User Comments - xiaohu
xiaohu
Posted on: Experiencing Agricultural Life
July 1, 2007 at 7:09 AMAuntie, I apologize if you were offended by my comment but it's only my opinion. I don't think the comment was racist at all, since I was only making a reference to the language all Vietnamese people learn from birth. I'm sure there are many people in the world that feel English is 难听，I know for a fact there are a GREAT MANY people who feel Chinese is 很难听，（Including one of my very best friends who when I told him I was switching from studying Japanese to Chinese asked me, "why are you studying Chinese it sounds NASTY!"), but I wasn't at all offended because that's only his opinion. I don't expect other people to share my love of this language, and if he thinks it sounds "nasty" then that's his right. If I were to say all Vietnamese people are lazy, or all Vietnamese people are stupid, (which I don't think that at all) then that would be a racist comment. I myself run in "Gamer Geek" circles, and to say all "Gamer Geeks" are fat, ugly, techno happy, girlfriendless, losers who only sit in the basement of their parents house with thousands of games for every imaginable video game system piled to the ceiling, living in their own filth of Pizza Boxes, Soda Cans and Potato Chip bags with their Bluetooth headset on, used not to call a member of the opposite sex but only used to invite other geeky gamer buddies to World Of Warcraft WAN fests, then this opinion would be a predjudiced one. While, yes there are gamers who fit the above description, however the great majority are hardworking, in shape, very normal people who temper their gaming with other activities (like we do, Basketball, Bowling, Movies etc). So the point I'm trying to make here is, I don't at all feel my comment was predjudiced or racist, just a comment. I am willing to take responsibility for making the comment though, and I won't use the "Clarence Made Me Do It" shield.
Posted on: Experiencing Agricultural Life
June 30, 2007 at 10:34 PMClarence, Don't worry, soon enough you will learn the wrong way, just as you have learned the wrong way in Japanese, and Chinese. I just wonder what your motivation is to learn so many Asian languages is...可能是为了找到一个漂亮的太太吗？ 说实在的，大部分越南女孩都很漂亮，但是我觉得越南话的声音可真难听了! By the way, everyone on this website is here to help you including me. The problem is that so often your posts aren't constructive, they are just argumentative! It just seems like your trying to argue for aruments sake. The best way to avoid hastle is not to hastle, and the best way to avoid roadblocks is to not throw them up in front of yourself. Good luck with your Vietnamese!
Posted on: 一见钟情
June 30, 2007 at 10:25 PMAaronpan, 我觉得，Chirsmandarinstudent 的中文水平已经很高！ 他不仅看得懂我写的中文留言，而且他自己写的中文留言写的很好！ 我看过他的简介说，他的中文知识学的差不多一年了！ 天才！
Posted on: Experiencing Agricultural Life
June 30, 2007 at 10:01 PMClarence, I think you wouldn't have these constant problems with your Chinese if you would focus in on just one language. I had a similar choice to make 4 years ago when I was simultaneously studying Chinese and Japanese. I had to choose JUST ONE language because trying to study two at the same time, especially when you're new to it is 100% counterproductive. You first need to learn how to THINK in the new language and if you are constantly cramming your brain with a little Japanese here and a little Chinese there you will NEVER EVER be able to fully think in the target language. Of course judging by your posts I think you're one of those language bunny hoppers that (like my friend and former student) just wants to learn a few phrases in a bunch of different languages. It's great if you (like him) want to suprise people! Walk into a Sushi restaurant and say, "こんにちは, 一人です. メニューを下さい", The Japanese Waitress looks at you in shock and says, "日本語が話しますか?", you answer, "はい, 少し"...and that's as far as you can go! I was once at that point nievely feeling like a big shot because I can walk into a Chinese restaurant and say, "一个人，把菜单给我看看好吗?"， then walk into the Sushi restaurant and say, ""こんにちは, 一人です. メニューを下さい", and surprising the servers with my perceived GREAT MASTERY of 2 languages. Then the waitress would say back, "哇，你的中文说得那么好，你的中文是在那里学的”and I'd only be able to answer back, "uuhhh, 请你再说一遍好吗”， after going back and forth like this several times, the waitress is OUT! She would just force a smile and say, ”慢慢吃”，and I HATE not being able to really communicate, so as I stated before, I had to choose. I couldn't do both at the same time and realistically hope to master both languages because effectively they would work against each other. Now perhaps you're different! Perhaps you have the mind for it. Perhaps you have the gift! Perhaps you have some great ability bestowed by God to master two languages at the same time. However, I think gift or no gift you STILL need to choose, do you prefer 中文，or 日本語? Once you choose, then ask yourself how strong is your interest in it? Once you gauge your interest level, if you REALLY LOVE IT, then set a goal to learn as much about that language and culture and ONLY that ONE language and culture, as you possibly can. Otherwise your relationship with these languages will forever be nothing more than a flirtation, and you will forever be dissapointed in your progress.
Posted on: Experiencing Agricultural Life
June 30, 2007 at 5:15 AMChangye, So true! I try really hard to post thought provoking messages, I sit back and wait for responses and I guess everyone's just...not provoked ENOUGH! Clarence posts something and within MINUTES there is a flurry of new posts. Hhmmmm...Maybe I should turn up the level of sarcasm a few notches.
Posted on: She's Easy
June 30, 2007 at 5:03 AMI tend to agree with Bazza, since on second thought an Adults Only section of Chinese Pod might not be the best idea for the site, I'd say just let Chinese Pod give you the ability to ask Chinese people in a fluent and authentic way how to say whatever dirty word and / or phrase your heart desires. If you really want to go there I'm sure there are several hunderd MILLION Chinese people who would be more than willing to share this information.
Posted on: A Chinese-Style Contradiction
June 30, 2007 at 2:29 AMAZERDocMom: You're absolutely right, for the tonaly challenged it would really help to hear the 4 tones constantly reinforced in our minds especially since it's the most important fundamental of the Chinese language and something so diametrically different from our Western languages. The more practice the better. I wonder if the good people at Chinese Pod would ever consider adding lessons on using the tones strung together into sentences, since alot of Western learners have a big problem in that area.
Posted on: Experiencing Agricultural Life
June 30, 2007 at 2:16 AMI couldn't agree more with Zodiac, this site is the best PERIOD! I myself also used Pimsleur, Eurotalk, Rosetta Stone, EVERY CHINESE TEXTBOOK I COULD GET MY HANDS ON! I found Pimsleur to be very useful but also limited, once you work through the third level it's over and yet there's SO MUCH MORE left to learn, and it of course does nothing for writing and reading. Here on Chinesepod I see them constantly striving to produce thoughtful, useful, entertaining and up to date lessons which can allow us all (if we're willing to use it and not dwell on a tiny little shortcoming here and there) to GREATLY improve our Mandarin LIGHT YEARS past any other self study course. AND for a VERY cheap price. Chinesepod, simply put, is the best way to learn Mandarin Chinese outside of a private tutor!
Posted on: A Chinese-Style Contradiction
June 30, 2007 at 1:41 AMMy friend from 铁岭，told me the meaning of 矛盾，is basically because one would use a 矛to stab their enemy and one would use a 盾，to prevent themselves from being stabbed and therefore these two objects are constantly fighting, so that's why 矛盾 means contradiction. I think alot of Chinese people aren't aware of the stories behind alot of these characters and set expressions. 我觉得如果我是买东西的人然后一个猜疑我的人来向我挑战，我会对他说：“大哥！，这个矛和这个盾只是我示威的， 这些矛和盾都已经被人家的很多用过很多次了。 所以这些矛不是那么尖，而且这些盾并没有在家里的那些那么牢。 你们要是订我矛或者盾的话， 我会把真品寄给你， 好不好， So, what do you all think? Anyone out there buying this story for a dollar?
Posted on: A Chinese-Style Contradiction
July 1, 2007 at 10:08 AMWhen I first started studying Mandarin I couldn't tell the difference AT ALL! Basically, the "C" sound is like a TS, that's why in the Yale system of Romanization they used a TS EG: Tsai. The "D" sound is almost like a DZ said very quickly together like it's one sound, don't seperate the two, in other words don't say, "duh, zih" say, "dzih", so hence the Yale method Romanized it as "DZ" EG: DZAI (sorry hope my exmaples spelled out in Enghlish aren't confusing you more than helping.