<![CDATA[Comments on: You Sing Terribly!]]> everyone has their turn at the mic. Sometimes your friends surprise you with their ability to belt out pop standards. Other times, though, you find yourself suffering through butchered John Denver classics. If you're experiencing the latter of these two situations, check out today's lesson to find out how to get your friends off stage!]]> 2010-03-18 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: sydcarten]]> Still waiting for one of my friends to surprise me with their ability.

]]> Still waiting for one of my friends to surprise me with their ability.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bobm112]]> Great lesson thanks guys.

Hey, Ken 在哪儿？

]]> Great lesson thanks guys.

Hey, Ken 在哪儿？

]]> <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> Who's the John Denver fan?

]]> Who's the John Denver fan?

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> Every Chinese person in every Chinese club I've ever been to. ;)

]]> Every Chinese person in every Chinese club I've ever been to. ;)

]]> <![CDATA[By: tommy2tone]]> 请问， “走音” “泡调” 一样的吗？

]]> 请问， “走音” “泡调” 一样的吗？

]]> <![CDATA[By: dastbehkeer]]> I've recently notice how many very apparent English words (and other foreign words) there are in day to day Chinese. 卡拉ok / KTV , HR, email , etc etc.

I'm not a big fan of hearing a language spoken with bits of another language mixed into. In the case of Chinese, it is especially incoveniet because most of these 100percent words can only be written in English letters and so they also stand out on paper as well as oral language.

]]> I've recently notice how many very apparent English words (and other foreign words) there are in day to day Chinese. 卡拉ok / KTV , HR, email , etc etc.

I'm not a big fan of hearing a language spoken with bits of another language mixed into. In the case of Chinese, it is especially incoveniet because most of these 100percent words can only be written in English letters and so they also stand out on paper as well as oral language.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> I think that there are not many at all, actually; foreign languages have failed so far to make significant inroads into Chinese. Compared to English; now there is a real bastardised language.

]]> I think that there are not many at all, actually; foreign languages have failed so far to make significant inroads into Chinese. Compared to English; now there is a real bastardised language.

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> 一样的！

Both "走音zǒuyīn" and "跑调pǎodiào" mean "to be off-key".

]]> 一样的！

Both "走音zǒuyīn" and "跑调pǎodiào" mean "to be off-key".

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> Hi bobm112, Ken left China in late 2009 according to this blog post: http://blog.chinesepod.com/2010/03/03/march-updates/

You may want to check here too: http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/6386

]]> Hi bobm112, Ken left China in late 2009 according to this blog post: http://blog.chinesepod.com/2010/03/03/march-updates/

You may want to check here too: http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/6386

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> Is there a lot of loan words in english?

]]> Is there a lot of loan words in english?

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> I don't know the statistics, but I would say that more than 50% of English vocabulary consists of words borrowed since the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England. The only saving grace is that the most commonly used words are of Anglo-Saxon origin - I seem to recall that 96 of the 100 most commonly used English words are Anglo-Saxon. Without this, it would be hard to describe English as a Germanic language.

]]> I don't know the statistics, but I would say that more than 50% of English vocabulary consists of words borrowed since the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England. The only saving grace is that the most commonly used words are of Anglo-Saxon origin - I seem to recall that 96 of the 100 most commonly used English words are Anglo-Saxon. Without this, it would be hard to describe English as a Germanic language.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiao_liang]]> English is mostly loan words! There's so much crossover in European languages, it's quite funny. You can trace tons of english words to French, German, Spanish, through their common ancestry etc. English is one of the few languages that doesn't have a "language commission" set up to protect it. I know the French fiercely protect their language, making up new words to prevent foreign loan words entering their lexicon.

]]> English is mostly loan words! There's so much crossover in European languages, it's quite funny. You can trace tons of english words to French, German, Spanish, through their common ancestry etc. English is one of the few languages that doesn't have a "language commission" set up to protect it. I know the French fiercely protect their language, making up new words to prevent foreign loan words entering their lexicon.

]]> <![CDATA[By: sydcarten]]> Describing the fusion of anglo-saxon with vocab from other languages as 'bastardisation' is a very negative and prejudicial term.

I prefer to see it as enrichment.

Being able to select a word of germanic origin, or a synonym of french, latin, greek etc origin gives us a much greater subtlety of nuance which is not available in some other languages

]]> Describing the fusion of anglo-saxon with vocab from other languages as 'bastardisation' is a very negative and prejudicial term.

I prefer to see it as enrichment.

Being able to select a word of germanic origin, or a synonym of french, latin, greek etc origin gives us a much greater subtlety of nuance which is not available in some other languages

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> Here are some statistics on loan words in English.

Out of 140,000 words,

Anglo-saxon 14%, Latin 36%, French 21%, Greek 4.5%, Scandinavia 2%, Spanish 2%, Italian 1%, others 13.5%, unknown 6%

On the other hand, Anglo-saxon words has a high percentage in commonly used vocab. For example,

Authorized Version of the Bible（1611） 94%, Shakespeare 90%, Milton 81%, Gibson 70%. It seems that the more recent years, the more loan words English has.

]]> Here are some statistics on loan words in English.

Out of 140,000 words,

Anglo-saxon 14%, Latin 36%, French 21%, Greek 4.5%, Scandinavia 2%, Spanish 2%, Italian 1%, others 13.5%, unknown 6%

On the other hand, Anglo-saxon words has a high percentage in commonly used vocab. For example,

Authorized Version of the Bible（1611） 94%, Shakespeare 90%, Milton 81%, Gibson 70%. It seems that the more recent years, the more loan words English has.

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> Througout history swedish has been influenced by french and german but nowadays there is a strong influence from english. The direct use of english words sounds rather funny at times since people don't know if they should inflect the words according to english or swedish rules.

So how about the amount of loan words into the english language in the last ten or so years?

]]> Througout history swedish has been influenced by french and german but nowadays there is a strong influence from english. The direct use of english words sounds rather funny at times since people don't know if they should inflect the words according to english or swedish rules.

So how about the amount of loan words into the english language in the last ten or so years?

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> I think you are taking bodawei's comment a little too seriously. You're from Aus, aren't you. You should know how loosely we use 'bastard' and 'bastardised'.

]]> I think you are taking bodawei's comment a little too seriously. You're from Aus, aren't you. You should know how loosely we use 'bastard' and 'bastardised'.

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> I'm surprised the Anglo-Saxon contribution is that low. I'm also very surprised about how low the Scandinavian (Norse) contribution is. Most of the French words would be Latin-based, so it seems more than half our vocabulary comes from Latin.

Have you come across a percentage breakdown that is weighted according to usage?

]]> I'm surprised the Anglo-Saxon contribution is that low. I'm also very surprised about how low the Scandinavian (Norse) contribution is. Most of the French words would be Latin-based, so it seems more than half our vocabulary comes from Latin.

Have you come across a percentage breakdown that is weighted according to usage?

]]> <![CDATA[By: sydcarten]]> I remember reading that English vocab is more than 70% Latin, either directly, or indirectly thru Norman French, Italian, Spanish etc.

The thing about the Anglo-Saxon words is that they are the most common in the English language, they are pretty central and important.

If you look at dialects of English, you will find that Scandinavian loan words in the north command a somewhat larger percentage of the vocab.

PS. The most common English words of Scandinavian origin are: They, Their, Them

]]> I remember reading that English vocab is more than 70% Latin, either directly, or indirectly thru Norman French, Italian, Spanish etc.

The thing about the Anglo-Saxon words is that they are the most common in the English language, they are pretty central and important.

If you look at dialects of English, you will find that Scandinavian loan words in the north command a somewhat larger percentage of the vocab.

PS. The most common English words of Scandinavian origin are: They, Their, Them

]]> <![CDATA[By: rainbow001]]> 跑的太离谱了吧。。。郁闷。

]]> 跑的太离谱了吧。。。郁闷。

]]> <![CDATA[By: brendaninaus]]> I think a "mongrel" language might be a better description than a bastard language. Although some people would find that still an insult anyway.

The problem (or benefit, depending on which way you look at it) with English is that more people speak it as a second language than those for whom it is their native language, and in some ways there is a sort of democracy often with language, in that the more people who use it in a particular way, the more it will become part of the rules for that language (people like the French try and stop this with the afore mentioned "language commission").

There is a BBC series (I think it is called "The Story of English") which goes into how the language is a composition of other languages, which includes words from various Indian languages (obtained when the British colonised India), Native American languages and even Australian Aboriginal (although in that BBC series, the British presenter mispronounces nearly every Australian origin word he mentions, at least to what I, an Australian, is used to).

]]> I think a "mongrel" language might be a better description than a bastard language. Although some people would find that still an insult anyway.

The problem (or benefit, depending on which way you look at it) with English is that more people speak it as a second language than those for whom it is their native language, and in some ways there is a sort of democracy often with language, in that the more people who use it in a particular way, the more it will become part of the rules for that language (people like the French try and stop this with the afore mentioned "language commission").

There is a BBC series (I think it is called "The Story of English") which goes into how the language is a composition of other languages, which includes words from various Indian languages (obtained when the British colonised India), Native American languages and even Australian Aboriginal (although in that BBC series, the British presenter mispronounces nearly every Australian origin word he mentions, at least to what I, an Australian, is used to).

]]> <![CDATA[By: jimoya]]> I found these pills at a famous chain store called Don Quijote, here in Japan. You take them before going to Karaoke, and they literally change your voice into a beautiful, charming and “professional-like” voice.

I thought it was hilarious...

karaoke pills

]]> I found these pills at a famous chain store called Don Quijote, here in Japan. You take them before going to Karaoke, and they literally change your voice into a beautiful, charming and “professional-like” voice.

I thought it was hilarious...

karaoke pills

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthewrudy]]> I find that being able to sing one or two songs in Chinese goes a long way to making friends.

My favourites are;

  • Zhang Xuan - Bao Bei
  • Jolin - Jin Tian Ni Yao Jia Gei Wo
]]> I find that being able to sing one or two songs in Chinese goes a long way to making friends.

My favourites are;

  • Zhang Xuan - Bao Bei
  • Jolin - Jin Tian Ni Yao Jia Gei Wo
]]> <![CDATA[By: whq6640250]]> 嘿嘿 我来给你展示一下。

]]> 嘿嘿 我来给你展示一下。

]]> <![CDATA[By: whq6640250]]> 教鸭子学习游泳的最简单的方法是直接把鸭子扔进河里。

]]> 教鸭子学习游泳的最简单的方法是直接把鸭子扔进河里。

]]> <![CDATA[By: callzj]]> 哈哈，我唱歌唱得很好哦

]]> 哈哈，我唱歌唱得很好哦

]]> <![CDATA[By: jonsg]]> Has anyone else spotted the irony in the transcript?

"You’re English pronunciation is wrong!"

]]> Has anyone else spotted the irony in the transcript?

"You’re English pronunciation is wrong!"

]]> <![CDATA[By: jiang00]]> 我也可以啊！！我的音更走啊！！

]]> 我也可以啊！！我的音更走啊！！

]]> <![CDATA[By: jiang00]]> are you serious Jasonsch??

i am chinese,but i seldom go to the club..

]]> are you serious Jasonsch??

i am chinese,but i seldom go to the club..

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Interesting.In English if someone says "are you serious?" they are often seriously questioning/doubting what someone else has stated.But I guess if you seldom go to the club,you are probably using the question more literally....this is new information to you that you don't have much to compare with,perhaps a little surprising and you're just making sure the person isn't joking.

]]> Interesting.In English if someone says "are you serious?" they are often seriously questioning/doubting what someone else has stated.But I guess if you seldom go to the club,you are probably using the question more literally....this is new information to you that you don't have much to compare with,perhaps a little surprising and you're just making sure the person isn't joking.

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

Hello,i need help to learn chinese from basic online.if u know any useful seit pls send me on this E-mail address:

kzfar@yahoo.com

thank u

kathy

]]>

Hello,i need help to learn chinese from basic online.if u know any useful seit pls send me on this E-mail address:

kzfar@yahoo.com

thank u

kathy

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiao_liang]]> I've heard there's a good site called chinesepod.com...

]]> I've heard there's a good site called chinesepod.com...

]]> <![CDATA[By: losa]]> Yeah， I caught that one, also. It's funny because I often double check my translation to make sure it's exactly like the one on the lesson. I check it to the point where I'm debating over the use of 'could' vs. 'can'. Well, it goes to show, with language, there is no point splitting hairs.

]]> Yeah， I caught that one, also. It's funny because I often double check my translation to make sure it's exactly like the one on the lesson. I check it to the point where I'm debating over the use of 'could' vs. 'can'. Well, it goes to show, with language, there is no point splitting hairs.

]]> <![CDATA[By: dunderklumpen]]> 魅惑no美声

mi waku no bi sei

mei4huo4 mei3sheng1

seductively beautiful voice

Made my day :-)

]]> 魅惑no美声

mi waku no bi sei

mei4huo4 mei3sheng1

seductively beautiful voice

Made my day :-)

]]>