User Comments - pulosm
pulosm
Posted on: 猜字谜
October 8, 2007 at 3:34 PMI had to stare at number 2 for a second before I realized it was "guan." Darn simplified characters; I only recognize them in context.
Posted on: 中美法律体系的差异
October 8, 2007 at 1:14 AMsorry, but note that "học" (where I said "I am studying" above) is "学", which sounds nothing like the Mandarin, but is very very similar (almost identical) to the Cantonese. Knowing Cantonese makes studying Vietnamese that much easier...
Posted on: 中美法律体系的差异
October 8, 2007 at 1:11 AMChangye. It is possible, but tedious (at least for me!). Nhuy asked if anyone on here is Vietnamese and I responded that I am not Vietnamese, but I am studying Vietnamese and can speak a little. I wrote: tôi không phải là người Việt Nam, nhưng tôi đang học tiếng Việt . . . biết nói một ít. Vietnamese is fascinating and borrows a lot from Chinese, so if you recognize patterns (like "sh" is often "th" in Vietnamese), you can learn alot, for example (sorry, no tones!!): thao luan = 讨论 xe = 车 dinh = (决)定 trung tam = 中心 ly hon = 离婚 khong khi = 空气 I mean, it seems ridiculous because there are hundreds (maybe thousands) of these, but it took me forever to realize that these were related. Also, I would say that Vietnamese is a LOT harder than Mandarin, because if your pronunciation isn't perfect people will have a lot of trouble understand anything you are saying. I don't know, maybe that's just my perception. Also, it probably has to do with the fact that there isn't a great system out there for studying it (like there are more and more for Chinese....like Chinesepod!)
Posted on: 中美法律体系的差异
October 7, 2007 at 9:38 PMnhuy: toi khong phai la nguoi viet nam, nhung toi dang hoc tieng viet...biet noi mot it... Jenny: 网络慢有可能是因为你下载了太多盗版的东西吗？ 开玩笑！ 我说的是因为那种违法 的事情真适合今天的话题！！
Posted on: Calisthenics
October 7, 2007 at 9:22 PM这个对话很真实。体形最差的人对别人的运动方式有最强的意见。
Posted on: Calisthenics
October 7, 2007 at 9:00 PMThinking it over, I think "ji . . . you . . . " is like "not only . . . but . . . " and "you . . . you . . . " is just like "both . . . and . . . " It's pretty much the same thing.
Posted on: Calisthenics
October 7, 2007 at 8:59 PMmchanatwork: women is a generic "we," whereas "za(n)men" is "we" which necessarily includes the listener (inclusive "we"). That is, if you say "zanmen," the listener is included, if you say "women" it is unclear as to whether or not the listener is included. Rash: "you" can be used to mean "also," as in this dialogue. It can be "ji . . . you . . ." (as here) or "you . . . you . . .". For example, you can say "ta you piaoliang you congming" (she is not only pretty but smart).
Posted on: Treating and Foreigners on TV
October 7, 2007 at 5:31 PM(1) I don't think the bill thing is a matter of generosity, it's a matter of "mianzi" (face). A lot of cultures do that. (2) As for foreigners on TV, it is hard to not get caught up in it. Being invited to TV shows, radio shows, etc. is a great compliment, because it means your Chinese is good. BUT, I think it's a little like National Geogrpahic for Chinese people---"like at the foreigner speaking chinese...wow...it's so amazing." That is, you are exoticized (to use an anthropological term). When will Chinese people come to terms with the fact that Chinese is not the hardest language in the world and that foreigners can learn it???
Posted on: Accents and Subway Survival
October 7, 2007 at 5:16 PMWhen Amber speaks English, she sounds like a (1) Canadian; and (2) Someone who has lived in Asian for a long time I think the BIGGEST problem is the way the tones are taught. There should be a lesson on this if there isn't. The only change that is ever taught is two third tones together, the first sounds like second. I think the third tone needs to be explored further. For example, when you have third and then second, the third tone does not go down and then come up. It goes down, stops, and then you rise up for the second tone. Actually third tones rarely rise back up, except when they are emphasized, or when they are the second syallable in two-syllable pair. Sorry, that probably makes no sense...
Posted on: Beyond Or: Another Use of 还是 (háishi)
October 8, 2007 at 3:51 PMExcellent! These are the little things that you just have to pick up because you probably won't learn it in class. Until now. ;-) Thanks!