The more English she learns

[griz326]

Yup! The more English my wife learns the more difficult it is to talk with her.

 

It's kinda like:

 

"Okay, I can work the hand saw; now pass me that chainsaw!"

 

Have you guys experienced this?

 

My wife is a talker and she is dying to be able to talk with her husband about EVERYTHING!

 

Just this morning we both opened our eyes at 5:20am and she said, "Husband, I want to talk a little with you..."

 

 

[credzba]

Yup! The more English my wife learns the more difficult it is to talk with her.

 

It's kinda like:

 

"Okay, I can work the hand saw; now pass me that chainsaw!"

 

Have you guys experienced this?

 

My wife is a talker and she is dying to be able to talk with her husband about EVERYTHING!

 

Just this morning we both opened our eyes at 5:20am and she said, "Husband, I want to talk a little with you..."

 

 

 

 

I think that is about the cutest story I've heard this year!

 

My wife and I know a few couples that the wife speaks only a little English, and the husband speaks no Chinese.

We hear both of their discussions though, and in truth ... if the both spoke the same language they would probably fight WAY more often

[Minister]

Actually, yes and no. My wife is a serious talker and a serious nagger. Shortly after she arrived in the U.S., I nicknamed her "Chicken Mother" after an episode when she followed closely behind me at a salad bar and continually asked what each thing was and then commented ominously, repeatedly, and somewhat passive-aggressively on my use of any salad items that she thought weren't healthy. I imagined being followed by a chicken, flapping its wings and squawking and clucking excitedly.

 

Of course, I know that "Chicken" is a rather dirty word in Chinese, but I fit the exact description of a "hen pecked husband" in English so there's no point in worrying too much about double meanings in slang.

 

So, the clucking chicken imagery has stuck. And when she is talking just to talk (something that most Chinese women seem to do once they get to know you at all), I have come to call that "Burking", since chickens, in my mind, say "burk burk burk". Sometimes when she calls during the day she will just announce that she "needs to burk" and will then launch into a nearly one-sided conversation (it's not completely one-sided because we count my "mmm hrmmms" and "uh huhs" as participation).

 

It can be about anything. I have listened to twenty-five minute plot summaries of twenty-two minute television shows. I know about all of the news from China, Japan, and the local Chinese and Japanese newspapers. Celebrity gossip... Fashion commentary... Cooking lectures and criticism on the things that were on the Food Network that afternoon... Oh... And the most important thing... She very, very, often likes to talk about how much things cost and what she wants to buy!

 

Anyway, I would say that it is a normal symptom of Chinese Wife that you are experiencing. Enjoy!

Edited January 14, 2011 by Minister (see edit history)

[Scott@Hong]

Great subject

 

When I first met my wifes mother, my wife tells me "My mom likes to talk A LOT, just ignore her". And she was right her mother talked to me for 3 hours without taking a breath, didn't matter that I only understood about 5% of what she was saying because she spoke so fast in Chinese.

Now whenever my wife starts rambling on for a long time I just tell her she sounds just like her mother, she shuts right up, because she hates being compared to her mother for talking to much.

[tsap seui]

Actually, yes and no. My wife is a serious talker and a serious nagger. Shortly after she arrived in the U.S., I nicknamed her "Chicken Mother" after an episode when she followed closely behind me at a salad bar and continually asked what each thing was and then commented ominously, repeatedly, and somewhat passive-aggressively on my use of any salad items that she thought weren't healthy. I imagined being followed by a chicken, flapping its wings and squawking and clucking excitedly.

 

Of course, I know that "Chicken" is a rather dirty word in Chinese, but I fit the exact description of a "hen pecked husband" in English so there's no point in worrying too much about double meanings in slang.

 

So, the clucking chicken imagery has stuck. And when she is talking just to talk (something that most Chinese women seem to do once they get to know you at all), I have come to call that "Burking", since chickens, in my mind, say "burk burk burk". Sometimes when she calls during the day she will just announce that she "needs to burk" and will then launch into a nearly one-sided conversation (it's not completely one-sided because we count my "mmm hrmmms" and "uh huhs" as participation).

 

It can be about anything. I have listened to twenty-five minute plot summaries of twenty-two minute television shows. I know about all of the news from China, Japan, and the local Chinese and Japanese newspapers. Celebrity gossip... Fashion commentary... Cooking lectures and criticism on the things that were on the Food Network that afternoon... Oh... And the most important thing... She very, very, often likes to talk about how much things cost and what she wants to buy!

 

Anyway, I would say that it is a normal symptom of Chinese Wife that you are experiencing. Enjoy!

 

 

I like your posts Mr. Minister. and have missed your humor. This one was a gem!!!

 

tsap seui

[whatsthedeal]

GAWD this all sounds SOOO spot on. I got to have a plan for everything "Husband what is your plan for this?" "Husband what is your plan for that?" And "Husband this is MY plan." "Now Husband let me tell you..." "I needa talk with you." Nonstop! ect. ect.

 

I mostly just listen and respond with "uh huhs" too.

 

The funny thing is if I repeat something right back to her she has no idea what I'm talking about.

[Cassie]

Haha ,I think ur wife is so cute to be like that.For me I like to share with my husband everything.Once I heard some funny stories from 001 I would tell him about them.But the funny part is my husband doesn'talk a lot with me but once he talks with his friends or my friends he will not stop.I can't even have a chance to break in! LOL

[SheLikesME?]

Great posts.

 

Now when your wife speaks, fluent english, well.......just one little missed un, or n't, or some other part of a word can reverse the meaning. Maybe you didn't hear her correct or she didn't hear you correct, it goes either way. This can cause an argument, a great argument.

 

Her knowing english makes for very frustrating conversation, thus....listen and umm-hmm as much as possible, but LISTEN otherwise she asks if your listening and asks you to repeat what she said. You repeat, but she can tell you have no idea what her meaning is, then she says you wern't listening and is upset with you and swells up..........You can't win!

 

Perhaps it is better if neither of you can speak to the other.

[silk53]

I have seen the more my wife learns English the more she talks to me. I really enjoy the more she talks. There have been times when she'll watch TV and not have much to say, but as each day pass the more she talks. The only problems is when she get wound up about something, than it's so fast it's hard to understand other than this crazy person did something. I do know someone is crazy though, since it is repeated many times in the conversation. I just pop in an ahhh here or there so she knows I'm listening. I may regret this, but I can't wait for her to learn even more English. Now if I could just get a grasp on learning Chinese.

 

Edward

[chilton747]

Great posts.

 

Now when your wife speaks, fluent english, well.......just one little missed un, or n't, or some other part of a word can reverse the meaning. Maybe you didn't hear her correct or she didn't hear you correct, it goes either way. This can cause an argument, a great argument.

 

Her knowing english makes for very frustrating conversation, thus....listen and umm-hmm as much as possible, but LISTEN otherwise she asks if your listening and asks you to repeat what she said. You repeat, but she can tell you have no idea what her meaning is, then she says you wern't listening and is upset with you and swells up..........You can't win!

 

Perhaps it is better if neither of you can speak to the other.

 

 

Here the wife knows a little English and she acts just the same as your wife Dougie. Then she screams to the top of her lungs thinking I might could understand her then. You ought to hear her when she is talking on the phone to me and screaming. Sounds like nothing but static.

[whatsthedeal]

Great posts.

 

Now when your wife speaks, fluent english, well.......just one little missed un, or n't, or some other part of a word can reverse the meaning. Maybe you didn't hear her correct or she didn't hear you correct, it goes either way. This can cause an argument, a great argument.

 

Her knowing english makes for very frustrating conversation, thus....listen and umm-hmm as much as possible, but LISTEN otherwise she asks if your listening and asks you to repeat what she said. You repeat, but she can tell you have no idea what her meaning is, then she says you wern't listening and is upset with you and swells up..........You can't win!

 

Perhaps it is better if neither of you can speak to the other.

 

YOU HAVA DA PROBLEM WITH EAR!