<![CDATA[Comments on: Designing the New Apartment]]> 2010-01-28 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> At first, I would have thought that the couple should have put carpet in the apartment (maybe that's just an American thing).  But it turns  out that wood or composite/pergo type floors are what go down.  Carpet gets filthy way too fast.  Vacuum cleaners seem hard to get anyway.

]]> At first, I would have thought that the couple should have put carpet in the apartment (maybe that's just an American thing).  But it turns  out that wood or composite/pergo type floors are what go down.  Carpet gets filthy way too fast.  Vacuum cleaners seem hard to get anyway.

]]> <![CDATA[By: btc10]]> yeah, carpet is hard to clean and Americans don't like to take off their shoes when they go home so their carpet gets filthy

]]> yeah, carpet is hard to clean and Americans don't like to take off their shoes when they go home so their carpet gets filthy

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]>

good point. I know there was a lesson about taking off your shoes, but an American not used to living in Asia or having Asian American friends might have a hard time taking off their shoes going into someone's house just on habit. This could be an interesting little surprise.

]]>

good point. I know there was a lesson about taking off your shoes, but an American not used to living in Asia or having Asian American friends might have a hard time taking off their shoes going into someone's house just on habit. This could be an interesting little surprise.

]]> <![CDATA[By: mark]]> 很酷！我很喜欢这种课程，因为让我了解在中国日常生活的气氛。加油！

]]> 很酷！我很喜欢这种课程，因为让我了解在中国日常生活的气氛。加油！

]]> <![CDATA[By: ardeshir]]> This is a pretty tough lesson. Lots of new words! 

]]> This is a pretty tough lesson. Lots of new words! 

]]> <![CDATA[By: user8204]]> “看看就知道啦”。和。看看不就知道啦”。这两个有什么区别？谢谢

]]> “看看就知道啦”。和。看看不就知道啦”。这两个有什么区别？谢谢

]]> <![CDATA[By: btc10]]> I sort of agree. I think what makes it seem rather difficult is the content, which in my opinion has little usage. I say this because the target audience of this lesson is non-Chinese people ( or Chinese people who grew up overseas) and we foreigners probably wouldn't move into one of these "concrete boxes" and renovate it with our spouses.

]]> I sort of agree. I think what makes it seem rather difficult is the content, which in my opinion has little usage. I say this because the target audience of this lesson is non-Chinese people ( or Chinese people who grew up overseas) and we foreigners probably wouldn't move into one of these "concrete boxes" and renovate it with our spouses.

]]> <![CDATA[By: hanaki]]> Jenny, 好像你也终于买房子了。恭喜恭喜你。

]]> Jenny, 好像你也终于买房子了。恭喜恭喜你。

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 呵呵，

“or, as the case may be, everything your spouse wants”

。。怎么说：打钉子上头。。。也许你可以说？：

击中了要害

]]> 呵呵，

“or, as the case may be, everything your spouse wants”

。。怎么说：打钉子上头。。。也许你可以说？：

击中了要害

]]> <![CDATA[By: yangyafeng1026]]> “看看就知道了”和“看看不就知道了”的意思是一样的，都是看了之后你就知道结果了。不过二者不同的是在说话的口气上，比如两人对话：

1、甲说：他们在干什么呢？

乙说：你去看看就知道了。

此段对话中的乙对甲说话比较礼貌。

2、甲说：他们在干什么呢？

乙说：你自己去看看不就知道了吗。

此段对话中的乙对甲表现出了不耐烦的情绪，说话上就不是很礼貌了。

]]> “看看就知道了”和“看看不就知道了”的意思是一样的，都是看了之后你就知道结果了。不过二者不同的是在说话的口气上，比如两人对话：

1、甲说：他们在干什么呢？

乙说：你去看看就知道了。

此段对话中的乙对甲说话比较礼貌。

2、甲说：他们在干什么呢？

乙说：你自己去看看不就知道了吗。

此段对话中的乙对甲表现出了不耐烦的情绪，说话上就不是很礼貌了。

]]> <![CDATA[By: ardeshir]]> Hehe, yeah you'r right. Do you know if these kind of houses are popular in China? I'm thinking of the box that you mentioned with nothing in it.

]]> Hehe, yeah you'r right. Do you know if these kind of houses are popular in China? I'm thinking of the box that you mentioned with nothing in it.

]]> <![CDATA[By: ardeshir]]> I have a problem viewing some of the characters in the diaologue sections. Some of them just come out a little bit different than what they ought to. I have a mac by the way. Anybody have any suggestions?

]]> I have a problem viewing some of the characters in the diaologue sections. Some of them just come out a little bit different than what they ought to. I have a mac by the way. Anybody have any suggestions?

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 多谢你的说明。。很清楚啊

]]> 多谢你的说明。。很清楚啊

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 我觉得John说明关于这个词：瓷砖。。。其实，这个字“瓷”下面有“瓦”。。tile的意思。

]]> 我觉得John说明关于这个词：瓷砖。。。其实，这个字“瓷”下面有“瓦”。。tile的意思。

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 关于这个课程我有一些问题：

1.这个词：毛坯房。听说在中国经常开始。。with an empty shell.Perhaps I'm splitting 毛's here but 毛坯房 is defined as unrenovated home and then translated as completely bare [which as I say I realise is common practice and as you guys reiterated in the lesson].But speaking in general terms how does one distinguish between an empty shell,and an old house/apartment full of stuff that's falling down and just not been renovated?

2.装修完了就显得小啦。

..translated as:

(After it's been renovated it'll look smaller.)

..I'm thinking here about the difference between smaller [may still be quite large but just a little smaller than it previously looked] and truly looking small.How to distinguish?

3.那炒菜时的油烟不就跑到客厅里了嘛。

I'm wondering if it would have been just as valid to start this off with 那炒菜的时候..or if there is a significant difference? I also presume this sentence is rhetorical as suggested by the 不 and emphasised by the 嘛。

4.A few questions in the negative in this one such as:

这个没意见吧。..which I take it is kinda saying ..you haven't got any ideas on this hey?

5.I was a little confused about the whole 打通ing in this sentence:

你说我们把阳台打通好不好？

which has been translated as:

what do you think about tearing down these walls and extending the room into the balcony?)

..but John seemed to talk about enclosing the balcony.

6.What's the story with 咱们 vs 我们?

7.你拿反了。。if he was holding it upside down,how come he read the instructions when he first looked at it?

Were they neighbours starting their 装修 in the background at the end or did someone jump start 老婆's idea of 来敲？

btw I love the realistic echo in this lesson and that word we've had before..无所谓..such a distinctive sounding term.

]]> 关于这个课程我有一些问题：

1.这个词：毛坯房。听说在中国经常开始。。with an empty shell.Perhaps I'm splitting 毛's here but 毛坯房 is defined as unrenovated home and then translated as completely bare [which as I say I realise is common practice and as you guys reiterated in the lesson].But speaking in general terms how does one distinguish between an empty shell,and an old house/apartment full of stuff that's falling down and just not been renovated?

2.装修完了就显得小啦。

..translated as:

(After it's been renovated it'll look smaller.)

..I'm thinking here about the difference between smaller [may still be quite large but just a little smaller than it previously looked] and truly looking small.How to distinguish?

3.那炒菜时的油烟不就跑到客厅里了嘛。

I'm wondering if it would have been just as valid to start this off with 那炒菜的时候..or if there is a significant difference? I also presume this sentence is rhetorical as suggested by the 不 and emphasised by the 嘛。

4.A few questions in the negative in this one such as:

这个没意见吧。..which I take it is kinda saying ..you haven't got any ideas on this hey?

5.I was a little confused about the whole 打通ing in this sentence:

你说我们把阳台打通好不好？

which has been translated as:

what do you think about tearing down these walls and extending the room into the balcony?)

..but John seemed to talk about enclosing the balcony.

6.What's the story with 咱们 vs 我们?

7.你拿反了。。if he was holding it upside down,how come he read the instructions when he first looked at it?

Were they neighbours starting their 装修 in the background at the end or did someone jump start 老婆's idea of 来敲？

btw I love the realistic echo in this lesson and that word we've had before..无所谓..such a distinctive sounding term.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> I do know that there are various options available for housing that goes up in China. I'm not sure that furniture is included in some of the options, but depending on the apartment, and the management company, there might be options around what you can do to the apartment itself. Certainly remodeling as it was mentioned in the lesson is done, but I would agree, it would more likely be a Chinese couple doing it, or a foreign couple with money to burn, and multiple houses in multiple locations worldwide.

]]> I do know that there are various options available for housing that goes up in China. I'm not sure that furniture is included in some of the options, but depending on the apartment, and the management company, there might be options around what you can do to the apartment itself. Certainly remodeling as it was mentioned in the lesson is done, but I would agree, it would more likely be a Chinese couple doing it, or a foreign couple with money to burn, and multiple houses in multiple locations worldwide.

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> 又难又用。我爸妈刚刚买了一个新的家。

]]> 又难又用。我爸妈刚刚买了一个新的家。

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]>

请问：看也看不懂 - does it really include all persons, like the translation proposes? (I know it's all in the context, but I don't see that he would include her as well in his misunderstanding, especially since she figured that he is holding the plan upside down)

]]>

请问：看也看不懂 - does it really include all persons, like the translation proposes? (I know it's all in the context, but I don't see that he would include her as well in his misunderstanding, especially since she figured that he is holding the plan upside down)

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]>

7.你拿反了。。if he was holding it upside down,how come he read the instructions when he first looked at it?

since we cannot see it, maybe holding the map so that you can read it means that you are looking in the opposite position. (like you are facing south and holding a map so that north is on its top)

]]>

7.你拿反了。。if he was holding it upside down,how come he read the instructions when he first looked at it?

since we cannot see it, maybe holding the map so that you can read it means that you are looking in the opposite position. (like you are facing south and holding a map so that north is on its top)

]]> <![CDATA[By: ardeshir]]> 这个又难又用有什么意思？both difficult and useful？

]]> 这个又难又用有什么意思？both difficult and useful？

]]> <![CDATA[By: kdombros]]> I think the balcony sentence makes sense, in that you connect the two rooms. 阳台yangtai in my understanding of the word are already enclosed with windows right? I think a better translation woudl be 'how about we extend this room through to the sunroom/balcony'

]]> I think the balcony sentence makes sense, in that you connect the two rooms. 阳台yangtai in my understanding of the word are already enclosed with windows right? I think a better translation woudl be 'how about we extend this room through to the sunroom/balcony'

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> 对。you can basically connect everything together with this sentence pattern.

]]> 对。you can basically connect everything together with this sentence pattern.

]]> <![CDATA[By: mobro]]> I don't think you can use the 又。。。又 construction here. Both adjectives need to be either negative or positive. 难 is negative while 有用 is positive. I think in this case you need to say, 随然很难，还是有用。Maybe Jenny can help out here.

]]> I don't think you can use the 又。。。又 construction here. Both adjectives need to be either negative or positive. 难 is negative while 有用 is positive. I think in this case you need to say, 随然很难，还是有用。Maybe Jenny can help out here.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> I tend to agree that the 又 construction should have either two positive adjectives or two negative ones. I was taught this in class. I always felt that there must be exceptions to this, though.

]]> I tend to agree that the 又 construction should have either two positive adjectives or two negative ones. I was taught this in class. I always felt that there must be exceptions to this, though.

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> mobro 说得对。

The "又...又..." construction is used to connect two adjectives, but the adjectives need to be either negative or positive.

It's better to say "虽然很难，但是很有用。"

]]> mobro 说得对。

The "又...又..." construction is used to connect two adjectives, but the adjectives need to be either negative or positive.

It's better to say "虽然很难，但是很有用。"

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> 谢谢，connie老师。

]]> 谢谢，connie老师。

]]> <![CDATA[By: mobro]]> 谢谢

]]> 谢谢

]]> <![CDATA[By: lydia1981]]> I think it's not just an Asian think. I'm from the Netherlands, and at home we never wear shoes. Well, some people do, but I think the majority doesn't. I also think not wearing shoes feels more comfortable!

]]> I think it's not just an Asian think. I'm from the Netherlands, and at home we never wear shoes. Well, some people do, but I think the majority doesn't. I also think not wearing shoes feels more comfortable!

]]> <![CDATA[By: sydcarten]]> I agree with that.

I can understand why some Westerners may feel a bit weird taking off their shoes in another persons home, but when you are in you own home it seems crazy to still be wearing clunky, uncomfortable shoes there.

For me being at home means being comfortable, and that means taking those damn shoes off.

]]> I agree with that.

I can understand why some Westerners may feel a bit weird taking off their shoes in another persons home, but when you are in you own home it seems crazy to still be wearing clunky, uncomfortable shoes there.

For me being at home means being comfortable, and that means taking those damn shoes off.

]]> <![CDATA[By: sydcarten]]> Hope you guys don't mind if I just bump my post above.

It seems to have gotten buried in SPAM.

]]> Hope you guys don't mind if I just bump my post above.

It seems to have gotten buried in SPAM.

]]> <![CDATA[By: ardeshir]]> Good thing I read this thread again. I was starting to use the you you sentece with both negative and positive adjectives. What an embarrassment that would have been. Thank god I have ChinesePod, whew.

]]> Good thing I read this thread again. I was starting to use the you you sentece with both negative and positive adjectives. What an embarrassment that would have been. Thank god I have ChinesePod, whew.

]]>