User Comments - chracol
chracol
Posted on: Introduction to Pinyin
June 12, 2012 at 2:51 AMOkay, sounds good, but are there any lessons for the tones?
Posted on: Words with 可(ke)
June 11, 2012 at 6:01 AMGood question - I went to the hospital a couple weeks back and they gave me an nurse aide to make sure I went to the right department. I had to wait for some tests so I told the aide she could go back and she asked a couple or three times 'wo ke qu?' [我可去？] which at first I didn't get then realised she meant 'can I go? or 'is it okay for me to go?''
Posted on: Using a VPN
June 10, 2012 at 2:25 AMAbsolutely, but it's funny, that's the real point. I've just come back from the 'Rose Coast' near Shenzhen where bridal couples go in their hundreds to take pictures of themselves in front of tacky copies of Western architectural styles - one of which was a church with imitation golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above the aisle and at the entrance the words 'Oly Cross Church'. I think the 'h' was there originally but fell off and hasn't been replaced and its kind of superfluous anyway.
Posted on: Using a VPN
June 6, 2012 at 8:22 AM也可以说‘虚拟个人网络’ 。。。
Posted on: Using a VPN
June 6, 2012 at 7:54 AMduh!
Posted on: Using a VPN
June 6, 2012 at 4:26 AMI'm in my second year with ExpressVPN and I think the service is great although be warned there are sometimes problems - not often - getting connected:
1. maybe to do with a dodgy VPN company
2. maybe to do with what security software you use
3. maybe to do with ISP issues here on the mainland
... but whatever one you choose a VPN is an essential part of your travel kit.
Posted on: Chinese Children's Songs
June 6, 2012 at 4:13 AMYeah, I don't know why Greg's so upset about 爱我你就抱抱我。I'm often kissing and cuddling my daughter. Maybe the lyrics as understand by an adult are a little suspect but you know for the very same reason I dislike 一分钱. It's a good tune and it's fun and my relations have often sung it with my daughter but I dislike the way the 警察叔叔 are represented in the children's world here in China - often referred to when they want the kids to sleep too, as a kind of threat, and looking at, and hearing about some of the 警察叔叔 where I live I don't want my girl revering them at all. Our baomu even taught my girl to 敬礼 when she saw a copper on the street so for a while there she was saluting any guy in a uniform. I like the one that goes 糖一包，果一包。。。外婆夸你是好宝宝 。。。but that's for the small babies, I guess
Posted on: Using a VPN
June 6, 2012 at 3:44 AMGotta laugh at the way you guys pronounce VPN and Facebook [FaceEbookE] ... why can't you Chinese guys just say it like it is in English -Vee Pee En or Facebook without the 'E's'? It's like when my wife teaches my daughter to say Good Morning it's GoodE MornEEngA? Is this so difficult? I don't really mind, but you're contributing to the multilation of the English language - or what once was the English language maybe. Yeah, and need this stuff at a more advanced level too!
Posted on: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
June 5, 2012 at 8:27 AMI'm also not so sure that 变 is only ever intransitive. 她脸变红了 - 'red' is the object?That's okay, though, I understand the difference between 换 and 变 and then 改变 and 变化 and 变成.
Posted on: Annoying Popups
June 20, 2012 at 7:24 AMAnother of many, many examples where direct translation of English to or from Chinese is not possible. In my humble opinion the 知道了 here means 'know' or 'understand' and both thanks to the person who has helped with the knowing or the understanding.
Depends on the context!
I have another example which popped up yesterday - Chinese are always using 当然 for emphasis but I believe 'of course' in English has slightly more negative than positive connotations.
Example - Is this right? Of course [what, are you stupid?]
However I think what Chinese often mean here is 'absolutely', which has far more positive connotations for an English speaker.
Example - Is this right? Absolutely!
Perhaps it doesn't always work like this but it often does so you need to be aware of the context and I often tell my Chinese students to say 'absolutely' rather than 'of course' when they translate 当然 because it just sounds more polite and appropriate in English.
Same with 知道！