User Comments - tgarran
tgarran
Posted on: Shopping for Glasses
June 25, 2014, 03:04 AMDear David,
As for 服 vs. 副, I find it curious that you reference Google since this is computer generated and not always very accurate, but that is neither here nor there. As a Chinese medicine doctor who has lived in China for over 6 years and reads medical Chinese at a pretty high level (yes, I know I am looking at an intermediate lesson, but that is another subject) I have never seen 副 used in texts or in hospitals. I looked in about a dozen texts (both modern and Qing Dynasty) before posting my comment just to make sure, and couldn't find 副 being used in any of them.
Regarding the formatting problems. The writing exercise page is essentially useless. I use Firefox, so perhaps that is the issue. When I open that area, I see parts of the writing area are not where they should be, which is to say that the box that holds the writing area is situated lower than where the pinyin for the character to be practiced is. I can relay on the pinyin that is posted at the bottom, but if I want a clue about the meaning of the word, I need to scroll up to see it. So, saying that it is useless is, perhaps, a bit of an overstatement, but it is very frustrating!
The exercise page also has formatting issues, but again, perhaps this is an issue of not being Firefox ready. These issues are minor in my mind since then don't affect the usage of the page, but they should be fixed nevertheless.
Posted on: Shopping for Glasses
June 24, 2014, 02:09 AMFirst, I agree that the new music is pretty bad!
Although I have had problems with other lessons with sound in the background, I don't hear it on this lesson.
Also, you have an error in the lesson examples section (expansion). When discussing packages of Chinese medicine the fu is 服, not 副。 比如，5服。However, more commonly it is 剂， 比如，5剂。或者， 1日1剂。
服 is most commonly referring to preparation, or an individual dose of a prescription. 比如，水煎服 (boil with water)。 或者， 1剂3服 (1 package is divided into 3 doses)。
I have never seen 副 used in this way in Chinese medicine, either in texts or in the hospital. Although, perhaps, lay persons use the language this way.
Finally, the writing section and the exercises section continues to be problematic. The writing practice section is essentially useless, and I have contacted customer support numerous times to no avail. The exercises section has some formatting problems, but is still usable. It seems to me that Chinese Pod has been bought up by a big company, or perhaps has expanded beyond its ability to maintain the type of service it has had for so many years. Very disappointing and discouraging. I find it hard to recommend the service anymore, although I have recommended it to hundreds of people over the last 6+ years. :(
Posted on: Ordering Furniture Online
March 11, 2014, 06:05 AMThe dictation is not working either...:(
Posted on: Ordering Furniture Online
March 11, 2014, 05:23 AMSeems that you are still having problems with the new format. The writting practice is all wonky, but in Firefox and Chrome.
Posted on: Joining a Sports Team
March 07, 2014, 04:48 AM那不但在考试部分dictation不能用，而且格式化真有问题。我用着Firefox。。。
Posted on: Joining a Sports Team
March 07, 2014, 04:12 AM奇怪！听了其他的expansion以后，我回试一试第一个。。。就没问题啊！
Posted on: Joining a Sports Team
March 07, 2014, 04:05 AMPerhaps it is just me, but you seem to be having problems with the new format. The writing practice is all weird and I can't really use it, and at least the first expansion audio is absent.
Posted on: Joining a Sports Team
March 07, 2014, 03:57 AMExcellent lesson! Very valuable. My step-son plays basketball (even has a class on Saturday evenings) and although my wife's family is pretty comfortable with it, I don't know how they would respond to an organized team with regular practices and games.
Most of the Chinese children I have been around are 非常弱！
This clearly touches on a major issue in China around the one child policy and how book-learning is viewed (notice I did not say "education").
Posted on: Antique Appraisal Reality TV
January 07, 2014, 01:03 AMI love all your lessons....but, I think you should have included the ending, perhaps "fake" so that we could learn some good cursing... ;) hehe
Posted on: Internet Upgrades
July 27, 2014, 12:56 AMI must say I disagree with the use of neighborhood for 小区。 At least in Beijing a 小区 is mostly referred to as a "compound," which I think makes the most sense in English. You are redefining the word neighborhood when you use it this way. Suppose there are two 小区 right next to each other, are they not in the same neighborhood?
Otherwise, pretty good lesson, but it does seem that the intermediate lessons have gotten much easier...or maybe my Chinese has gotten much better. :)