User Comments - antony73

Posted on: No Subs on the Subway

What! I find Chinese people most respectful of the rules.

There is a new subway where I live in Kunming, and the passengers are most respectful of the rules. It's a pleasure to ride, and everyone is fine. You can't make sweeping generalizations like that. I'm sorry you're wrong.

Rules and Policies are definitely followed in China. The Chinese people have a real love for their country. It's as simple as that!

Posted on: Ordering Noodles

我要吃饭， in general is like I want to eat a meal, although sometimes meaning I want to eat rice. 我想吃米饭， is specifically rice, or when actually in a restaurant and ordering rice. It's seems to be contextual.

Posted on: A Formal Apology

I agree with that. Music with rhythm/beats belongs to chat podcasts like BST and Dear Amber. With Chinese being tonal, and having a flow to it, a softer music is maybe more appropriate. Maybe a gentle 古筝 would be nice. The tea drinking kind of music.

Posted on: A Formal Apology

Interesting about covering the background noise.

I create my own MP3s for my students, sometimes I add music, and sometimes I don't. I had never thought about covering the backgound noise though. There is nothing worse than listening to a podcast with good headphones, in the quiet, and having to put up with background hiss.

I sometimes notice that there is a hiss on the Audio Review just before and just after each word is presented. I guess that's what's the music could be covering.

As I've said though, I like it.

Posted on: Pinyin Sections 1-2

I studied pinyin sounds back in 2006, but it's time to brush up/sharpen my pronunciation skills once again.

I've always been very good with pronunciation. Even now, it's often commented that my pronunciation is really good. But recently, I feel I'm losing it.

With everyday Chinese, it's ok, it's second nature, truly a second language. Something I don't even need to think about, both in knowing what to say and how to say it. But with new Chinese recently, I'm finding it difficult to get the sounds right. So I've decided to go through these pinyin lessons, followed by memorizing some passages from one of those kid's books, to try and recapture that fluent magic sound of Chinese.

Posted on: A Formal Apology

I'm not sure if this was in cpod's mind, but having music or some other noise in the background can acutually help to learn a language. It's something to do with the brain listening to two pieces of information, and subconsciously putting each where they actually belong. It's the same the theory that it is helpful to learn a language whilst doing something else, such as driving, ironing etc.

Anyhow, I like it. Without it, the podcasts would sound flat. It is amazing the difference music can make to a podcast, or the absence of it.

Posted on: Adventures in Chinese Learning

Karla88, nice post. Learning on the way to and from work is a good way to learn. This actual lesson, is one of my all time favorites here. Very inspirational.

Posted on: Plane Ticket Prices

Very interesting regarding 回 / 回去. Seems I've been using it wrong.

Could someone please check these out for me？

我要回丽江, “I want to go back to LiJiang."

我要回去， ”I want to go back."

我要去, "I want to go."

我要回去丽江... would be wrong wording.

对不对？

Posted on: 5000 Years of History

shum132 - nice work. Never seen a task completed here before. I like it. Really! What a great tool.

Posted on: A Line Too Long

I was once on the train on the run up for Chinese New Year, and wow was the queue long for the toilets, pretty much all day. A lot of banging on the toilet door, "快点，快点!" Never really bothered me though.

It seems that how ever much uncomfortable things can get here sometimes, my love for this country is never dampened.