Chinaisms - How the English language works

[sawadee]

Bing says that often. "pi!"

She disagrees with you a lot!!!!!!!!

Not really. We get along remarkably well and seem to have many attitudes in common considering our cultural backgrounds.

Carl,

sorry if my LG's post makes you uneasy. he is just kidding.

[warpedbored]

No offense taken and never even thought their may be any intended.

[yyp]

I was talking with my wife on the phone the other day and I said something she did not agree with, her response 'pei pei pei'. But Hon, I don't owe any money to you!!!!!

To confuse this even further

 

If your wife was actually saying 'pei pei pei' which sounds a bit like spitting it has a different meaning...loosely translated as 'that is not going to happen.'

 

This is a response to something someone says that is negative in nature....like I am going to fall off the house today...the reply could be 'pei pei pei'....meaning that is not going to happen....like spitting the idea out to the ground to prevent the outcome from coming to pass.

 

Us poor English speakers must pay close attention to the tone of the word and the context in which it is spoken to have any clue as to the meaning.

 

I am afraid I may thank someone for a wonderful dinner when what I may be expressing is that they have a fish on their head.

[frank1538]

Since Jingwen speaks very little English, I haven't had to 'splain much to her. But, lest ye forget, those of us who are butchering the Chinese language are on the other side of the fence. I have a bad habit of making up words like "car house" or "car room" for garage when I can't remember the correct word. Now, here's my beloved wife, thinking to herself that her husband is "ben dan" because he suffers from CRS.

[Trigg]

Frankster, ya gotta trust me on this one. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT teach her english. Before Fang ling learned English life was quiet, few questions, few comments, a near silent wife-ahhh life was good. But now, she has learned to speak Englsih and I can't get her to shutup!! "Husband, what this??? Husband, how you say..... Husband Husband Husband!!!!!!!!!!!" Hell ,the only break I get is when she is on the phone to Jingwen. HMmmmmmmmmm, gives me an idea-maybe I'll have Fang Ling teach English to Jingwen. Yuppers, that's what I'll do. No thanks neccessary, always glad to help.

 

Trigg

[Carl]

My wife says mandarin is very hard to learn and takes years to learn it.

 

I know just a few words. I would like to take a class, soon maybe.

 

T

When I mentioned the possibility of Ying teaching me Chinese when she got here, she refused, saying it is more important that I help her improve her English.

 

Personally I think is is so when she gets mad at me she can swear at me in Chinese and I won't have a clue as to what she is saying except that she is mad at me .

[frank1538]

HMmmmmmmmmm, gives me an idea-maybe I'll have Fang Ling teach English to Jingwen.  Yuppers, that's what I'll do. No thanks neccessary, always glad to help.

 

Trigg

Trigg, me thinks you've gone too far. If Jingwen starts picking up the language, I'll have to be more careful with what I say in front of her.

 

Actually, we should both institute a new rule. When Fang Ling and Jingwen talk, they can only use English. Yea, that's the ticket - bound to save on the phone bill to boot.

 

NOT.

[Trigg]

 

 

Actually, we should both institute a new rule. When Fang Ling and Jingwen talk, they can only use English. Yea, that's the ticket - bound to save on the phone bill to boot.

 

NOT.

WE institute a new rule???? WE??? WE???? I'm pretty sure that WE won't be making any new rules soon!! WE-hahahahahahah

[Chinese Wife!!!]

I've got to get it out- been hanging on to the pictures to post these words off 2 well known PUBLIC parks in Shanghai.

 

From Lu Xun Park rule:

 

#1. ".... children below 1.2 meters in height, mental patients are permitted on parendal custody;"

 

#2. ".... visitors are expected do not urinate or sh!t,.....in the park; exposing oneself, lying about, washing or airing of clothes...."

 

#3. "Visitors are not supposed to tease, scare, or capture bird, cricket, shrimp, or cicada (except those for commercial purposes)...."

 

Shanghai Century Park (Sign for foreign tourism rules): Rule:

 

#1. "The children under 1.2m or psychopath are not allowed to enter park by themselves."

 

#2. "Tourists entering the park shall obey the "seven prohibitions " norms for shanghai resident not relieve the bowels everywhere...."

 

#3. "Prohibit tease or catch the Aves, cricket fish and hexapod (except allowable place)."

 

#4. ".... prohibit setting off the firecracker,barbecue or encampment

( except the allowable places )"

 

#5. "Prohibit disturbing other per people in the park."

 

All text including spelling, spacing, punctuation, capitalization etc. posted in the original form (other than 1 expletive).

 

[eeyore]

"whadayawan?

 

getoudahere!!

 

dontuchmi!

 

leavmilone!!"

 

can anyone relate???

[tonyontherock]

It does not harm if there are a few interesting translations in the park. But did any one try to mark up a shareholder agreement or asset purchase agreement translated /written in the same fashion? I have dealt with one written by the general counsel of a Brazillian company and working on one right now written by a local Chinese law firm. Gosh, I though my English was real bad, or for that matter my Chinese.

[oregonknl]

Yeah, well, I'm glad Tony, that I don't have to do that for a living...

 

ANYONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU THE " "YOU KNOW YOUR WIFE IS CHINESE THREAD???" I haven't been able to pull it up (probably just me...)

 

But: Tonight, I baked a chicken for Fei, and she likes my "western chicken" --- but told me after dinner that western chicken isn't: "tight"

 

What?

 

"It isn't tight like a Chinese chicken.." (its too soft! --- I buy only fresh chicken raised in Oregon, usually the "Foster Farm's" brand --- but her English is just perfect to describe local domesticv chicken --- it isn't "tight"

 

Since I hunt upland birds, of course, I am well aware of the difference in the quality of the flesh of domestic and wild --- I have just never considered putting it into words as Fei did...

[Dan R]

Tight chicken? Yes in Los Angeles all the Chinese restaurants catering to Chinese use roasters (older birds) because the meat isn't as mushy. Foster Farm raises fatty birds for the California market and the southern chicken with less fat in the skin is more like the Chinese ones. I have been in the food business for 28 years and in Los Angeles there are many ethnic groups that prefer different types of the same animal. It keeps it interesting down here.

 

Don't spend the money on free range because they aren't out enough to make any noticable difference. Chinese duck is also a little different than the French style usually sold here. In the U.S. there is a style called Buddhist exempt that you might be able to request from a butcher. This means the head and feet stay on the bird in violation of USDA regulations. Nothing wrong with it but it prevents USDA from doing some required inspection so it requires a religous exemption like Kosher and Halal.

 

Oh if she tells you she wants a black chicken to make medicinal soup, there are farmers in Oregon growing them. It is called a Silky. They are small like cornish hen and poussin but have a blue-black skin. Poussin is a bird that might suit our ladies' tastes

[egolessvegan]

I am glad that I am vegan. Thanks for all the details.

Ken

[Dan R]

Ken if you get to Wuhan in Hubei Province sometime try out the Taoist restaurant. I have been there twice they don't allow any animal products. There is another vegetarian restaurant there run by a Buddhist temple. Both are said to be among the top vegetarian restaurants in China. You don't need the names the cab drivers know them. I also ate at a vegetarian restaurant in Shenyang but was very disapointed at the quality.