User Comments - u4132534
u4132534
Posted on: Money Values and Beating the Summer Heat
July 18, 2008 at 9:05 AMsorry countless other people and amber, but i think someone with good chinese would be in a better position to give the 'insider's guide to china' and not resort hackneyed stereotypes, ditsy cultural complains, and 'my chinese friend said' stories. For example, a grisly old-hand who has lived in real china for years, rather than sat in Shanghai Starbucks whining to their western friends about China.
My opinion.
But i think the intermediate spoken stuff is excellent on this website.
Posted on: Money Values and Beating the Summer Heat
July 18, 2008 at 6:44 AMamber: learn how to speak chinese please. Hope you didnt score a contract on your dashing good looks and humdrum banter.
Posted on: Language Power Struggle
August 26, 2008 at 4:54 AMGood lesson,
On the ethics, a chinese with poor english is never going to improve with a once-off encounter. Living in an english speaking country is the only way to get their english to a respectable standard (with a few rare exceptions).
What i hate is the sly games they play: "your chinese so good" or "i dont understand, lets speak english" or constantly correcting everything you say in chinese when its not too bad. Maybe this is a minority but they hunt you down!
My hint is to make sure the first thing you say is perfect (tones, delivery, near fluant) that will switch their brains to chinese and you can continue with more sloppy chinese later.