User Comments - maxiewawa
maxiewawa
Posted on: Chinese Seasonings
July 16, 2007 at 1:58 AMSince we're talking about 饺子 I'd like to include a dialogue from my own experience. Context: Max and friend walk into a ‘东北特色' restauraunt. A rather confusing sign on the front says '一两六个，从二两起买' Max: So how many 饺子 do we want? Friend: Erm... I dunno... ten? Yeah, that should do. Can you order? My chinese isn't so hot. Max: Ok. I keep telling you about this cool website you need to go to, but I'll order for you this time. （To waiter) 十个牛肉饺子。 Waiter: 什么？你要几两？ Max: 什么？ Waiter: 一两有六个。 Max: (To friend) He's saying there's two of something (两）, but in each of them there are six. I have no idea what he's talking about. Waiter: 你们应该吃二两吧。 Max: WHAT? Now he's saying we should eat number two. Friend: We should eat two? Max: No, I'm quite sure he said we should eat 二, the number two and not 两个，two of something.Let me try again. Finally we worked out that one serving of 饺子 includes six separate 饺子。This sounds quite easy to understand, but some bugger decided to name these servings 两, as in 两个老外想买饺子。When you speak of two servings of 饺子 we don't say 两两 (that would be too easy) but 二两 instead. Sounds simple when I explain it in English but when you're working out how many dumplings you want to eat, how many dumplings are in a serving, and how much it will cost,throwing in 两 as the counter just completely threw me out. We took his suggestion and ate 二两 (not 两个两 but 二两）and it was quite filling. When it came to the bill though we were completely lost. We had ate twelve 饺子，two 两 but couldn't for the life of us work out how much it would be. So many numbers floating around in our heads... Eventually we just gave him a hundred 块 note and waited for the change. While we were waiting though, I cast my mind back to high school algebra and worked it out. Let 两 = x and cost of bill = y x = 6饺 = 2元. We ate 12饺 = 2x = 12元. Easy! So how about a lesson on 二两，两个， and why not throw in 两辆 to make it a bit challenging. Maybe a dumpling salesman can try to exchange his product for some vehicles.
Posted on: My Cat
July 16, 2007 at 1:32 AMYes I did! A while ago. I'm that kind of fan who likes to do cover versions of bands I like. (If you know what I mean).
Posted on: Chinese Seasonings
July 15, 2007 at 10:37 AMI've also heard 'jiāng yóu' for soy sauce, would this be a common pronunciation?
Posted on: My Cat
July 15, 2007 at 1:26 AM我比较喜欢狗。
Posted on: Sudoku
July 13, 2007 at 9:12 AM我也不玩。我宁愿在报纸上看好笑的漫画。
Posted on: The Drug Dealer
July 12, 2007 at 3:37 AM我也觉得。 I thought the undercover cop thing was a bit of a copout... could have thought of a different ending!
Posted on: The Drug Dealer
July 11, 2007 at 10:17 AM我也觉得这种课很有趣,但是怎么那么快就结束了! 希望下次课题可以综合起来:假如,一个大毒枭因为搬家,避孕套找不到,去买,在药店，他跟店员讨论最近出现在媒体上的事情。 Then you could integrate moving house, condoms, drug lords and whatever's in the media into one lesson. 怎么样？
Posted on: Interview with the Boss
July 9, 2007 at 7:32 AM看到‘interview with the boss'我还以为ken老师被采访了。 真的失望。;) 下次吧！ Really though, there's a lesson idea for you!
Posted on: Touring a Factory
July 8, 2007 at 5:19 AM这个节目（这节课？）特别有用。吸引了那么多同学留言。 其实，这个情况好象不仅是在工场发现的。在中国，打工者好像没权利罢工，对吗？
Posted on: My Cat
July 16, 2007 at 7:48 AM谢谢！I'm making some more at the moment. I'll keep you posted!