User Comments - xiaophil

Posted on: Star Trek

I had an English teacher who made it a point to tell us that she lamented boldly being placed before go.  I always forget that rule for adverbs when writing, which quite possibly is obvious.

I'm totally geeked.  I'm checking out the dialog now.

Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery

I'm pretty old-school.  I place two spaces behind periods, but the new standard is one space.  I think consistency is key.  Wow.  Off topic.  Shall we start a new thread about periods and commas?  No.  Okay. Haha.

Tal

Thanks for saying what I was too big of a wuss to say.

Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery

yuridiana217

Here, cross-pollinating is like a 比喻 (bi3yu4), that is a metaphor.  Cross-pollinating is similar to 互相帮助 hu4xiang1bang1zhu4), that is 'helping each other'.  It is used with groups of people, not individuals.  So you cannot say to another person, "Let's cross pollinate."  It sounds bad.

Actually, maybe a simpler way to put it is cross-pollinating means interaction.  It implies that the two groups are helping each other rise or improve.

Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery

yuridiana217

Your sentence is really good.  One note: periods (.) usually have one or two spaces behind them.  Commas (,) usually have one space behind them.

Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery

pete

Ah ha...  I didn't make that connection before.  I like that. 

yuridiana217

Thanks for doing the work I should have done.  I thought 棵 seemed a little strange.  Thanks for making that clear.

Posted on: Going Dutch

I think a lot of Americans laugh at having so much specialized silverware.  Although I wasn't a supporter of George Dubya, I did think he showed the typical American character by making the French president, Sarkozy, eat hotdogs and potato chips--all finger food.  That said, I think that actually is a bit of reverse-snobbery, and falls right in with what user21377 must recently said, i.e. distancing oneself from fellow humans. 

Oh dear, it seems no matter what we can't eat food without being a snob.

Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery

I found the following flower measure words online:

一朵花、一枝花、一束花、一篮花、一盆花、一棵花、一丛花、一些花、一堆花、一把花、一簇花、一捆花、一捧花、一株花 一瓶花。

yī duǒ huā, yī zhī huā, yī shù huā, yī lán huā, yī pénhuā, yī kē huā, yī cóng huā, yīxiē huā, yī duī huā, yī bǎ huā, yī cù huā, yī kǔn huā, yī pěng huā, yī zhū huā yī píng huā.

I think that 束 (shu4) is the best way to say 'bouquet'.  My guess is the first three are the most often used.  Each one has a different meaning, so elementary learners, don't randomly use.

Posted on: How to Say "and" in Chinese

Ok Connie

I kind of guessed that, but I wasn't sure.  Thanks.

Posted on: How to Say "and" in Chinese

Hi lujiaojie

Thanks for your answer.  Sadly, I still feel unclear.  (Probably because I was unclear.)  I want to connect two independent clauses.  For example, how would I translate these sentences:

I went to the store, and Mr. Wang was already waiting for me.

I was buying ice cream, and Ms. Zhang was buying tea.

How can I express and in these sentences?  Or would Chinese people not even bother?

Posted on: Chinese for Trekkies

I get yer drift, but it also seems to display a certain amount of nerdiness to say, "Don't call me a Trekkie; I'm a Trekker!"  That said, I think nerds are often REALLY cool, so in a convoluted sort of way, I'm supporting your argument.

Any by the way, I'm teasing.  You aren't a nerd.