User Comments - chris

Posted on: Focus and Specialization

Further to my post above, I've just started a transcript for this very lesson.

Link as follows:-

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/12517

Feel free to come by and take a look. Even better, participate. The more the merrier!

Posted on: Focus and Specialization

A number of users have already commented on the value of full lesson transcripts at the higher levels.  For those not already aware of it and who might not currently be members of it, there is a Cpod group called "Transcripts with Tal".  The idea behind the group is for the cpod user community to collaborate together to produce full lesson transcripts.

Each lesson is cut up into manageable 30 second slots and then users can just dive in to any segment they fancy and have a go at transcribing.

I for one have found the act of transcribing an invaluable tool in helping me to progress.  In particular, from Ele to Inter and now from Inter to UI.

The link to the group is as follows:

http://chinesepod.com/community/groups/view/transcripts-with-tal-173

There is also a post within the group that tries to catalogue all the lesson transcripts that have been started/completed to date, as follows:

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/11483

I should also note that these lesson transcripts are the result of work done by fellow users and are not a formal, approved cpod resource.  There may well be errors, but the collaboration should help to keep these to a minimum and to flush out any necessary corrections.

There are mainly Intermediate and UI lesson transcripts so far.  Hopefully, more Advanced and Media transcripts will go up soon as more users join the group and participate.

Posted on: Driving in China

Absolutely Grambers. On a related point, I like those magical moments when you're speaking without mentally translating first and when you're listening and basically understanding everything your interlocutor (sp?) is saying without thinking about it. Nothing quite beats it. As my Chinese improves (i've had a real learning drive the last few months) I'm getting these experiences more and more often. Dare I say that these moments are those where we're actually "thinking", subconsciously or not, in Chinese (I always think of that Clint Eastwood movie, Firefox or something, where he can only fly the Russian fighter plane if he actually thinks in Russian). These are quite serene moments, with no mental effort if you will. They are also the best motivator to continue studying that I can think of. It is during long periods between such moments that I get most despondent and lose motivation to plough through yet another lesson or transcription.

Posted on: Driving in China

I hate the "she" vs "shi". Assuming the same tone, they always sound identical when I say them. I have similar problems with pronouncing "che" vs "chi" but can make the distinction better for some reason. I know I'm wrong, but I tend to say "she" the same as "shi" but just held for a bit longer.

Posted on: Driving in China

Lesson transcript being worked on here:

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/12510

As ever, feel welcome to come and participate.

Posted on: Traditional Chinese Medicine

Lesson transcript here:

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/12502#comment-228464

Posted on: Choosing a Room

I appreciate that as an Elementary lesson, the "le" of "mei2 you3 le" was not looked into in any great detail.  I just wanted to say that it was this use of "le" in both "mei2 you3 le" and "mai4 wan2 le" that helped the most with my understanding of the "change of state" type of "le".  The "mei2 you3 le" was explained well in the lesson - basically there is a change of state from having the room available before but not having it available now.  In the case of "mai4 wan2 le" (the mai4 in this case meaning "to sell") the "le" indicates a change of state from having something in stock to having sold out of it.  Shop keepers will often say this to you if you ask for something that they have sold out of.

Hope I haven't added confusion with this.  It's just something that helped cement my understanding of the "change of state" use of "le".

Posted on: A Special Christmas Week

Great idea guys.  Really looking forward to this week's lessons now.  

Posted on: Christmas in Chinese

I had no idea boxing day didn't exist in the US. I always assumed it was same as UK. Does this mean 26 Dec is a standard working day in the US? Or is it still a holiday, but just not called boxing day?

Re China, I believe boxing day exists in HK and that it's a holiday down there, but this is probably more a legacy from the British days.

Posted on: Shopping for the Husband

Lesson transcript being worked on here:

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/12503

Please feel free to visit and help/comment.