User Comments - Grambers

Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution

Thanks Zhen. Yes, this does help a lot, thanks! If I translate 平凡 as 'commonplace' or 'normal', the sentence appears to make perfect sense (hence why I may appear frustrated in not being able to get my head around it). However, you are right, if I choose another of 平凡's possible translations which have more of an association with quality ('ordinary', 'mediocre') it doesn't fit properly at all. So 平凡 is a comment on 'quality' and as a negative connotation, huh? OK, this is starting to making sense. Just:)

Posted on: Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Thanks for the note, Zhen. Always a pleasure to hear from you. Do you mind me asking - and this probably sounds like a terribly naive question - but, you're Japanese, right? How have you come by perfect, bilingual fluency in English (verified) and Japanese (presumed)? Got any tricks, hints or tips you could throw my way!?!

Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution

谢谢你详细的解释，反正我感觉绕了一圈！平凡的意思是很平常，不特别的话，为什么不能用在原来句子里：“极端天气来得越来越平凡了”？我知道不能用平凡来代替频繁，可是我刚写的句子在语法方面也没错吧？

Posted on: Focus and Specialization

Ah, yes - in terms of writing, I was mainly referring to my ability to conjure characters from a blank sheet of paper rather than my ability to actual type a coherent Chinese sentence using Google Pinyin. You are right - these are quite distinct skills. One's ability to type Chinese should be comparable to one's ability to speak (though speaking obviously requires a little more speed) ie. if you know the sentence pattern, as well as the requisite vocabulary and grammar, it's easy! Remembering character formations is arguably the least useful skill of the lot, but - for whatever reason, mainly the love of being contrary, I guess - I've poured a disproportionate amount of time into this increasingly redundant skill. I can write pretty much everything I can say. I export new vocabulary from Chinesepod - and from newspapers/magazines I come across etc. - into Pleco flashcard files and then practice writing around the same time as I am listening. It doesn't do much for my general fluency, but it's an occasionally impressive party trick among those who are not Chinese speakers or learners.

In terms of your advantage in being China-resident, well, I was once China-resident - for around five years in total. I've spent time in the least Chinese part of China - Shanghai, and was working there when Chinesepod first started up in 2005 - and also a more, ahem, authentic locale, the small Guangdong city of Zhaoqing (which was wonderful, though not particularly helpful for my Mandarin as, in stark contrast to the 'cosmopolitan' cities of Guangzhou or Shenzhen, Zhaoqing is almost 100 per cent 'pure' Cantonese.

All I can say is that I wish I was as motivated to learn Chinese when I was IN China as I am now. Sounds like you're doin' ok!

And good to know there is a fellow Hampshire-ite(?) on Chinesepod. Givus a shout when next you are back!:)

Posted on: Focus and Specialization

Something I've not seen much discussion about on this thread is the potential uneveness of one's Chinese study. I feel as if I am an upper intermediate to advanced reader of Chinese (which I feel good about), an intermediate speaker (which I feel bad about), an intermediate-to-upper-intermediate listener (which I feel semi-ok about) and an intermediate writer of Chinese (which I feel very good about, on account of the fact it's probably the hardest bit of the lot). Thanks to my smartphone and applications like Pleco, I've poured a huge amount of time over the last couple of years into drilling characters and thanks to my current vocation I inevitably spend a good deal of time reading Chinese (albeit still slower than I would like, ideally). However, I remain ensconced in a little house in Hampshire, England, and do not spend nearly as much time actually verbalising the language which is being absorbed. This is certainly where not being in China harms one's chances of progressing - the speaking and listening part. Reading and writing can very easily be done - what with the wonders (and sheer size) of the Chinese language web these days.

Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution

Aaaargh - 别看 means 'despite' (according to the grammar section)?!? This is twisting my melons man. I thought 别看 meant only 'don't look' but not you're telling me it means 'despite'!?! I know, I know. English has plenty of words which have the same spelling but different meanings, but most of them are bog standard nouns, right?

Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution

Thanks. I'm still not clear why this makes his personality 'extreme', per se, but your translation does make a lot more sense!

Posted on: Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Some surprise was expressed in the lesson over the strange and unusually strict security requirements at this particular NYC museum. At the risk of once again hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, might I propose the radical theory that management might have taken note of the actual behaviour of Chinese tourists in the rarified surrounds of their museum and tailored policies accordingly? 

Why have I always gotta be the one to take these cheap shots? Irresistably, I find them. Totally irresistable. 

Posted on: Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I've been to a fair few museum across east and southeast Asia. Best of the lot, by a country mile: The National Museum of Singapore. Tells a really engaging history of the country - art installations, personal narratives, diaramas galore and an audio guide (a comfy one too) which allows you to select the level of detail you need. Was very impressed, was I. 

Posted on: Extreme Weather and Pollution

啊，解决得很帮！但是我还有点不明白怎么用'平凡'?