User Comments - ma_tai
ma_tai
Posted on: The Hunan Accent
October 20, 2010, 08:38 AMYeah, similar problem, but I can't download this lesson at all through iTunes. It says I need authorized access to download it, but all other lessons download fine.
Posted on: Ordering Pizza
July 20, 2010, 01:13 AMYeah, I have only ever heard "bǐsa", as in 比萨饼， in the couple of places I've spent time in in China, Xi'an and Xiamen. The "pīsa", was quite a suprise to me in this lesson.
Posted on: Ordering Pizza
July 16, 2010, 02:51 AMAgreed. They're very useful.
Posted on: Ordering Pizza
July 16, 2010, 02:50 AMPizza Hut still is a classy place in China, in terms of decor and price. Much classier than it is in Australia and I'm sure in the US too.
Posted on: City: Mumbai
July 06, 2010, 06:33 AMI noticed at one point when Jenny was talking about 推荐 (tui1 jian4), she seemed to also say 推介 (tui1 jie4). Are these words synonyms in this context? The dictionary lists them both as being verbs and nouns. I see that 推介 also has a meaning of 'promotion'.
I was suprised when I looked them up too, because I was expecting 荐 from 推荐, to be 建议的 jian4。It's funny, as they seem to have similar meanings.
Posted on: Changing a Plane Ticket
July 06, 2010, 01:56 AMThis reminds me of other differences I've heard. In Xiamen I think they pronounce the mandarin "ei" as "ee" in certain words. But there are never ending accent problems in Xiamen, such as the name of my bus stop 二市站。 Er shi zhan in mandarin (sounds like "ar shi jan"), but "er si zan" to the locals. Every single syllable was different! And if you used the proper pronunciation with the taxi drivers they just wouldn't understand you.
Posted on: How was your flight?
July 02, 2010, 07:19 AMEdwardo, I think you're a bit confused. John doesn't read the dialogues.
Well, except one that I know of, a very amusing 'Girly Talk' episode. http://chinesepod.com/lessons/girly-talk
I suppose, though, one true point that Edwardo brings up is that we do have less opportunities to listen to male speakers. Is it just me, or do Chinese girls speak Mandarin more clearly than Chinese men? I think I've developed Chinesepod syndrome: I struggle to understand the Mandarin of anyone who isn't Jenny Zhu... There is a big difference between Jenny's very clear, easy to understand Mandarin, and, for example, a man speaking fast with a thick Beijing accent.
I suppose practice in the real world will help this.
Posted on: How was your flight?
July 02, 2010, 06:55 AMIsn't 黑 there more giving the meaning of "darkening or darkened"? Like 晒黑了。So, is 黑 the result?
Anyway, I reckon Baba is right. If you were speaking there at the moment， on the plane, you could say 我晕机了. Because a change of state would have occurred. Before you were fine, but now you're not. Just like you can say 我生病了.
But do you say, 昨天我有点生病， or do you add a 了?
Posted on: An Unplanned Tan
June 28, 2010, 06:51 AMYeah, I'm pondering the difference btw this and "on purpose". They're not equivalent terms though, "purpose" is an intent, whereas as "accident" is an event. An accident is smth that happens. You plan to do something 'on purpose,' but 'on accident.'
At the end of the day, I'm with Bodawei, this crates on me. Just sounds like bad English.
Posted on: The Hunan Accent
October 20, 2010, 08:40 AMOh, now it is working. I thought I tried everything... But now it is fine.