<![CDATA[Comments on: Which tone was that again?]]> 2010-06-15 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: rods]]> 老师, 周末 我 要 去 化学营.（Lǎoshī, zhōumò wǒ yào qù huàxué yíng.）Not quite sure how to say "chemistry camp."

For nerds like me. 呵呵

]]> 老师, 周末 我 要 去 化学营.（Lǎoshī, zhōumò wǒ yào qù huàxué yíng.）Not quite sure how to say "chemistry camp."

For nerds like me. 呵呵

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> I love this lesson because I've done the same thing oh so many times. This kind of mistake can lead to some pretty comical situations.

]]> I love this lesson because I've done the same thing oh so many times. This kind of mistake can lead to some pretty comical situations.

]]> <![CDATA[By: hamshank]]> Yeah, it will definitely help keep the conversion going in Chinese when trying to practice.

Good lesson

]]> Yeah, it will definitely help keep the conversion going in Chinese when trying to practice.

Good lesson

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

Is there a difference between these two sentences? Both seem to mean "You like skiing, right?".

你是不是喜欢滑雪？ni3 shi4bu5shi5 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3?

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？ni3 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3, shi4 ba5?

]]>

Is there a difference between these two sentences? Both seem to mean "You like skiing, right?".

你是不是喜欢滑雪？ni3 shi4bu5shi5 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3?

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？ni3 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3, shi4 ba5?

]]> <![CDATA[By: masterkrang]]> ok, next should be a lesson about skateboarding... i can help!

]]> ok, next should be a lesson about skateboarding... i can help!

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> hehe, yeah I had a similar reaction. Personally I'd much rather spend the weekend 去滑雪或者单板化学【更好】..skiing or snowboarding [even better] [as was the inference in the dialogue and reason for correction] but I kinda felt that it would on average be more likely for a Chinese student to be off 学化学。I don't know if the 去 made that seem less likely...but I guess it could be with a tutor,at a friends place,or yeah ..even at some camp.

]]> hehe, yeah I had a similar reaction. Personally I'd much rather spend the weekend 去滑雪或者单板化学【更好】..skiing or snowboarding [even better] [as was the inference in the dialogue and reason for correction] but I kinda felt that it would on average be more likely for a Chinese student to be off 学化学。I don't know if the 去 made that seem less likely...but I guess it could be with a tutor,at a friends place,or yeah ..even at some camp.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jimijames]]> To me they is a slight difference in these two sentence about "liking skiing"

你是不是喜欢滑雪？This sentence is confirming what you may already know from information you may already have about someone who likes to ski. "You must like to ski" why? because before you said this sentence you may have known that the person talks about skiing all the time, or you may know that he/she goes to ski often.

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？The sentence is more forceful but polite because the 是吧 is added to tone down your forwardness to find out if the person you are talking to likes to ski.

I hope this little analysis helps.

Also I may say the second sentence as

你喜欢滑雪，是吗？

You like skiing, right.

Cpod teachers....do you have any further clarification?

]]> To me they is a slight difference in these two sentence about "liking skiing"

你是不是喜欢滑雪？This sentence is confirming what you may already know from information you may already have about someone who likes to ski. "You must like to ski" why? because before you said this sentence you may have known that the person talks about skiing all the time, or you may know that he/she goes to ski often.

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？The sentence is more forceful but polite because the 是吧 is added to tone down your forwardness to find out if the person you are talking to likes to ski.

I hope this little analysis helps.

Also I may say the second sentence as

你喜欢滑雪，是吗？

You like skiing, right.

Cpod teachers....do you have any further clarification?

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

rodswithoutnumber,

army camp is 军营 jūnyīng

so 化学营 huàxué yīng makes sense for Chemistry Camp

Possibly some more translations of interest related to types of camps.

band camp 音乐队营　yīnyuèduìyīng

music camp 音乐营　yīnyuèyīng

summer camp 夏令营　xiàlìngyīng

"There was one time at band camp....."

有一段时间在音乐队营。。。。

yǒuyíduànshíjiànzàiyīnyuèduìyīng........

]]>

rodswithoutnumber,

army camp is 军营 jūnyīng

so 化学营 huàxué yīng makes sense for Chemistry Camp

Possibly some more translations of interest related to types of camps.

band camp 音乐队营　yīnyuèduìyīng

music camp 音乐营　yīnyuèyīng

summer camp 夏令营　xiàlìngyīng

"There was one time at band camp....."

有一段时间在音乐队营。。。。

yǒuyíduànshíjiànzàiyīnyuèduìyīng........

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> that's interesting. I thought :

你是不是喜欢滑雪？

...was more of a question ,and in this case it was coming more from a situation where the asker really didn't know or have any former knowledge,whereas I thought :

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？

..was more the scenario where the asker was already under the impression the other one liked skiing and was just confirming

]]> that's interesting. I thought :

你是不是喜欢滑雪？

...was more of a question ,and in this case it was coming more from a situation where the asker really didn't know or have any former knowledge,whereas I thought :

你喜欢滑雪，是吧？

..was more the scenario where the asker was already under the impression the other one liked skiing and was just confirming

]]> <![CDATA[By: rods]]> Thanks jimijames. 营 looked like the right word, but couldn't find confirmation anywhere. Your examples are what I had in mind. I'm going to jot those down.

]]> Thanks jimijames. 营 looked like the right word, but couldn't find confirmation anywhere. Your examples are what I had in mind. I'm going to jot those down.

]]> <![CDATA[By: rods]]> Hi bababardwan, I don't even want to think about snow right now, thank you very much. ;-)

]]> Hi bababardwan, I don't even want to think about snow right now, thank you very much. ;-)

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> 化学 (huàxué) is strictly a noun.

Originally, when editing the dialogue, there was talk of 滑滑雪 (huá huáxuě) and the corresponding (and incorrect) *化化学 (huà huàxué), which was translated by Jason as "chem some chemistry." That gave me a good chuckle.

]]> 化学 (huàxué) is strictly a noun.

Originally, when editing the dialogue, there was talk of 滑滑雪 (huá huáxuě) and the corresponding (and incorrect) *化化学 (huà huàxué), which was translated by Jason as "chem some chemistry." That gave me a good chuckle.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> My interpretation would probably be something along the lines of what the other users have already said, but I just discussed it with Jiaojie, and she says they feel exactly the same to her. Any differences in tone will come more from tone of voice than choice of 是不是 vs. 是吧.

]]> My interpretation would probably be something along the lines of what the other users have already said, but I just discussed it with Jiaojie, and she says they feel exactly the same to her. Any differences in tone will come more from tone of voice than choice of 是不是 vs. 是吧.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> hehe, dangran [ oh ,of course]. I guess I've got so used to Chinese being "telegraphic" [as Ken used to say] that I just accept stuff that would seem to be missing something were it in English...like the "cheming" of the chemistry. Thanks for explaining :)

]]> hehe, dangran [ oh ,of course]. I guess I've got so used to Chinese being "telegraphic" [as Ken used to say] that I just accept stuff that would seem to be missing something were it in English...like the "cheming" of the chemistry. Thanks for explaining :)

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> weishenme? [why?]

]]> weishenme? [why?]

]]> <![CDATA[By: orangina]]> um..... I say that sort of thing in english.....

]]> um..... I say that sort of thing in english.....

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> ...you mean "telegraphic" ? ..if so ,yeah, perfectly normal thing to say ,it's just that he said it quite a bit so it's a classic Ken quote if you know what I mean.

]]> ...you mean "telegraphic" ? ..if so ,yeah, perfectly normal thing to say ,it's just that he said it quite a bit so it's a classic Ken quote if you know what I mean.

]]> <![CDATA[By: orangina]]> I mean "chem some chemistry."

I like to verb words. Verbing weirds language.

]]> I mean "chem some chemistry."

I like to verb words. Verbing weirds language.

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> Thanks for the replies guys!

Baba, I thought so too, but in this lesson the teacher used 是不是~ to confirm what she suspected.

I guess a question without former knowledge would be 你喜欢滑雪吗？ ni3 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3 ma or 你喜不喜欢滑雪？ni3 xi3buxi3huan1 xua2 xue3

]]> Thanks for the replies guys!

Baba, I thought so too, but in this lesson the teacher used 是不是~ to confirm what she suspected.

I guess a question without former knowledge would be 你喜欢滑雪吗？ ni3 xi3huan1 hua2 xue3 ma or 你喜不喜欢滑雪？ni3 xi3buxi3huan1 xua2 xue3

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> thanks John. oh yeah of course,tone of voice trumps all as always. I wonder how they would interpret those two phrases in a novel. I guess in that case it would be context dictating. I suppose I was thinking of those two sentences in isolation without tone or context but of course language does not work in isolation usually.

]]> thanks John. oh yeah of course,tone of voice trumps all as always. I wonder how they would interpret those two phrases in a novel. I guess in that case it would be context dictating. I suppose I was thinking of those two sentences in isolation without tone or context but of course language does not work in isolation usually.

]]> <![CDATA[By: rods]]> 我不喜欢铲 Wǒ bù xǐhuan chǎn. I don't like things I have to shovel. 呸! Pēi!

]]> 我不喜欢铲 Wǒ bù xǐhuan chǎn. I don't like things I have to shovel. 呸! Pēi!

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> I was having a conversation with a taxi driver yesterday who seemed to think my Chinese is better than it is.  It was a long trip and I was exhausted at the end.  It goes like this (3 phases):

Phase 1: [After short discussion] 'Wow, your Chinese is really good!' [yawn - they say this to just about Westerner.]  

Phase 2: [After more extended discussion]. 'You know I have had Westerners in my taxi who have no idea - 听不懂!'  [Big hearty laugh - we are bonding on the subject of foreigners who have no idea.]   Interestingly, when a Chinese person says this they are usually referring to themselves, not the foreigner.  That is, they are very impressed if they can understand what you are saying; they care little whether you can understand them.  

Then Phase 3: [the part I don't enjoy - they slip into local dialect, at which point I can really 听不懂! They want to teach me something because I have passed the first two steps (in this case how to respond to 'thankyou').  I tell him I am struggling with Standard Chinese so I can't learn another dialect.  I get a long treatise on the differences between the dialects.  

Now - the point of this post; I learnt that 昆明话 has 'almost no tones'; compared to 普通话， 没有声调 .. But it doesn't make the Chinese easier to understand - if anything it makes it harder.  I learn to appreciate what the tones bring to the language. 

Maybe this will come up for discussion when you get around to lessons on the Kunming dialect.  

Responding to 'thank you'?  A guttural and explosive 不!客!气! all fourth tone.  Yes, I know he said 'no tones' - this country is full of contradictions.    

]]> I was having a conversation with a taxi driver yesterday who seemed to think my Chinese is better than it is.  It was a long trip and I was exhausted at the end.  It goes like this (3 phases):

Phase 1: [After short discussion] 'Wow, your Chinese is really good!' [yawn - they say this to just about Westerner.]  

Phase 2: [After more extended discussion]. 'You know I have had Westerners in my taxi who have no idea - 听不懂!'  [Big hearty laugh - we are bonding on the subject of foreigners who have no idea.]   Interestingly, when a Chinese person says this they are usually referring to themselves, not the foreigner.  That is, they are very impressed if they can understand what you are saying; they care little whether you can understand them.  

Then Phase 3: [the part I don't enjoy - they slip into local dialect, at which point I can really 听不懂! They want to teach me something because I have passed the first two steps (in this case how to respond to 'thankyou').  I tell him I am struggling with Standard Chinese so I can't learn another dialect.  I get a long treatise on the differences between the dialects.  

Now - the point of this post; I learnt that 昆明话 has 'almost no tones'; compared to 普通话， 没有声调 .. But it doesn't make the Chinese easier to understand - if anything it makes it harder.  I learn to appreciate what the tones bring to the language. 

Maybe this will come up for discussion when you get around to lessons on the Kunming dialect.  

Responding to 'thank you'?  A guttural and explosive 不!客!气! all fourth tone.  Yes, I know he said 'no tones' - this country is full of contradictions.    

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> Thanks John :)

]]> Thanks John :)

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> nearly missed this one. Ah yes, that was the other possibility. I nearly joked that you meant "cheming" ..but now I see you said that "sort" of thing. Thanks for the cartoon link. Yep,fun to play with words. I'd like to hear any Chinese examples you have. ;)

]]> nearly missed this one. Ah yes, that was the other possibility. I nearly joked that you meant "cheming" ..but now I see you said that "sort" of thing. Thanks for the cartoon link. Yep,fun to play with words. I'd like to hear any Chinese examples you have. ;)

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> don't use a chǎn [shovel] then ..use your froggie arms and:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4175756744_8108de371a.jpg

]]> don't use a chǎn [shovel] then ..use your froggie arms and:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4175756744_8108de371a.jpg

]]> <![CDATA[By: rods]]> :-)

]]> :-)

]]> <![CDATA[By: darkstar94]]> if you reply to a 是不是 question and want to say no，do you have to add 的 at the end？ e.g.

你是不是觉得我很懒啊？

你当然不是很懒的

]]> if you reply to a 是不是 question and want to say no，do you have to add 的 at the end？ e.g.

你是不是觉得我很懒啊？

你当然不是很懒的

]]> <![CDATA[By: thinkabroad]]> This lesson is solid and super-functional.  I like when you guys get a little "Grammary/Grammatical" during the lessons ;)  

During my daily Skype lessons, I am always asking 我的 老师, "第几声？ and 再说一遍吗？"

By the way, John, was your 对 at the end of the lesson in the 4th tone?

Live well!

]]> This lesson is solid and super-functional.  I like when you guys get a little "Grammary/Grammatical" during the lessons ;)  

During my daily Skype lessons, I am always asking 我的 老师, "第几声？ and 再说一遍吗？"

By the way, John, was your 对 at the end of the lesson in the 4th tone?

Live well!

]]> <![CDATA[By: alwingate]]> Very happy with this lesson.

It deals with tones in a practical way.  Nice!

The premium content has several readers giving a variety of voices.  Excellent.  I have my favorite.

This lesson shows the beauty and rhythm of the language which I do hope can be enhanced as often as possible.  You do know this is a beautiful sounding language, right?

Anyway, since you cannot hear us speak you don't know whether we are pronouncing the words correctly or with the right rhythm, cadence, and flow.  I think this is difficult to do with an online medium.  For that is needed a one on one instructor.

]]> Very happy with this lesson.

It deals with tones in a practical way.  Nice!

The premium content has several readers giving a variety of voices.  Excellent.  I have my favorite.

This lesson shows the beauty and rhythm of the language which I do hope can be enhanced as often as possible.  You do know this is a beautiful sounding language, right?

Anyway, since you cannot hear us speak you don't know whether we are pronouncing the words correctly or with the right rhythm, cadence, and flow.  I think this is difficult to do with an online medium.  For that is needed a one on one instructor.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiao_liang]]> First lesson I had to fast-forward through the dialogue on the second time round! I couldn't take any more hua xue! ;-)

]]> First lesson I had to fast-forward through the dialogue on the second time round! I couldn't take any more hua xue! ;-)

]]> <![CDATA[By: eight8isenuf]]> I agree a skateboarding lesson would be great!

]]> I agree a skateboarding lesson would be great!

]]> <![CDATA[By: egret]]> What is the Chinese for skate boarding?

]]> What is the Chinese for skate boarding?

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> skateboard is 滑板

my guess is skateboarding is 滑板运动

]]> skateboard is 滑板

my guess is skateboarding is 滑板运动

]]> <![CDATA[By: achaquesabetudo]]> Has anobody noticed something strange about the character 滑？ The location of the little square seems to move. On the picture of the lesson, it is in the lower left corner of the larger one. This is also where the writing app wants it to be, and where the nciku.com stroke order app puts it. However, it seems that other fonts places it in the lower right corner. Is there a "right" or "wrong" to this phenomenon? Or is it a matter of personal taste?

]]> Has anobody noticed something strange about the character 滑？ The location of the little square seems to move. On the picture of the lesson, it is in the lower left corner of the larger one. This is also where the writing app wants it to be, and where the nciku.com stroke order app puts it. However, it seems that other fonts places it in the lower right corner. Is there a "right" or "wrong" to this phenomenon? Or is it a matter of personal taste?

]]>