23 April, 2009

For the Love of Language!

So I've been speaking with some people and have realized that tones in Mandarin really do matter. I'll give you a few examples of how using the wrong tone on one word say 'juan' (that's pronounced jew-ann not a name). I think I say 'booklet' but I actually say 'curly'. No wonder they look at me funny.
Another example is at the hardware store I'm looking for some two-sided tape and wanted to say "for example if you hang something on the wall" but I said "for example if you hang in bed". Or when I told my professor that our college has many "special characteristics" but actually said "it's trash". Or when I was trying to use the word 'maybe' but said 'Jesus'. Or when I said "no thanks I do not want your booklet" to someone who was handing out some sales material I said, "no thanks, I don't want your curly". Oh, and my favorite is if you mess up the tones on the phrase "wear glasses" it sounds like "to carry eyeballs".
I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of them now.

4 comments:

Wikanalu Dickerson said...

you should switch to Spanish! it's so easy amigo!

Jason and Jessie Manning said...

I say that everyday senor. ay yay yay!

Debbie said...

Jason, you had me crackin' up with this:-D Imagine if I was trying to say stuff...now that would be sorry indeed. Remember when you tried to teach me how to count in Chinese...lol

Unknown said...

So that's why you guys have been on the crazy cycle!!!! I get it now!

Jason you told Jessie a romantic poem in Mandarin...but used the wrong tones for some key words. Jessie understood you to say, "Go away squaw, can't you see I'm playing Madden? Now run along and make me dinner and fetch me my whiskey!"

Glad you two were able to work through these communication barriers!

PS call us if you have crazy cycles resulting from misinterpreted spanish - we are experts in this subject :)