User Comments - calkins

Posted on: On Location at the Beijing 2008 Olympics

I agree with xiaohu, wow.  Amber's rock star status has just risen!

If I didn't know Amber was a 加拿大人, I would have thought this speaker was a 中国人。 Very impressed.

Posted on: Good Morning!

Xiaohu, that made me think of something.  The only way I've heard of saying "goodnight" is 晚安 wǎn'ān.  Are there any other ways to say it?

Posted on: The Panda's Secret Wish

Good idea zhangdawei.  I took lostinasia's lessons and a few others and created the following Lesson Set:

Jokes and Riddles

CPod, is there anyway for others to add lessons to a shared Lesson Set?

Posted on: Do you like China?

Hi vandydrew,

The reason there is no 吗 ma is because 什么 shénme asks the question "what?".

You like what?

There are some other question words that make the use of 吗 ma unnecessary:

为什么 wèishénme : why?
什么时候 shénme shíhou : when? / at what time?
哪 nǎ : which? (singular)
哪些 nǎxiē : which? (plural)
哪儿 / 哪里 nǎr / nǎli : where?
干吗 gànma : why?
怎么 / 怎么样 zěnme / zěnmeyang : how? / how about?
多少 duōshao : how much?
几 jī : how many?

Have I missed any?

Posted on: The Panda's Secret Wish

Also, small error in the dialogue (PDF and HTML):

我知道熊猫的愿望。
wǒ zhīdào xióngmāo de yuànwàng.
Do you know the secret of the Panda?

Should be:

I know the secret of the Panda.

Posted on: The Panda's Secret Wish

Quick question about the following expansion sentence:

你知道他是谁吗？
(Do you know who he is?)

I've always thought that 认识 rènshi was used when referring to knowing someone.  In this case, 知道  zhīdao is used.  Are there exceptions to this?  Thanks.

Posted on: 磁悬浮

We're all good Auntie :)  Thank you for your sincere personal message you sent me.  If there's one thing I've learned from this thread, it's that PM is the way to go to address users in situations like this.

If I could coin a popular phrase from good ole Clay, "Let's get back to Chinese."

Posted on: 磁悬浮

Auntie et. al, I confess to making the ill-advised DB comment.  It was only after having an unsuccessful dialogue with Dave via personal message.  If you don't remember, I did post a comment shortly after my initial post, apologizing for my stupid comment.

I'll be the first to say that it was not my proudest moment on CPod, and certainly was not intelligently thought out - it was a knee-jerk reaction to yet another rude comment by Dave.  That doesn't make it right, and I apologize again for offending anyone.

However, I do take offense to being labeled a "little troll."  Auntie, aren't you the pot calling the kettle black?  I recall a number of senior moments on your part (i.e. Stunt Toddler thread, etc.).  I also recall personally having your back (even if I didn't agree with your approach) because you have always been one of my favorite users here.  You still are, as you add a lot of value to the CPod experience, of which I am very thankful.  Please don't tear down your fellow poddies who are, in general, respectful to others here (especially those who deserve respect).

Posted on: Paris

alishan, I'm not sure I'm getting your point, or what it has to do with Chinese.

Again, every city in the world has what you describe above.  And of course, all the foreigners of Paris and France are only going to think about the "plastic" places of Paris, as you put it.  Why would France want to market the negative???  Wouldn't do much for tourism would it?!

Anyone who thinks there is a "perfect" city out there is not thinking logically.

Posted on: Paris

alishan, that first photo is one that I took in 2001, so I can assure you it is reality. 

And like any city in the world, there will be inequality, racism, and poverty.  No city or country is immune to it.