Chinese

[Ardentfrost]

Anyone speak Chinese? I've been wanting to learn for a while, so downloaded the Rosetta software the other day. I finally got to a part where two words sound pretty much exactly alike, which I was expecting to happen eventually, lol.

One word means above or on top of and is this: shang mien
The other word means below and is this: xia mien

Spelled very differently, but sounds almost exactly the same.

I was pressing the two buttons over and over trying to differentiate between the two. I finally had to talk to a chinese girl today so she could enunciate the difference a little better

It'd have been easier in the software, but I'm trying to learn listening first. I don't want to become dependant on seeing the words spelled out, especially since there are 3 written Chinese languages.

[DosEquis]

I took japanese for two years and there are some words like that, and believe me, you will find a lot more. It depends on how you set them up in connection with the rest of your sentence. Just make sure if you are trying to pick up a chinese girl you use the right order. While you think you are saying "your are beautiful i want to make love you you" it could be "you have a horse mouth and i sexed your grandma".

English is the same way with words like, through and threw.

[Ardentfrost]

lol, well, I'm pretty far from picking up chicks in Chinese bars. The two sentences the words were used in were "The boy is on top of the table" and "The boy is under the table." The sentence structure and words used were exactly the same except for those very similar sounding words.

After playing them back to back about 10 times, I literally yelled "what the fuck!!??" lol

[DosEquis]

Asian language is fun stuff. I wish i had paid more attention to it when i was taking those classes. Its been about 6-8 years since i had my japanese courses. I still remember the alphabets and how to pronounce it but i have no idea what any of it means.

If i was fluent i could be making big bucks

[Ardentfrost]

One of the reasons I want to learn Chinese is because I foresee a lot of jobs wanting that in the near future. But also beacuse I think its a cool language

[motivez]

I've heard some poeple say you'll never be truly fluent in an asian language if you didn't grow up speaking it, because so much relies on exact pronunciation

[Ardentfrost]

Originally Posted by motivez

I've heard some poeple say you'll never be truly fluent in an asian language if you didn't grow up speaking it, because so much relies on exact pronunciation

That's cool, fluency isn't necessarily what I'm shooting for

[DosEquis]

Originally Posted by motivez

I've heard some poeple say you'll never be truly fluent in an asian language if you didn't grow up speaking it, because so much relies on exact pronunciation

I think in order to even come close to being fluent you have to go live in said country for about 2 years and only rely on that language.

Eventually when you start thinking in that language instead of thinking in english is when you have it down.

[Donkey®]

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

Anyone speak Chinese? I've been wanting to learn for a while, so downloaded the Rosetta software the other day. I finally got to a part where two words sound pretty much exactly alike, which I was expecting to happen eventually, lol.

One word means above or on top of and is this: shang mien
The other word means below and is this: xia mien

Spelled very differently, but sounds almost exactly the same.

I was pressing the two buttons over and over trying to differentiate between the two. I finally had to talk to a chinese girl today so she could enunciate the difference a little better

It'd have been easier in the software, but I'm trying to learn listening first. I don't want to become dependant on seeing the words spelled out, especially since there are 3 written Chinese languages.

I have that same software. That part was kind of hard...but after a bit, you can tell the difference. SAYING it is just a little bit harder, but keep at it and you'll figure it out.

Xia is spoken with the tip of your tongue on the back of your front teeth. Almost a "t" sound.

[Sheana]

i had chinese for dinner last night