User Comments - Grambers

Grambers

Posted on: Money Laundering Operation

July 14, 2012 at 5:03 PM

All fair points. I, like you, tend not to read other CP poster's Chinese postings, rightly or wrongly. Most of us are here to learn from the formal lessons that are podcast and the comments are not necessarily adjuncts to this process (though they can be on occasion). And, yes, there are better forums to learn written Chinese - I've recently begun reading Chinese newsprint but there are loads and loads of online options too, as you say.

If there's one overriding point that I would like any reader to take away from my various comments on this thread it's that we all need to do what works for us. I agree with Tal that just getting out there and writing away in Chinese is good, in principle, not least for your confidence. But, as I mentioned in my last post, confidence can be elusive. In short, each to his own. Good luck with it all!

Posted on: Money Laundering Operation

July 14, 2012 at 3:27 PM

Thanks Mr Manhole (or should I say, Mr Anal?). For the record, the spat recorded above is my first engagement with Tal. I have no knowledge of the man whatsoever - so certainly no bad blood to report - and contrary to his intimations, I am not the kind to spend my days loitering behind a computer monitor, looking for opportunities to hurl abuse or be otherwise unkind. I am buoyed that you seem to share my reading of the way that exchange unfolded. Though I may have used a mildly sarcastic tone at the outset, I certainly didn't feel that it justified what came next and I definitely feel I was making most of the attempts at conciliation throughout.

Tal, old cheese. I too acknowledge your attempt to reach out, though -being honest - our initial exchange does leave me with the feeling that you are not somebody I'd be particularly keen to reach out to on a regular basis. Given I've paid my dues, I will remain on the site for the foreseeable and see how far I can get with my language learning. Once again, I share entirely your sentiment that actually using Chinese is a great idea, but you need to recognise the fact that this is a tricky thing which demands confidence and confidence is not always is huge supply. One needs encouraging, not being barked at and made to feel backward (not to mention threatened and personally insulted). Just because somebody is listening to an Upper Intermediate lesson, does not mean they must necessarily be at the exact same stage as your yourself are at. We are all doing our best, and we are all getting by - some better than others, I am sure. However, maybe you are in China, maybe I am not. Maybe you have received formal Chinese language tuition, maybe I have not. Maybe you have a bunch of Chinese pals, maybe I have not. All I can say for sure is that I'm working hard at my Chinese, and have been for a long time.

I'm sure our paths will cross and when they do, I will do my best to be civil. I hope you can too. Moreover, I hope you can recognise that your particular vantage point of the realm of Chinese language learning is just one of millions. It's no better or worse than any other - regardless of the actual state of your Mandarin Chinese.

Posted on: Money Laundering Operation

July 13, 2012 at 2:36 PM

Agreed, old boy. Please see my note above (trying, please, to read the one mildly critical line as an attempt to explain why I reacted in the way I did rather than an attempt to have a belated dig).

Posted on: Money Laundering Operation

July 13, 2012 at 2:33 PM

Apologies in advance for using English to address this. Some things are just too much of a challenge!...

I share your frustration, tgif. I understand the desire to have your Chinese scrutinized and corrected by someone you can trust as an 'expert'. However, I do agree with nearly everything Tal says. It's in the act of production that confidence is gained, even if what your produce in terms of language is less than perfect. Despite our little spat yesterday, I do hope Tal noted the fact that - right at the outset - I agreed with his suggestion that it was preferable to use Chinese to discuss issues (for the record, what I took exception to was his rather supercilious tone and the sense that he was dictating what others should and shouldn't be doing on any particular web page). In learning Chinese, we are all on a journey, and it's a bloody long and tiring one. We have to walk our own paths and we are gonna find ourselves at different stages at different times. However, Tal is right to say that one needs to challenge oneself, and perhaps we all need folk like Tal to, ahem, challenge us once in a while:)

Tal: you have indeed inspired me, and for this I am genuinely grateful. I hope you'll see lots more Chinese language input around the site in the months to come.