You always hear how hard it is to learn Chinese, and yeah, for English speakers, I agree! I think it's because in Chinese, one sound can mean about 18 different things. You have to learn by the context what is actually being communicated. For example, the word 'zai' (zye) means the equivilant in English of in/at/around/on/again/in the middle of doing/exists/carry and a few more. So on the surface, it's easy: instead of having to know four of five pesky prepositions, you just need to know one. But, listening to someone speaking Chinese, it can be difficult to know what they are trying to communicate. (And by the way, that is just 'zai' in one tone, there are four tones, each with different meanings.)
It's fun learning Chinese, though. They have some fun words we don't have. For instance, they have a word just to mean, "A place where there is an opportunity for love." ('Yanyu', in case you want to use it.) How great is that?
I totally love it... Yanyu... My home is Yanyu!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I always LOVE your posts :-)
Matt, that is awesome. I am stealing it forthwith to share with my students. I didn't know you spoke French. You are multitalented!
ReplyDeleteTechno, aw, I never thought of it that way. Very sweet! I think here it means more like bars and stuff. I like your example MUCH better.
Je n'est parle pas Francais bien -- but I've been told I have excellent pronouncation when I say that.
ReplyDeleteMy mom was the 10 years younger then her sisters, so they already made the transition at home from speaking French to English when she was born.
Her high school teacher was amused that my mom struggled with French...since the teacher learned French from my grandfather :)
Tell me where I can find a yanyu in Texas so I can go camp out there. Haha!
ReplyDeleteMatt: I feel your mom's pain. My Spanish speaking mother didn't teach us Spanish at home, I had to take it in high school/college.
ReplyDeleteRebex: Ft. Sam, baby! haha.