Situational learning

nedzer
October 23, 2007, 02:07 AM posted in General Discussion

Hi all, 

One of the problems we all encounter whilst living in the Crazy kingdom is that people won't talk with you in Chinese. I have been tempted to buy that T-shirt (on sinosplice) saying "请讲普通话" (please speak Mandarin).

Here's the problem if someone actually does try to speak Mandarin to you and you fcuk it up (maybe because of the shock of it) they will then switch to english to save you embarrasment or worse just stop talking.

I have encountered this many times particularly with taxi drivers. I few of his questions answered in flawless Mandarin, he gives me a compliment on my excellent Hanyu and then asks me another question of which I am oblivious too. Awkard silence insues.

This is also happens with just about anybody. I don't have face so I don't care if I basterdize your languagein my attempts to learn it. I am not embarrassed in the least when I screw or don't understand. However I get really upset when you decide to quit the conversation. My situational learning experience dies.

I know chinesepod has done many of the questions but perhaps do a series on the usual questions we get asked in polite company or with the taxi driver or when meeting someone for the first time.

Hey, the more questions we understand the longer that situational learning experience lasts.

The last few questions (lately) I could understand but not answer was "where is Ireland?" Can't say beside England or Atlantic Ocean. Coversation shot down in flames.

Do you like basketball? ( I learned the word later) conversation lapsed into hand gestures

Is there a war in Ireland? (sorry what, whats in Ireland?) war and peace have no clue on those words.

Even if we just had a list of all the nomal and sometimes strange questions we get hit with it would be great to study them in groups. You could do a lesson on the-interogation-by-future-mother-in-law or Chinese-co-worker-on-coffee questions-me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kyle
October 23, 2007, 02:19 AM

Not necessarily common questions asked, but you can check out this link: http://chinesepod.com/connections/viewpost/Kyle/connect/The+funniest+most+awkward+absurd+question+you%27ve+ever+been+asked... I've also found that questions asked by all Chinese during the first (only?) encounter with a foreigner are the same: 你待了中国多久了? 你是哪个国家的? 你的收入是多少? 你在哪儿学习? 你做什么工作? 你喜欢吃中餐吗? Feel free to add others.

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mark
October 23, 2007, 02:47 AM

I think that if your counterpart speaks reasonable English you can use English words for the Chinese you don't know to keep the conversation going. Otherwise, try to think of a circuitous description of what you want to say. This is a good learning excercise, and may keep the flickering flame of conversation going. But, let's face it we don't have much patience for English speakers who don't speak our language well when we're at home. It's kind of a pain to talk to someone who can't talk very well.

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goulnik
October 23, 2007, 04:21 AM

nedzer, make up your own list from the basics offered above / what you've already come across, and stick to it. For this, just use time honoured politicians / salesmen tactics to deflect questions you can't answer to ones you can/want : Do you like basketball? (even if you don't understand) : 差不多… but what I really like is [fill-in-the-blanks]. Do you know/like such-and-such / 对了 (BTW), do you […]? Where is Ireland? In Europe … I don't miss it, lived in the US for […] Have you been to [Europe/US…] / Did you know that […]