Every Saturday there’s a bit of a local stir. I buy fruit and eat some while walking around. People notice me, the foreigner, so I give them a nod and begin what has come to be a standard conversation here in small-town China,
Hello!
Hi, what country are you from?
I am from the United States.
I don’t understand.
The United States of America, it’s my hometown.
[looks around wistfully] I don’t understand.
I’m sorry, I’m trying to speak standard Chinese.
I still don’t understand.
…
It’s Not About What You Say…
Sometimes I feel like a man fighting with an octopus on a treadmill during these conversations. Some days, after some time and more than a few desperate hand gestures, the fruit vendor crowd gets it. I’m trying to buy bananas. Despite this, most days they don’t.
I’ve come to learn over the past year in the Peace Corps that it’s not so much about what you have to say, but about how you say it. They don’t speak standard Chinese here in Gansu. Instead, in Chengxian, the local people speak Cheng county dialect Chinese. You therefore must hit the correct sound for people to understand.
Chinese as a language already operates with four required tones to pronounce. Adding yet more geographical differences in sound has, for me, made it hard to talk. So, instead I walk. Through the tofu carts and hanging meat markets of this place.
The big challenge for me here is learning to wield my conversational chopsticks in a way that prevents the food from hitting the floor. I often don’t know what we’re talking about when we start, but by now, a year later, I am able to sling sentences around coherently – even after talking for an hour (or three).
I Am Also Drunk
One standard Saturday morning after successfully buying a few bananas I noticed a small group of students approaching. The conversation went:
Hello!
Hi teacher, did you eat?
Yes I did! And you?
Yes.
What did you eat?
Noodles.
And then, in cocky Mandarin I said,
I ate fear…
They burst into laughter at my bad pronunciation.
…err I mean I ate eggs.
By then they were chatting amongst each other in rapid Chinese while Zoe tried to help me with pronunciation of the correct tone. Out of the corner of my ear I heard shy, typically inconspicuous Bessie belt out:
Wo ye shi zui le!
Everybody but me laughed even harder. So I whipped out my phone, thumbed open Pleco (a free translation app) and typed it in.
Wo 我 – I
Ye 也 – also
Shi 是 – am
Zui le 醉了 – drunk
“I also am drunk.”
I Remember My First Beer
In conversation with a Chinese person, if somebody says something funny or aloof in any way you are safe to respond with a:
Wo3 ye3 shi4 zui4 le! (我也是醉了)
In English it’s kind of like saying, “I remember my first beer” when someone makes a mistake or is being goofy. You don’t actually have to be drunk to say it, either. It’s one of those little phrases that make it easier to do a walk and talk at my site.
As I’ve come to find out, using Chinese slang is especially well received in class or during cooking club. It cracks students and local people up in a way that makes you the lovably relatable foreigner.
There’s plenty of slang to be slung around, too. Part of the fun of being in the Peace Corps is jumping into the foray and learning, in the thick of it, how to mix your own flavor into the bubbling cauldron of intercultural conversation.
You Real Cow
For me, chowing into that linguistic stir-fry has provided much full-fillment. There’s no knowing what’ll be at the buffet this day or that, but it usually turns out to be quite tasty.
Here’s an example of how to impress the locals using Chinese. Say this:
Ni 你 – you
Zhen 真 – real
Niu 牛 – cow
Now, in the United States if you called somebody a genuine cow you’d be looking for trouble. But in China it’s actually the highest of compliments. Similar to saying, “you’re outstanding” to someone.
Ni3 zhen1 niu2 (你真牛)
You may need to udder this phrase more than once to get the pronunciation just right. Make sure to sharply stick the NI like sixteen-year old Olympic gold-medalist Shaun Johnson during the 2008 Olympic vault finals and to lay out the ‘oooo’ of NIU like a hungry lone wolf during the mid-autumn full moon. As the enigmatic foreigner, it’s up to you to set the tone of the conversation.
Stir Fry
So far, my time mixing languages, dialects of languages, conversations, questions, answers, and misunderstandings could be summed up in one word: bewildering. Even here in China, as the only male foreigner in my city, I’m not alone in my bewilderment. When docking in foreign ports you always notice how the wind ruffles the sails of the other ships the same way it ruffles your own.
I was having a conversation in English with a second year Chinese student of mine. I asked her,
Do you like Chengxian?
NO!
Why not?
I first arrived last year I didn’t understand the local Chinese, so I had much trouble.
Originally posted in an old blog.
My Peace Corps timeline of service.
CBD Drink Mixes https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/best-cbd-gummies
Does anybody know whether VaporCast ecigarette store in 2201 Glacier Dr sells e-liquid manufactured by RYPE Vapors? I have tried sending them an email at at
sa***@ja*******.com
us states where can i sell cbd
Has anyone shopped at ECigwizard? x
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
I don’t even know the way I finished up here, but I thought this submit used to be great. I do not realize who you might be however certainly you are going to a well-known blogger in the event you aren’t already. Cheers!
you’re really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a excellent job on this topic!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most guys will go along with with your blog.
so much great info on here, : D.
Keep working ,fantastic job!
Thanks for some other informative web site. The place else could I get that type of information written in such a perfect means? I’ve a mission that I’m just now operating on, and I have been at the glance out for such info.
What i do not understood is if truth be told how you are not really much more smartly-favored than you may be right now. You’re so intelligent. You already know thus considerably when it comes to this topic, produced me in my opinion consider it from numerous various angles. Its like men and women aren’t involved until it?¦s something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your individual stuffs nice. All the time take care of it up!
I’d have to examine with you here. Which is not one thing I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a post that may make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!
As a Newbie, I am continuously browsing online for articles that can help me. Thank you
Keep working ,fantastic job!
I really value your piece of work, Great post.
Good write-up, I am normal visitor of one¦s web site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
Thank you for all your valuable labor on this website. My niece really loves working on internet research and it’s easy to see why. A number of us learn all of the powerful tactic you render informative ideas by means of this web site and even welcome participation from other ones on that subject plus our simple princess is in fact becoming educated so much. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You’re the one carrying out a pretty cool job.
Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is actually irritating. A good web site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web-site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
I’m writing to let you be aware of of the fabulous discovery my wife’s daughter developed using your blog. She learned a lot of issues, most notably what it is like to possess a great helping mood to get a number of people without problems know just exactly selected complicated subject areas. You actually surpassed her expectations. Thanks for coming up with those invaluable, safe, informative not to mention cool guidance on this topic to Kate.
Greetings from Los angeles! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your site on my iphone during lunch break. I love the information you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how fast your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, great site!
I am constantly thought about this, thanks for putting up.
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Along with every thing which seems to be developing inside this specific area, all your perspectives are somewhat exciting. On the other hand, I beg your pardon, but I can not give credence to your entire idea, all be it stimulating none the less. It looks to everybody that your comments are generally not completely justified and in simple fact you are generally your self not really wholly certain of your argument. In any case I did appreciate reading it.
I too believe so , perfectly indited post! .
Lovely just what I was looking for.Thanks to the author for taking his clock time on this one.
buy propecia without doctor Harms Reported in Studies of HIFU for Fibroid Ablation
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you offer on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
“Fantastic!”
294457 710364This really is such a fantastic post, and was thinking much exactly the same myself. Yet another wonderful update. 835797
70511 863304Id should talk to you here. Which is not some thing Which i do! I like reading an post that can make folks believe. Also, thank you for permitting me to comment! 869536
“Excellent!”
“Great job!”
“Fantastic!”
A well-crafted piece that’s full of insights.
A thought leader’s perspective – much appreciated.
970447 795698Spot on with this write-up, I genuinely assume this website wants way far more consideration. Ill probably be once much more to read far more, thanks for that information. 450415
314503 275498I believe other site proprietors ought to take this website as an model, extremely clean and wonderful user friendly style and style, as well as the content material. You are an expert in this subject! 80235
999258 542216Right after I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with exactly the same comment. Is there any method you will be able to take away me from that service? Thanks! 723960
“Keep it up!”
“Nice work!”
“Fantastic!”
“Nice work!”
“Bravo!”
“You’re amazing!”
https://licopid.ru/