I wish I could get a Beijing's Best Burger for every time I ever said, say, "gar' (liver) and have people say, "No---it's 'gan.'" Then, a few days later say "Gan," only to have everyone chorus, "No---it's 'gar'!"
That is the old, old conundrum with foreign tongues. If one speaks like the book, you're criticized for not being colloquial. If the latter, then you're sneered at for not being the former. (Hey, as a teacher I did that all the time too.)
When I was in Neimenggu, bout half the people spoke the 儿化 and half didn't. Went goin to buy some beef liver one day, and asked where at be the 牛肝, got shown 牛干,to which i remonstrated `不不不,我说牛肝儿!。 Whereupon I was informed there was no beef liver available at that time. Now in the south they don't use that 儿化 at all , and even say crazy things like `哪里, which is never heard in the north. And sadly all the retroflex consonants are diminished in the south as well. If you don't listen closely, or you're drunk, 四块是十块, and vicie versa.
I’m not here to judge anyone else’s relationships. (unquote)
Your entire article is exactly that---and RIGHTLY so. Judgments are how we steer through life. Example: when does someone become an adult? Different countries give varying answers. When it comes to sex, 18 was long a cutoff in the States, with plenty of creep down towards 16. Most of Europe was 16, last I knew. In China it is 14. Until fairly recently, in Japan it was 12. Clearly, it is not at all clear when one becomes an adult. Cultural judgment is called for. Never apologize for doing a necessary deed---in this case, judging.
18 feels right. Enough time to get mentally mature as well.
100% agree. It's a matter of one's character and principles. Teachers are the custodian of our dearest and vulnerable little-selves...and they should honor our trust. If they don't do so then it means they are not sincere with their profession and also are shaming whole the humanity...
Mr.Arnstein, in the midst of all the uncessary craze about food and scandals, your piece on these fantastic species of birds, is a welcome change, and very much appreciated. Kudos to you, sir.
I mean, land o' Goshen, we uster get week-long tornadoes of asbestos particles and SARS virus. We hadder work 16 hour days in it too, outside and buck nekkid. But you tell kids that nowadays, and they don't believe you!
Considering there is a separate price for foriegners (RMB132 instead of RMB120) & an English registration page where you can enter your nationality & passport number but no place to enter your green card number, I don't think its right that this is only open to GC holders.
It seems you are correct! The system has been updated since we tried it yesterday to allow foreign passport holders - good news! The blog has been updated to reflect this.
Considering there is a separate price for foriegners (RMB132 instead of RMB120) & an English registration page where you can enter your nationality & passport number but no place to enter your green card number, I don't think its right that this is only open to GC holders.
Following a nasty onslaught of sandstorms recently, some Chinese officials in the country’s foreign ministry want to redouble efforts to block sands blown in from Mongolia. A big part of that is to finally apply an idea that has been kicked around for more than a decade: creating a remote sensing system to aid in monitoring the desertification of Mongolia. According to scientists at the Chinese Academy of Forestry, such a system could be used to implement more effective governance in the face of desertification and could have major environmental impacts beyond reducing sand and dust storms.
Wth is this word soup??? I tried two times to unpack this gibberish, but, nah. Just nah.
This city is becoming more and more boring. Unbeliveable how many bars and clubs closed down. Every year it gets worse and worse. Title of most boring capital in the world definitely goes to Beijing.
If you feel the need to include a disclaimer stating that medical doctors recommend against this procedure, why would you publish an article promoting this procedure?
Ok, I know. I capeesh. I comprendo, too. I mean, hey, I used to be in hotel management. (Maybe two star. Blue dwarf stars.) I know "The Daily Special!" is generally food the chef'd have to throw to the crows tomorrow. Old food. A little off. Hell, nearing tipping-point toxic. But serving PRE-COLUMBIAN Mexican food?! That's utterly shameless. Last month is pushing it. We're talking half a millennium here, for Moctezuma's mothballed sakes!
COVID-19 will not end till public-health bureaucrats turned attention whor*s are strictly quarantined from the media.
Or until people are not forced to go to the hospital every week for their meds. Amirite?
Re: Mandarin Monday: Mastering 儿 so That You Too Can Speak...
it took me a goddamn week of listening and recording myself to really say 好好儿 correctly. Talk a boot a fockin waste of time.
Re: Mandarin Monday: Mastering 儿 so That You Too Can Speak...
When I was in Neimenggu, bout half the people spoke the 儿化 and half didn't. Went goin to buy some beef liver one day, and asked where at be the 牛肝, got shown 牛干,to which i remonstrated `不不不,我说牛肝儿!。 Whereupon I was informed there was no beef liver available at that time. Now in the south they don't use that 儿化 at all , and even say crazy things like `哪里, which is never heard in the north. And sadly all the retroflex consonants are diminished in the south as well. If you don't listen closely, or you're drunk, 四块是十块, and vicie versa.
Re: Hot Take: Legal or Not, Please Don't Have Sex With Your...
I'd like to nominate this article for Best Lead Image of 2021
Re: Hot Take: Legal or Not, Please Don't Have Sex With Your...
18 feels right. Enough time to get mentally mature as well.
Re: Hot Take: Legal or Not, Please Don't Have Sex With Your...
Re: Hot Take: Legal or Not, Please Don't Have Sex With Your...
100% agree. It's a matter of one's character and principles. Teachers are the custodian of our dearest and vulnerable little-selves...and they should honor our trust. If they don't do so then it means they are not sincere with their profession and also are shaming whole the humanity...
Re: Aiya! How to Master China's Most Expressive Phrase
Dou?!
Re: 8 Good-Looking Birds To Spot in Beijing This Spring
Mr.Arnstein, in the midst of all the uncessary craze about food and scandals, your piece on these fantastic species of birds, is a welcome change, and very much appreciated. Kudos to you, sir.
Re: Beicology: What's in a Beijing Sandstorm?
Re: Beicology: Enjoy Summer While It Lasts as New Pollution...
We should really do sth
Re: Mandarin Monday: 10 Every Day English Words Originally...
To Shanghai, is a also very common.
Re: Registration Now Open for Beijing's Half-Marathon Return,...
It seems you are correct! The system has been updated since we tried it yesterday to allow foreign passport holders - good news! The blog has been updated to reflect this.
Re: Registration Now Open for Beijing's Half-Marathon Return,...
Considering there is a separate price for foriegners (RMB132 instead of RMB120) & an English registration page where you can enter your nationality & passport number but no place to enter your green card number, I don't think its right that this is only open to GC holders.
Re: EAT: Spring Specials at Susu and Jing Yaa Tang, Qingtuan...
好想吃
Re: Beijing News You Might Have Missed This Week, Mar 27
Wth is this word soup??? I tried two times to unpack this gibberish, but, nah. Just nah.
Re: DJ Pancake Lee Remembers the Best of Aurora Ahead of...
This city is becoming more and more boring. Unbeliveable how many bars and clubs closed down. Every year it gets worse and worse. Title of most boring capital in the world definitely goes to Beijing.
Re: Three Arrested After Badaling Great Wall is Defiled... Again
Managed to squeeze in the dirty laowai reference... Good job
Re: Adventure on the Canal: Getting Your Ears Cleaned...
If you feel the need to include a disclaimer stating that medical doctors recommend against this procedure, why would you publish an article promoting this procedure?
Re: New Documentary "The Six" Details the Untold Legacy of...
Don't forget lifeboats weren't included in the original design as it was deemed unsinkable, and its two sister ships sank even quicker!
Re: EAT: Irish Lunch at Beersmith, Springtime Bee Brunch,...
Or until people are not forced to go to the hospital every week for their meds. Amirite?