User Comments - xiaophil

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xiaophil

Posted on: Our First Theme Week, and a Goodbye
May 1, 2011 at 9:36 AM

Catherine, good luck.  I hope America isn't too boring for you.

Posted on: What does she look like?
May 1, 2011 at 9:15 AM

My pleasure. I hope I'm right. Before I replied here, I did a search to see if my instincts were on the right path. I thought this link was useful:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/3383-grammar-4-%E4%BA%86/

Posted on: What does she look like?
May 1, 2011 at 8:15 AM

I'm fairly certain this is not a change of state. If it were a change of state, the 了 should come after the object, 困难. I'm stumped by why one would have a 了 and why one would not. I have however, noticed that 了s at times seemingly drop away without justification, especially in formal writing. It is frustrating because I always sensed that the natives can feel when it is alright to drop a 了, which is a feeling that 99% of all non-natives have no feeling for at all. Then again, it wouldn't surprise me if a teacher comes along and slips in an easy rule. I hope one does!

Posted on: Dinosaurs
April 16, 2011 at 3:04 PM

I wonder if any Chinese thinks this kind of statement sounds tough? Is this a culture difference? It just sounds moronic to me.

Posted on: Dinosaurs
April 16, 2011 at 11:19 AM

I read about this new restriction a few days ago. I had better keep to myself what it made me think. I really wonder what the average Chinese person thinks?

Posted on: Getting a Tattoo
April 5, 2011 at 1:14 AM

Yeah, laser options look slim. But this guy might accept a big X tattooed over it methinks.

Posted on: Do you have...?
February 26, 2011 at 10:36 AM

Just so you know, Jenny is on maternity leave.

Posted on: Eating Idioms, Part 2
February 25, 2011 at 3:53 AM

I can't remember if I said this before, and I admit it really isn't important, but are you guys ever going to put a new photo up for Qingwen?  Clay and Amber have been gone for a loooooooong time.  And the episodes have improved a lot since then.  Okay, I said it.  Sorry.

Posted on: How to Start a Conversation with Chinese People
February 12, 2011 at 4:12 AM

I could just be oblivious, but I never hear 你好吗 in Shanghai. I have heard it was a phrase purposely created to correspond with 'how are you' in English, i.e. it wasn't something that Chinese people said until someone decided it was needed. Don't know if that is really true.

Posted on: Turn in Your Homework
February 8, 2011 at 12:40 PM

I teach at an international high school, and my Taiwan and Hong Kong students usually say gongke. I asked some of them before if this word is more commonly used where they are from than zuoye, but they didn't seem sure.