User Comments - mark

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mark

Posted on: Cold Cucumbers in Sauce
March 26, 2011 at 10:53 PM

I think I will try the recipe, but maybe add some 辣椒。

Posted on: 埃及剧变
March 24, 2011 at 2:51 AM

I think the tone of the article that this lesson was based on is somewhat disapproving; that it is young people lashing out because of a bad economy.

Posted on: 相声
March 18, 2011 at 2:35 AM

什么回事？ 上周也有个媒体课程。

Posted on: Food Poisoning
March 11, 2011 at 5:24 AM

It was a bottle of "Great Wall" white wine, that was my first experience with food poisoning in China.  What it lacked in taste and alcohol content, it more than made up for in its effecacy as a laxitive.

Posted on: Celebrating a Baby's First Month
March 10, 2011 at 5:26 AM

On the contrary, I think "ok" is well on its path to world domination. The first time I went to England, the minute I said ok, I was pegged as an American. Recently, I have heard English using it amongst themselves. I also don't know how many times I have heard Chinese people saying, "ok, 好" or "ok 了“. I think ok is entering the Chinese lexicon, too.

Posted on: Introducing Oneself to the Neighbors
March 8, 2011 at 5:24 AM

I'm confused.  How could this dialog be formulaic, if it never actually happens?

Posted on: How to Start a Conversation with Chinese People
February 18, 2011 at 4:19 AM

The "are you busy?" question doesn't really throw me off. I just interpret it as, "have you got a minute?".

Other pragmatics have really thrown me for a loop, though. For example, I was once in a bookstore, when the cashier came up to me and said something that translates to, "I'm going to leave work soon.". My first thought was, "That's nice. What does it have to do with me?", but what she meant was that the store was about to close.

Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 7, 2011 at 5:19 AM

I thought baijiu tasted really nasty and was probably best used for disinfecting blisters, until it occurred to me that saki has the same slightly moldy rice flavor.  After that epiphinette, I viewed baijiu as, sort of, essense of saki.  As such it seems to be a tolerable liquor.  Conversely, if your feet have blisters after a day of exploring China, and you pour baijiu on them in the evening, you will be ready for your next adventure by morning.

Posted on: Inside the Baozi Business
February 6, 2011 at 8:50 AM

I really enjoyed the interview.  Please, do similiar things in the future.  Thanks.

Posted on: The Various Guises of "Until"
January 30, 2011 at 9:43 PM

I like Qing Wen in its present form. It seems to have become a show on random grammar points, and I usually pick up a tidbit or two without working too hard at it, and it is fun to listen to the banter. Although, I could probably follow it in all Chinese, it wouldn't be as casual a listen that way.