User Comments - tvan

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tvan

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 8, 2009 at 7:21 PM

Dunderlumpken, well, not usually that bad.  But that's the idea.

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 8, 2009 at 2:38 PM

dunderklumpen, I think the rudeness is partly a result of pressure.  There is an unbelievable press of people at some of the urban stations.  I would recommend you stand in at least one train line; it's an authentic China experience and gives you a better feel, I think, for the country.  

I don't believe station clerks earn any type of productivity bonus.  They were curtin proletarian times as well. 

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 8, 2009 at 12:25 PM

Dunderklumpen, the Intermediate lesson "Train to Beijing" has some good vocab.  Also, "Standing in Line" might stand you in good stead.

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 8, 2009 at 3:16 AM

@changye maybe 的 is the "comma" of Chinese grammar... an infuriating number of rules only outnumbered by the number of exceptions.

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 7, 2009 at 7:27 PM

@zhenlijiang, that's what I've learned as well.  The resultatives are pretty clear. However, part of my confusion is the whole stative verb concept, something I still don't grasp.  For example, can I say this?

 

  1. 他很高兴的
  2. 他很高兴地
Now if 高兴 is a stative verb, #2 must be correct, since 高兴 is an adverb modifying 他; but #1 looks right to me.  Obviously you can eliminate the 的/地.  But you can include them as well, right?  Or am I all off everywhere?
I guess I would make the case that, since we can't distinguish one de from another in speech, what's the use of being able to distinguish it in speech?  焚底坑地!

 

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 7, 2009 at 11:14 AM

In the Case of 的/地/得 versus 的,　I guess the verdict is 2-2 with one abstaining... before recounts and court cases.  Now for the other 1.5 billion votes...

@zhenlijiang, @bodawei, maybe I just need to pay more attention because I'm sure that my Chinese is no better than/worse than either one of you.  That said, the　"地" confuses me a little sometimes in reading more than it helps me. 

Posted on: Traveling around China
July 7, 2009 at 3:02 AM

I vote for the one all-purpose "的."

Posted on: Pregnancy Series 8: About to Give Birth
July 6, 2009 at 2:51 PM

@Changye,

but I think these lessons are very useful for some foreign guys who married/marry/will marry a Chinese

前一年我跟你同意。 我的孩子都已经出生了，为什么听这种课程。但前七个月我发觉我错了。 因为可能两个月后你不要叫我 @tvan.  反而,叫我 @老公公。

Posted on: Funny Business, Part Two
June 30, 2009 at 12:04 PM

Lydia, if China is like the States, the bosses will profess ignorance of chicken wings, padded expenses, age discrimination... and blame the accountant.  Of course, in the U.S. juries seldom agree.  In China... we'll see.

Posted on: Summer at ChinesePod
June 29, 2009 at 12:39 AM

RJ, I can certainly see your point.  And you're right, I should have read Henning's post more carefully.  I guess I don't really care about lesson timing, but I could certainly see where someone else might.