to the hustle/bustle of China that they have severe culture shock at the laidback/boring aspect of Sydney. I have it sometimes too when I go home. Max: So Dad, now that I'm finally back home, what are we going to do this week? Dad: Cricket's on. Australia vs England. Until Monday next week. Max: ... (A cultural note: a game of cricket can last 5 days.) Last time I arrived home in Sydney it was a Sunday morning. I found myself whispering whenever I talked to anyone... it was just so quiet... compared to 上海 it was like being in a funeral! For more on Sydney and Australia, aim your RSS reader at http://www20.sbs.com.au/podcasting/index.php?action=feeddetails&feedid=1 It's a podcast from SBS Australia. It's completely in 中文too!
Posted on: Sydney, Australia
November 20, 2007 at 8:08 AMThis has to be my favourite lesson ever. I haven't even heard it yet. Sydney is my 老家 and I'm just hanging out to hear the lesson. Hanging out <---澳洲语 澳洲 is used more often in Australia than 澳大利亚.
Posted on: Athlete Injuries
November 11, 2007 at 9:24 AMOops, that sounded a little sad, what I meant to say was that I say it every time I go alone into a restaurant.
Posted on: Athlete Injuries
November 11, 2007 at 9:23 AMI say 一位 almost every time I go into a restaurant, so I guess it's acceptable.
Posted on: Internet Slang
November 9, 2007 at 4:55 AMI found this really interesting. This 'level' of language is why I love learning languages. I think there's enough of this kind of speech to make an entire category of Chinesepod lessons. It's also something that is very difficult to find elsewhere; I live here in China, understand most high level lessons here at Chinesepod but found most of this stuff new and interesting. As I'm writing this, Jenny just said, "中文是一个living language!" But I find it hard to find material written in 'living language'. Most new words I learn are 成语, and their explanation begins with "在古代中国。。。“ In a thread on 台湾 slang (I can't find it, sorry!) John 老师 mentioned that Chinese people often shield 老外 from "impure" language... This has really opened my eyes to a lot of the contemporary language around me, but it's kinda hard to find. Chinesepod, 请帮帮忙！ More 现代语言please!
Posted on: The Final Jizhou Pieces
January 6, 2008 at 12:43 PMPhew that is some nice work Mike!