Comments on: Stating the Obvious http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm Tips and Strategies for Learning to Speak Mandarin Chinese Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:26:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: CapnKernel http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9935 CapnKernel Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:05:00 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9935 Oops, should be "S-the-O" not "S-the-T". Oops, should be “S-the-O” not “S-the-T”.

]]> By: CapnKernel http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9934 CapnKernel Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:04:18 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9934 Chinese do this S-the-T to each other all the time. "It's not you, it's them" :-) Chinese do this S-the-T to each other all the time. “It’s not you, it’s them” :-)

]]> By: Ray http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9933 Ray Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:52:39 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9933 You guys, they're not stating the obvious, they're just saying "hi" or "okay," basically acknowledging that the two of you are in each others' presence and aren't ignoring each other. This is how Chinese speakers interact with each other. It has nothing to do with whether or not you're a foreigner. In fact, pretty much nobody except a foreigner would say 你好 unless it's a fairly formal situation. So, when you come home and your neighbor says "你回來了", this should be translated as "hi." You guys, they’re not stating the obvious, they’re just saying “hi” or “okay,” basically acknowledging that the two of you are in each others’ presence and aren’t ignoring each other. This is how Chinese speakers interact with each other. It has nothing to do with whether or not you’re a foreigner.
In fact, pretty much nobody except a foreigner would say 你好 unless it’s a fairly formal situation. So, when you come home and your neighbor says “你回來了”, this should be translated as “hi.”

]]> By: Jonathan http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9911 Jonathan Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:16:20 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9911 “How are you?” is a common casual greeting in American English – usually, if the reply is more than a few words, the listener is soon looking for an escape route. I am strongly agree with it. And took me a while to get used to it. I was thinking if you don't wanna hear what I am going to say, why bother to ask. “How are you?” is a common casual greeting in American English – usually, if the reply is more than a few words, the listener is soon looking for an escape route.

I am strongly agree with it. And took me a while to get used to it. I was thinking if you don’t wanna hear what I am going to say, why bother to ask.

]]> By: Mitch Davis http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9534 Mitch Davis Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:43:26 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9534 When asked "how are you?", I'm so tempted to tell them I have an in-grown toe-nail and my wife doesn't love me any more. Neither is true, but if they didn't really want to know, why ask? When asked “how are you?”, I’m so tempted to tell them I have an in-grown toe-nail and my wife doesn’t love me any more. Neither is true, but if they didn’t really want to know, why ask?

]]> By: Bruce http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9529 Bruce Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:16:09 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9529 I am have similar problem here in Australia as Valerie does. 'G'day' is meaningless to my Chinese ears. I never want to answer 'How you going?' because my life is always miserable. I am have similar problem here in Australia as Valerie does. ‘G’day’ is meaningless to my Chinese ears. I never want to answer ‘How you going?’ because my life is always miserable.

]]> By: Mitch Davis http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9526 Mitch Davis Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:26:52 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9526 You could comment that their hair was still black (or grey), or that they are still female or still sitting at the same desk, or anything incredibly mundane. I started a conversation with a guy on the train tonight by saying 你下班吗？. Totally obvious, but it did the trick. Anything but 你好！ You could comment that their hair was still black (or grey), or that they are still female or still sitting at the same desk, or anything incredibly mundane.

I started a conversation with a guy on the train tonight by saying 你下班吗？. Totally obvious, but it did the trick. Anything but 你好！

]]> By: Valerie http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9525 Valerie Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:22:23 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9525 Interesting. I found this cite because I was extremely frustrated with two asian women that I work with here in Canada. I never know how to respond to them when they state the obivous in a tone that implies that I didn't know what they just told me. Every morning one tells me what the weather is like... it's raining or it's windy... I know, I just came from out there. I guess we would say, 'wow, it's windy out there, isn't it' or some such thing. I thought this was how they learned English - by making statements, but it interesting to learn that they speak this way in their native language too. It's the tone that irritates me. If you have an suggestions for me, I'd be pleased to hear them. Thanks. Interesting. I found this cite because I was extremely frustrated with two asian women that I work with here in Canada. I never know how to respond to them when they state the obivous in a tone that implies that I didn’t know what they just told me. Every morning one tells me what the weather is like… it’s raining or it’s windy… I know, I just came from out there. I guess we would say, ‘wow, it’s windy out there, isn’t it’ or some such thing. I thought this was how they learned English – by making statements, but it interesting to learn that they speak this way in their native language too. It’s the tone that irritates me. If you have an suggestions for me, I’d be pleased to hear them. Thanks.

]]> By: Carl http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9495 Carl Sun, 30 May 2010 14:07:49 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9495 Yep, we all got our quirks. I think English is worse. Why we always have to say "how are you?" at any given moment is beyond me. It doesn't mean anything, but I can't stop myself from saying it. Somehow, it just feels natural I guess. Yep, we all got our quirks. I think English is worse. Why we always have to say “how are you?” at any given moment is beyond me. It doesn’t mean anything, but I can’t stop myself from saying it. Somehow, it just feels natural I guess.

]]> By: Roger Dempsey (anglo-sounding enuff?) http://laowaichinese.net/stating-the-obvious.htm/comment-page-1#comment-9232 Roger Dempsey (anglo-sounding enuff?) Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:35:47 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=61#comment-9232 It's a reflexive release of anxiety, like a sigh. It’s a reflexive release of anxiety, like a sigh.

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