User Comments - stevemisch
stevemisch
Posted on: It's cold, wear more clothes!
November 4, 2009 at 6:16 AMSpeaking of "feng1 hen3 da1," there was a very amusing translation when I was living in Shanghai around 2005. A typhoon was approaching and posted in the lobby of my apartment was a new sign declaring:
"TODAY, LEVEL 10 FLATUS EXPECTED."
I thought, OMG, I'm outa here.... :-)
Steve
Posted on: Picking Up a Friend at the Airport
November 3, 2009 at 8:16 AMLet history record this moment--my first ever 100% on the quiz, including the impossible-to-ace dictation! What's happening?!?! :-)
Posted on: Picking Up a Friend at the Airport
November 3, 2009 at 8:06 AMGreat lesson! I found this common phrases, very useful and natural feeling, even though I'm still learning. Builds confidence.
And, does "gei ba" mean gay bar?
Steve
Posted on: Travel Itinerary
October 19, 2009 at 3:29 AMExercise 1, # 4 has mistake: ge5 ge5, when maybe should be yi1 ge5....same mistake make in translation in expansion.
Exercise 3, #2 wrong, should be "cong2", correct? Yet marked "wrong" when graded to give score 4/5, which I think is impossible. If you have one error, you must have 2 errors.
No time to fix it in 2.5 years? :-)
Posted on: The Olympics on TV
October 12, 2009 at 6:55 AMThis may be one of those phrases that doesn't translate exactly. Many of my Chinese friends will say "What a pity" when expressing mild disappointment and I think this word is more tragic. I suspect their using the word "ke3 xi1," which literally translates as "pity," but maybe actually means a milder form of disappointment in Chinese.
Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip
October 8, 2009 at 2:35 AM- I recall a couple leaving a tip in a restaurant and leaving. The confused waitress came to ask my Chinese friend, "Why did these people leave too much money?" My friend explained it was a tip for her. The waitress said, "Oh, we cannot keep any extra money. This must go to the owner." I'm sure the (kind) couple would have been chagrined knowing their effort to help the struggling waitress went to the owner.
- This "hai2shi4," meaning "should," uses the same pronounciation and characters as the "or" meaning?
- To clarify, the times when tips ARE normally given are: great concierge help (with translation or something useful), bag boys carrying luggage to hotel room? But not waiters, taxi drivers and barbers (like USA).
Posted on: A Chinese-Style Contradiction
October 7, 2009 at 5:06 AMFun. Would have been great to have a little more dissecting of phrase "shi4jie4 shang4." I don't know what each word should mean...except the shang4.
Posted on: Condoms
October 5, 2009 at 1:13 AMI think "Fill in the Blanks" #1 is wrong. Should be "he2", but this is not a choice.
Posted on: It's Stopped Raining
October 4, 2009 at 1:10 AMme too on the "fatal error: uncaught exception" and also on elementary lessons...sometimes it works other times comes up.....
Posted on: It's cold, wear more clothes!
November 4, 2009 at 7:45 AMChangye,
Perhaps you've also had a chance to view:
www.engrish.com which is based on Japanese/English funny translations, but also has a "chinglish" section.