User Comments - Grambers
Grambers
Posted on: Market Research 3: Assessing the Competition
January 17, 2012 at 3:52 PMThis may be a stupid question, but how 'precise', or otherwise, is the Chinese notation of interjections? The reason I ask is that in the written dialogue for this lesson, the very first sound is a 嗯 which has been translated as 'ng4'. However, listening to the dialogue, the sound is much more like an upwardly inflected, enquiring 'eh?'
Posted on: Popular Slang from 2011
January 17, 2012 at 11:18 AMVery interesting to hear that 萝莉 is an non-sexual, neutral term in Chinese (did I understand correctly that it could even, conceivably be used to describe boys?). The English term has clear sexual connotations and would probably be most commonly used to describe a girl who is sexually precocious (though it should be said that it's very infrequently used). Definitely plenty of scope for social awkwardness here, methinks!
Posted on: Popular Slang from 2011
January 16, 2012 at 11:22 AMNot sure which expression I find more offensive: hold住 or boho-chic? I think life would be a little less miserable had I never come across either of them:)
Posted on: Teaching English to the Neighbors
January 11, 2012 at 9:22 AMIn reference to the first line of the expansion: I am the only one for whom the word 吉他 seems, somehow, wrong? Both characters looks too simple, as if they have no place in a word which labels a musical instrument (particularly an instrument of such majesty and beauty). Maybe I am subconsciously objecting to the use of the word 他 in particular, but the 吉 also 'feels' wrong. Maybe I should feel good that I am starting to get a 'feel' for written Chinese. Maybe I should feel bad for saying something so stupid? Maybe I should stop writing now and get on a do something useful with my day? Who knows.
Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution
January 10, 2012 at 11:56 AM我高兴极了！This lesson taught me the adjectival phrase 灰蒙蒙 and, lo, a few days later I come across the same word in a book I'm currently reading. I love it when a plan comes together!
Posted on: Teaching English to the Neighbors
January 10, 2012 at 10:17 AMYour concern relates to the economics of photography and web publishing, I think. I daresay CPod does not have time or budget to commission its own photographic lesson illustrations. Rather the image was likely chosen by CPod from a limited pool at whatever low-cost picture library it uses (Alamy?). Such picture libraries are likely to be based outside China and feature a majority of non-China specific shots. More important to me is the message, and the message of this picture is: "You're twisting my melons, man". That's what I love. And that is all.
Bugger, looks like I've got myself distracted again. Must work. See ya.
Posted on: Teaching English to the Neighbors
January 10, 2012 at 9:25 AMOoooh, don't get me started Baba - you dangled a little tempter there. Luckily, I'm busy today!:)
Posted on: Teaching English to the Neighbors
January 10, 2012 at 9:23 AMI love the lesson picture - melodramatic puffing of cheeks, fingers ostentiously placed on temples, warrior eyes, message clear: "Get the XXXX out of my personal space, man". If the male character in this dialogue had just pulled this pose, the Ayis would have been sent packing in no time. Who needs words when you got body language, eh?
Posted on: Taking the Plunge into Intermediate
January 7, 2012 at 9:44 AMStill in Beta, yes, but version 7.0 came out within the last week and I am now using it. It's bug-free, as far as I can see (unlike earlier versions).
Posted on: Market Research 3: Assessing the Competition
January 18, 2012 at 4:01 PM'Mumble particles' - ha! I like it. Maybe there should be a clever monitoring device on top of the US Embassy measuring the concentration of Chinese mumble particles?!? PM2.5 is, like, soooooooo 2011! (though I think an equivalent device on top of the Chinese Embassy in London would detect waaaaaaay more mumble particles in the British air:)