Comments on: Finally, Someone Critical About My Chinese http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/ Chinese, Linguistics, Science, Cultural Observations and whatever else I feel like writing about Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:24:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Kay http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-13676 Kay Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:52:11 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-13676 Ha! I had a similar experience in Beijing. My family is originally from southern China. I was told my southern mandarin with a slight english accent (all my chinese family friends say I speak like a native) was "incomprehensible". LOL It was hard to learn and pick up at first. I spent 4 months in Beijing, and I can proudly say that I have mastered the northern mandarin accent! I think that in order to speak a language like a native it is almost impossible if you haven't had the opportunity to immerse yourself in the right surroundings. Ha! I had a similar experience in Beijing. My family is originally from southern China. I was told my southern mandarin with a slight english accent (all my chinese family friends say I speak like a native) was “incomprehensible”. LOL It was hard to learn and pick up at first. I spent 4 months in Beijing, and I can proudly say that I have mastered the northern mandarin accent! I think that in order to speak a language like a native it is almost impossible if you haven’t had the opportunity to immerse yourself in the right surroundings.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-7975 Mark Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:03:33 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-7975 Good question, Amy. Obviously the ideal reaction would be <i>polite</i> criticism. If I had to pick between blunt criticism and none at all, though, I'd go with John's ayi anytime. Good question, Amy. Obviously the ideal reaction would be polite criticism. If I had to pick between blunt criticism and none at all, though, I’d go with John’s ayi anytime.

]]> By: amy http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-7967 amy Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:33:14 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-7967 LOL, such a big difference in reaction isn't it? --> "No, don't know what you are talking about.." vs. --> " Awwwww..... you speak Mandarin!" I think that lady may have exaggerated a bit :p .. probably not used to your accent... So, which kind of reaction would you prefer when you are practising chinese? :) LOL, such a big difference in reaction isn’t it?
–> “No, don’t know what you are talking about..”
vs.
–> ” Awwwww….. you speak Mandarin!”

I think that lady may have exaggerated a bit :p .. probably not used to your accent…

So, which kind of reaction would you prefer when you are practising chinese? :)

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4628 Mark Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:04:09 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4628 Tian, have you watched <a href="http://toshuo.com/2006/a-spelling-drill/" rel="nofollow">the video of me doing a spelling drill</a> with my first semester students this spring? I spoke a bit of Chinese in that. As for having everybody vote, that would be scary. I've spent my whole time in Taiwan as an English teacher, and I know my language acquisition lags far behind that of most foreigners who've spent nearly four years in the US. People would rip on my Chinese and rightfully so. I'm also pretty sure a lot of other people would take it the wrong way and think I was trying to show off or something like that. Tian, have you watched the video of me doing a spelling drill with my first semester students this spring? I spoke a bit of Chinese in that.

As for having everybody vote, that would be scary. I’ve spent my whole time in Taiwan as an English teacher, and I know my language acquisition lags far behind that of most foreigners who’ve spent nearly four years in the US. People would rip on my Chinese and rightfully so. I’m also pretty sure a lot of other people would take it the wrong way and think I was trying to show off or something like that.

]]> By: Tian http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4627 Tian Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:34:22 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4627 Mark, Why don't you put up some audio samples of your Chinese, and have readers/listeners vote about their quality? Mark,

Why don’t you put up some audio samples of your Chinese, and have readers/listeners vote about their quality?

]]> By: 食神 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4623 食神 Tue, 18 Jul 2006 07:59:05 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4623 I'm rambling on.... in the States... or at least in California (where the majority are from the south, Guangzhou, HK, TW, Fuzhou, and even Shanghai) when Chinese see a foreigner that has gone to China and has mastered Chinese, that alone is impressive and is requitted by numerous "oohhss ahhss" and "hen li hai" and jaw dropping amazement. One might think there is no pinnacle that can top that, but there is! What seems to fascinate even more is the ability to have learned Chinese so well, they have even picked up the Beijing accent! Preferrably, the stronger the accent, the more impressive. That truly is the complete package! Cheers I’m rambling on…. in the States… or at least in California (where the majority are from the south, Guangzhou, HK, TW, Fuzhou, and even Shanghai) when Chinese see a foreigner that has gone to China and has mastered Chinese, that alone is impressive and is requitted by numerous “oohhss ahhss” and “hen li hai” and jaw dropping amazement.

One might think there is no pinnacle that can top that, but there is! What seems to fascinate even more is the ability to have learned Chinese so well, they have even picked up the Beijing accent! Preferrably, the stronger the accent, the more impressive. That truly is the complete package!

Cheers

]]> By: 食神 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4621 食神 Tue, 18 Jul 2006 07:47:56 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4621 Interesting blog you have here. Having been sent to Taiwanese run Chinese schools in Los Angeles in childhood (due to the lack of Cantonese schools), I learned the Taiwanese sounds of "si" vs. "shi", "qi vs. chi", "zi vs. zhi"... fast forward 14 years later, while I'm making serious efforts to learn Chinese... I go to the local JC where Putonghua is taught.... after 2 classes, I frantically run to my coworkers and friends, why is it "lao shi" and not "lao si"? It's "wo shi" nad not "wo si" WTF? I'm an ABC, but I'm damn sure my pronunciation is correct. Only in the coming weeks do I actually realize that I've learned Taiwanese / Southern Mandarin and had to relearn many words for the class. For Southern ears, those "shi" that need that bit of tongue curling can be painful. Some of the American students laugh at me because of the visible creases that appear in my face when certain northern sounds are heard.... such as "nar". on the "shrrr" note... my putonghua stinks, but while on an Air China from Beijing back to LA, the steward kept asking ppl "ni huar ma?"... which for the life of me couldn't understand. which I finally deduced to be 你喝嗎？ (ni he ma)... Interesting blog you have here. Having been sent to Taiwanese run Chinese schools in Los Angeles in childhood (due to the lack of Cantonese schools), I learned the Taiwanese sounds of “si” vs. “shi”, “qi vs. chi”, “zi vs. zhi”… fast forward 14 years later, while I’m making serious efforts to learn Chinese… I go to the local JC where Putonghua is taught…. after 2 classes, I frantically run to my coworkers and friends, why is it “lao shi” and not “lao si”? It’s “wo shi” nad not “wo si” WTF? I’m an ABC, but I’m damn sure my pronunciation is correct. Only in the coming weeks do I actually realize that I’ve learned Taiwanese / Southern Mandarin and had to relearn many words for the class. For Southern ears, those “shi” that need that bit of tongue curling can be painful.

Some of the American students laugh at me because of the visible creases that appear in my face when certain northern sounds are heard…. such as “nar”.

on the “shrrr” note… my putonghua stinks, but while on an Air China from Beijing back to LA, the steward kept asking ppl “ni huar ma?”… which for the life of me couldn’t understand. which I finally deduced to be 你喝嗎？ (ni he ma)…

]]> By: smokeyolive http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4561 smokeyolive Mon, 17 Jul 2006 02:00:29 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4561 it makes sense if they can't completely understand you. Mandarin accent will be different in difference area in China. Taiwanese accent goes deeper and mainland accent has more R and L sounds, I can't explain it clear though.. it makes sense if they can’t completely understand you. Mandarin accent will be different in difference area in China. Taiwanese accent goes deeper and mainland accent has more R and L sounds, I can’t explain it clear though..

]]> By: Lantian http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4548 Lantian Sun, 16 Jul 2006 14:59:38 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4548 I find northern Chinese pretty critical of the Taiwanese or southern 'si' instead of 'shirrr'. I'm assuming you used 'si' a lot which just destroys your Chinese to her ear. Conversely sometimes people around here (southern China) often cannot comprehend me if I don't switch my 'shrrs' to 'si'. That said, refreshing isn't it. I find northern Chinese pretty critical of the Taiwanese or southern ’si’ instead of ’shirrr’. I’m assuming you used ’si’ a lot which just destroys your Chinese to her ear. Conversely sometimes people around here (southern China) often cannot comprehend me if I don’t switch my ’shrrs’ to ’si’. That said, refreshing isn’t it.

]]> By: Dongbei Bluntness | Sinosplice: Life in China http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-4543 Dongbei Bluntness | Sinosplice: Life in China Sun, 16 Jul 2006 09:57:22 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/finally-someone-critical-about-my-chinese/#comment-4543 [...] Your Chinese isn’t that good…. I don’t completely understand what you’re trying to say. Can people understand you in Taiwan? [source] [...] [...] Your Chinese isn’t that good…. I don’t completely understand what you’re trying to say. Can people understand you in Taiwan? [source] [...]

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