<![CDATA[Comments on: Going to the Toy Store]]> 2010-08-01 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: Tal]]> 拼图 is an interesting term, but I think we have to be clear it doesn't refer to any kind of puzzle toy (e.g. a Rubik cube) but specifically a 'picture puzzle', like a jigsaw (拼图游戏)?

]]> 拼图 is an interesting term, but I think we have to be clear it doesn't refer to any kind of puzzle toy (e.g. a Rubik cube) but specifically a 'picture puzzle', like a jigsaw (拼图游戏)?

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> Wow, do Chinese mothers actually say things like, "girls can't play with remote controlled cars"? Or is this merely a gender role stereotype on Cpod's part?

]]> Wow, do Chinese mothers actually say things like, "girls can't play with remote controlled cars"? Or is this merely a gender role stereotype on Cpod's part?

]]> <![CDATA[By: Tal]]> Western mothers say that too, despite modern concepts of gender equality. I'd say in China people are generally less concerned about creating the pretense that boys and girls can be treated the same.

]]> Western mothers say that too, despite modern concepts of gender equality. I'd say in China people are generally less concerned about creating the pretense that boys and girls can be treated the same.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> ok, once again, I am guilty of "I saw a Chinese person do this once in my neighborhood; therefore, this happens with all Chinese everywhere".

]]> ok, once again, I am guilty of "I saw a Chinese person do this once in my neighborhood; therefore, this happens with all Chinese everywhere".

]]> <![CDATA[By: tiaopidepi]]> Don't worry about it, mate. I work in a very multicultural city and cannot tell you how frequently I hear "Americans all...." when I should be hearing "Seattleites all..."

We all generalize. It helps tie those neurons together.

]]> Don't worry about it, mate. I work in a very multicultural city and cannot tell you how frequently I hear "Americans all...." when I should be hearing "Seattleites all..."

We all generalize. It helps tie those neurons together.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> That's right. The old-fashioned kind.

]]> That's right. The old-fashioned kind.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> You'll hear this kind of thing.

When we make use of stereotypes, we do it consciously because it's useful (i.e. it reflects that types of things you will hear real people say).

]]> You'll hear this kind of thing.

When we make use of stereotypes, we do it consciously because it's useful (i.e. it reflects that types of things you will hear real people say).

]]> <![CDATA[By: holothurian]]> Almost every day I hear that "waiguoren dou blah blah blah". I have almost never heard it said in a disparaging way, it is not a big of a deal, at least for me. It is just as commmon to hear "Sichuan ren dou blah blah blah". I have lived in 15 countries at least, it has been the same in every one. A human condition.

]]> Almost every day I hear that "waiguoren dou blah blah blah". I have almost never heard it said in a disparaging way, it is not a big of a deal, at least for me. It is just as commmon to hear "Sichuan ren dou blah blah blah". I have lived in 15 countries at least, it has been the same in every one. A human condition.

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> Maybe I want some dialogue like,

Lulu: "Mom, I want a chemistry set. Dudu was picking on me in class, so I want to use some ammonium nitrate to blow his chair up".

Mom: "Oh, Lulu, little girls don't blow people up".

]]> Maybe I want some dialogue like,

Lulu: "Mom, I want a chemistry set. Dudu was picking on me in class, so I want to use some ammonium nitrate to blow his chair up".

Mom: "Oh, Lulu, little girls don't blow people up".

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> Toy Story 《玩具总动员》

]]> Toy Story 《玩具总动员》

]]> <![CDATA[By: ellen_counselor]]> 我喜欢这个电影

]]> 我喜欢这个电影

]]> <![CDATA[By: socratesinsichuan]]> This is one of the things I think Chinese Pod does a great job of, namely, delivering valuable cultural information along with great language lessons. Almost invariably, a generalization/cultural observation I find here resonates with my own experience in China

]]> This is one of the things I think Chinese Pod does a great job of, namely, delivering valuable cultural information along with great language lessons. Almost invariably, a generalization/cultural observation I find here resonates with my own experience in China

]]> <![CDATA[By: masterkrang]]> i always have a question regarding the changing of third tones when they are grouped together. i know a word that is two third tones will change to a 2nd and 3rd tones, but when you have three 3rd tones together like 给你买, seems like when you guys are saying it as 2nd, 2nd and 3rd. now what about four consecutive 3rd tones? five?

]]> i always have a question regarding the changing of third tones when they are grouped together. i know a word that is two third tones will change to a 2nd and 3rd tones, but when you have three 3rd tones together like 给你买, seems like when you guys are saying it as 2nd, 2nd and 3rd. now what about four consecutive 3rd tones? five?

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> 1. If there are two 3rd tones, the first one is pronounced as a 2nd tone.

2. If there are three 3rd tones, they are generally pronounced as 2nd, 2nd, 3rd. eg, 给你买，我也有，

3. If there are more than three 3rd tones, we first break them into smaller groups based on their meaning, and then pronounce them according to the tone change rules listed above.

eg, 我很想你。wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ.

2nd 3rd / 2nd 3rd

我很想给你买。wǒ hěn xiǎng gěi nǐ mǎi.

2nd 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd or 3rd / 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd

请你给我五碗米。qǐng nǐ gěi wǒ wǔ wǎn mǐ.

2nd 3rd / 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd

]]> 1. If there are two 3rd tones, the first one is pronounced as a 2nd tone.

2. If there are three 3rd tones, they are generally pronounced as 2nd, 2nd, 3rd. eg, 给你买，我也有，

3. If there are more than three 3rd tones, we first break them into smaller groups based on their meaning, and then pronounce them according to the tone change rules listed above.

eg, 我很想你。wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ.

2nd 3rd / 2nd 3rd

我很想给你买。wǒ hěn xiǎng gěi nǐ mǎi.

2nd 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd or 3rd / 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd

请你给我五碗米。qǐng nǐ gěi wǒ wǔ wǎn mǐ.

2nd 3rd / 2nd 3rd / 2nd 2nd 3rd

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> hehe, classic, love it

]]> hehe, classic, love it

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 我同意。。地球人都概括

]]> 我同意。。地球人都概括

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 人就那样！

]]> 人就那样！

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 我有很多狗。。都叫做“Rex”。。它们都听错了”x人blah blah blah"

]]> 我有很多狗。。都叫做“Rex”。。它们都听错了”x人blah blah blah"

]]> <![CDATA[By: flibberty2]]> The song in the background sounds like 'This Old Man'. Could anyone provide a link to the Chinese words, and maybe a sound file? Thanks.

]]> The song in the background sounds like 'This Old Man'. Could anyone provide a link to the Chinese words, and maybe a sound file? Thanks.

]]> <![CDATA[By: neddanison]]> 好像他們唱的是英文。I hear them singing English -- not the "This Old Man" words, though.

]]> 好像他們唱的是英文。I hear them singing English -- not the "This Old Man" words, though.

]]> <![CDATA[By: neddanison]]> 那個孩子說“媽媽壞”，翻譯成“Mom，you're mean！” 我不知道這樣的話合適几歲的孩子。在中國，幼兒園小朋友常常對他們的父母說這樣嗎？

]]> 那個孩子說“媽媽壞”，翻譯成“Mom，you're mean！” 我不知道這樣的話合適几歲的孩子。在中國，幼兒園小朋友常常對他們的父母說這樣嗎？

]]> <![CDATA[By: gaojian]]> 他們討論的時候，提到“壞” 這鍾說法。我認為小孩子們會說這句話。在台灣叫英文的時候，我五，六歲的學生都會用這樣的詞彙。

]]> 他們討論的時候，提到“壞” 這鍾說法。我認為小孩子們會說這句話。在台灣叫英文的時候，我五，六歲的學生都會用這樣的詞彙。

]]> <![CDATA[By: neddanison]]> 嘿，gaojian 謝謝您的回答！ 我以前也是住在台灣。 也注意到小朋友說“媽媽壞”那樣話。我想 -- 那是說我不知道 -- 小孩子們過了差不多六歲不能這樣子說。您認為呢？

]]> 嘿，gaojian 謝謝您的回答！ 我以前也是住在台灣。 也注意到小朋友說“媽媽壞”那樣話。我想 -- 那是說我不知道 -- 小孩子們過了差不多六歲不能這樣子說。您認為呢？

]]> <![CDATA[By: suansuanru]]> I am guilty of "I saw a Chinese person do this once in my neighborhood; therefore, this happens with all Chinese everywhere".

I love this sentence. ;)

]]> I am guilty of "I saw a Chinese person do this once in my neighborhood; therefore, this happens with all Chinese everywhere".

I love this sentence. ;)

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> Maybe over-the-top exaggeration can be humorous at times after all :)

]]> Maybe over-the-top exaggeration can be humorous at times after all :)

]]> <![CDATA[By: gaojian]]> 他們不該說，但是他們卻會說！ 哎牙，今年的小孩子！ 哈哈

]]> 他們不該說，但是他們卻會說！ 哎牙，今年的小孩子！ 哈哈

]]> <![CDATA[By: zarichard61]]> Hi,nice to meet everybody!

]]> Hi,nice to meet everybody!

]]> <![CDATA[By: chris]]> Just wanted to say there are some particularly good expansion sentences in this lesson from a grammar perspective - really got me thinking about the structures used.  I particularly liked this one:

已经下了一星期的雨了真烦人 (It's already been raining for a week, it's so annoying).

I would never have come up with this Chinese sentence if asked to translate the English, even though I know all the words!

]]> Just wanted to say there are some particularly good expansion sentences in this lesson from a grammar perspective - really got me thinking about the structures used.  I particularly liked this one:

已经下了一星期的雨了真烦人 (It's already been raining for a week, it's so annoying).

I would never have come up with this Chinese sentence if asked to translate the English, even though I know all the words!

]]>