Comments on: Funnest Things to Say http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm Tips and Strategies for Learning to Speak Chinese Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:01:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Joel http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4168 Joel Sat, 10 May 2008 03:59:11 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4168 I recent came across this during one of the many tangents in my Chinese classes: 我就是一只蛤蟆掉井里... *不懂*! "I'm just a frog that falls in a well... *bu dong*!" It's not a set phrase; this joke is about the idea of connecting the sound a frog makes when it hits the water after a long drop with the meaning of "不懂". Our friends said they used to use this as a joke in high school. but since it's not a set phrase, it may take a little more finesse to use it. Question: does "我就是..." mean "I'm just a..." (no one special) or "I'm precisely/exactly/specifically..."? I had trouble getting that defined from my teachers. I recent came across this during one of the many tangents in my Chinese classes:
我就是一只蛤蟆掉井里… *不懂*!
“I’m just a frog that falls in a well… *bu dong*!”

It’s not a set phrase; this joke is about the idea of connecting the sound a frog makes when it hits the water after a long drop with the meaning of “不懂”. Our friends said they used to use this as a joke in high school. but since it’s not a set phrase, it may take a little more finesse to use it.

Question: does “我就是…” mean “I’m just a…” (no one special) or “I’m precisely/exactly/specifically…”? I had trouble getting that defined from my teachers.

]]> By: Helen http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4162 Helen Sun, 04 May 2008 15:08:35 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4162 As far as I know, At first niǔ nie was described walking with swaying motions. Now it refers to squirming. Here, nie has little meaning of pinch. As far as I know,

At first niǔ nie was described walking with swaying motions.
Now it refers to squirming.

Here, nie has little meaning of pinch.

]]> By: Xan http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4145 Xan Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:42:16 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4145 I haven't visited in awhile but the new sound clips are a real treat! I'll look forward to using them as well as practicing suanleba and bu yao niu niu nie nie as soon as the opportunity presents itself! Since you asked . . . the way it strikes me (as a total idiot) regarding suanleba is that it matters who the speaker in terms of what that speaker is referring to. If I say "suanle," it means I'll back off on what I was demanding, but if you are the one saying it, it means that you'll back off on what you were demanding. As we notice, a highly contextual language! I haven’t visited in awhile but the new sound clips are a real treat! I’ll look forward to using them as well as practicing suanleba and bu yao niu niu nie nie as soon as the opportunity presents itself!

Since you asked . . . the way it strikes me (as a total idiot) regarding suanleba is that it matters who the speaker in terms of what that speaker is referring to. If I say “suanle,” it means I’ll back off on what I was demanding, but if you are the one saying it, it means that you’ll back off on what you were demanding. As we notice, a highly contextual language!

]]> By: Jens http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4139 Jens Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:28:42 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4139 Here's my take on it. I don't think I hear the two variations as: 1. bǔ yáo 2. bú yào I hear this: 1. weak-bú very-weak-yào 2. bú strong-yào I hear them both as bú yào, where the primary difference is in emphasis: (1) is not emphasized; (2) is. Our starting point is "bù yào" and the rule for changing it to "bú yào". I interpret the rule to really be saying that bu comes in lower than yao and kind of slides into it. I think this is consistent with (1) and (2), primarily because I don't hear a rising yao in (1). What I hear is a very de-emphasized, flat yao. In order for the the bu to come in under the yao in both cases, I think it might be going too far to say it's bǔ vs. bú. I think it's all about emphasis, rather than true tone modification. Here’s my take on it. I don’t think I hear the two variations as:

1. bǔ yáo
2. bú yào

I hear this:

1. weak-bú very-weak-yào
2. bú strong-yào

I hear them both as bú yào, where the primary difference is in emphasis: (1) is not emphasized; (2) is.

Our starting point is “bù yào” and the rule for changing it to “bú yào”. I interpret the rule to really be saying that bu comes in lower than yao and kind of slides into it. I think this is consistent with (1) and (2), primarily because I don’t hear a rising yao in (1). What I hear is a very de-emphasized, flat yao. In order for the the bu to come in under the yao in both cases, I think it might be going too far to say it’s bǔ vs. bú. I think it’s all about emphasis, rather than true tone modification.

]]> By: Helen http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4135 Helen Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:56:03 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4135 Totally agree with the ‘suan le’ theory in buying and selling. suàn le (the seller says)= xíngba , hǎoba ( unwillingly) One case, the seller indeed charges a low price with being eager to sell his goods out. Another, the seller says suàn le to show that he’s given in to the bargaining, meanwhile, make the customer feel satisfied with this deal. Then, more regular customers. A sort of psychology? hehe Totally agree with the ‘suan le’ theory in buying and selling.

suàn le (the seller says)= xíngba , hǎoba ( unwillingly)

One case, the seller indeed charges a low price with being eager to sell his goods out.

Another, the seller says suàn le to show that he’s given in to the bargaining, meanwhile, make the customer feel satisfied with this deal. Then, more regular customers.
A sort of psychology? hehe

]]> By: Joel http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4132 Joel Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:39:51 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4132 man, if you want to hear tone fudging, just spend a weekend in Tianjin! man, if you want to hear tone fudging, just spend a weekend in Tianjin!

]]> By: syz http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4131 syz Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:46 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4131 Glad you got the plugin jumpstarted. And the bǔyáo thing is intriguing. I'm sure there are more complicated "rules" to the tone game, and maybe you're onto one of them here. Might be regional too. Hard for me to imagine Beijingers doing the same thing. But then again, my intuition's pretty unreliable about this kind of thing. I'll keep my ears open. About "funnest" -- not a word? I'd argue it's a word, but just one that you'd only use in a very casual register. Glad you got the plugin jumpstarted. And the bǔyáo thing is intriguing. I’m sure there are more complicated “rules” to the tone game, and maybe you’re onto one of them here. Might be regional too. Hard for me to imagine Beijingers doing the same thing. But then again, my intuition’s pretty unreliable about this kind of thing. I’ll keep my ears open.

About “funnest” — not a word? I’d argue it’s a word, but just one that you’d only use in a very casual register.

]]> By: Ingo http://laowaichinese.net/funnest-things-to-say.htm#comment-4130 Ingo Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:03:30 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=114#comment-4130 Nice ;) Plugin works, only chokes part of a sec in the beginning while first replay (works after that). This type of thing appens quite often with flash (youtube etc), maybe there's nothing to do about it, and maybe it's only my computer. After all it's the broken design of the windows scheduler ;) Nice ;) Plugin works, only chokes part of a sec in the beginning while first replay (works after that). This type of thing appens quite often with flash (youtube etc), maybe there’s nothing to do about it, and maybe it’s only my computer. After all it’s the broken design of the windows scheduler ;)

]]>