I don't understand Mandarin

[Cindytan]

There is a distinctive lack of festive mood in Chinese new year & Mid Autumn Festival in China (at least Shanghai).

 

I was so excited when I go there during these period, but was quite disappointed. Most just put some cut board print posters if at all. I went to the city center thinking to seeing big festive decoration at malls & streets. The only place that I see have some significant decor is Raffle Mall in downtown Shanghai. LOL.

 

Even my German Colleague told me he feel more CNY mood in Singapore than China.

 

In most countries, big cultural events are celebrated with a lot of fanfares, with nice decoration in towns & city. So much cultural things seems to be lost in China. It seems Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sinagpore, & Chinatowns around the world are the areas that still retain a lot of Chinese culture & tradition.

 

i only feel chinese new year in singapore when i was in china town or some provision shop that are own by the chinese with the red red pretty pretty decoration but i think hari raya is better the malays are all wearing sarong or their baju, but not all chinese wear chongsum when they roam the street or for visiting? like that then got the atmosphere ma.

 

[Tigerwoods]

How many chinese singaporeans can really claim standard mandarin as their mother tongue? Unless your ancestors came from the beijing area, your mother tongue is not mandarin.. it would be hokkien, cantonese, hakka, teochew etc.. None of my ancestors spoke mandarin well, and neither can my family's current generation (extended cousins included).. we do not feel any "shame" in not speaking it well.

Of all the China languages, I think the most eloquent language is Cantonese.

 

[Tigerwoods]

English is a commercial language, it's a practical language that we should learn but don't neglect your own mother tongue (Chinese) and the culture. But what have we today? Bunch of hypocrites who are short sighted. If a language has no commercial value, to them, it means no value.

 

That's why Singaporean are not united, esp. the chinese, either at homeland or overseas, because their cultural values are very weak. It's fault of our education system that produces 'robots' that is good only for business industries. Well, what is the meaning of life for someone who cannot even appreciate the beauty in that sense of belonging?

 

I cannot comprehend that mother tongue is taught in school since primary schools and a person can say they do not speak Chinese without shame. Not only they dispise chinese newspaper n literature, chinese music n language, they even dispise others that are not as vonversant in English as them. To these bunch of ppl exist till today, Singaporean Chinese, who can speak your own language but do not respect own language, root or culture, I really dispise you.

 

You are as good as dispising your own father and mother who gave birth to you, you must be thinking, why didnt your mother married ang mo so you can be non chinese!!! Bananas!

 

Yes, there will be a day when 'being Singaporean' has no value, and where are we going to for recognition?

You dispise or you DESPISE ?

[Menzterminator]

 

 

you should be telling your story to many of others around who still thinks Chinese language is not a way of life around.

As long as someone has that blood in them, they should know at the very least the basic...

 

My dad during his schooling days took Malay as a 2nd language...

however, through the years, he too has mastered the art of reading chinese papers and communicating in Chinese.

Though the words he uses may be funny at times, but it is enough to get him around even in China...

 

 

 

Came from an English speaking background, sent to an all-boys school in Singapore, spoke English all the way. I was an NS deferrer and went to school in Australia and the USA. 6 years of hanging out with Americans, Australians and friends from all over the world and English was the only language spoken. Whatever Mandarin i had learnt in primary and secondary school was reduced to food ordering at Chinese restaurants run by HK immigrants who insisted on speaking Mandarin to me when they found out i was from Singapore.

 

Hence it was like a culture shock when i came back to do NS. I didn't understand a word the sergeant was screaming during BMT (in broken English and Singlish) and i had communication problems with the poly grads in my platoon. I am a pretty outgoing kind of guy and it kind of disturbed that i was unable to make friends. I refused to be like those introverts in the platoon who kept to themselves; it wasn't me.

 

So what did i do? I had to adapt quickly, make friends, speak their lingo. I began to re-learn Mandarin (it wasn't too difficult!) and picked up gutter/pasar Mandarin, Hokkien and the latest Singlish lingo.

 

When you need to survive, you will learn.

 

During my NS days, i got to know this girl from a Mandarin speaking background and fell in love with her. In our years together, i had gotten close to her family, their language, their way of life. I spoke Mandarin to them, of course. It was fascinating the way all the Mandarin I had learned in my life came to me so easily when i needed it to impress girlfriend's parents.

 

We are no more together but i learnt one thing: when one really wants something, one will do anything to get it.

 

Today, i can converse with the coffeeshop ah pek in Mandarin and Hokkien. I enjoy watching HK serials and listening to HK Canto pop, an influence from the HK friends i had in college. I can talk c--k sing song with the mechanics at the car workshops i choose to go. I can joke with the China girl at the Ban Mian stall. Socialising at the KTV with China women is a breeze for me nowadays.

 

I still cannot read some of the more cheem Chinese, but i can read the headlines of sensational newspapers at petrol stations while queuing to pay. And i can read the Chinese subtitles (fan ti) of the music videos at the KTVs.

 

[Renegade777]

im not say china.

 

if japan can make it compulsory for basic english lessons,

 

if korea can,

 

heck even many countries in europe can,

 

why not china?

 

and pls dont shoot me.

 

im merely stating opinions.

 

any direct shots, pls pm me. if not, dont post.

 

You need English lessons and not China la. China can close its doors and still survive. However, any English speaking countries that closes their door spells doom. China can still be self-sufficient if they opt to. See the difference or not. In actual fact, more and more Caucasians are learning to speak Mandarin to accomodate China. Good for Chinese nationals to learnt English but the impact is little coz the world is turning to them. Our future generations better learnt Mandarin for the sake of livelihood or else it will be damn difficult.

 

English or Mandarin ? It is better to be Lalang and the time has come for the change. So starts swaying or be let out.

 

 

 

 

 

[Menzterminator]

1997????

do you know how much has changed since then????

how the Americans are slowly stepping down from being the leader of all nations???

 

think about it man...

one day, everywhere is gonna be flooded by Chinese and indians...

its not surprising as they are the heaviest populated countries...

 

 

The following is a list of these languages in terms of the number of countries where each is spoken. The number that follows is the total number of countries that use that language (from Weber, 1997):

 

English (115)

French (35)

Arabic (24)

Spanish (20)

Russian (16)

German (9)

Mandarin (5)

Portuguese (5)

Hindi/Urdu (2)

Bengali (1)

Japanese (1)

 

Only 5 countries are recognised as speaking Mandarin, compared to 115 for English.

 

[Scion]

I agree with you the beauty of chinese.

 

Sorry, what does your 2 chinese verse mean? One from poem I think from google translate not helpful. Thks

 

 

 

我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑

 

part of tan shi tong's poem when he was caught by the qing court

tan shi tong was one of the reformists in late qing dynasty

 

the poem displayed his fearless attitude during the execution

literally means: when facing the execution sabre, i look up at the sky and laugh, and i leave behind my guts as large and magnificent as the kunlun mountains

 

 

 

黄鹤一去不复返，白云千载空悠悠

 

part of the tang poem "黄鹤楼"

 

this verse literally means when the yellow crane flew away, it won't not return and the sky was left with only white clouds for thousand years

the deeper meaning refers to the emotional thoughts of the poet, when he visited 黄鹤楼 because of its fine reputation.. however, it turned out to be an ordinary building which lost its previous glory, thus it disappointed the poet greatly

 

this verse can be used to describe that everything in this world doesn't last forever, be it people, landmarks, wealth, etc

a close english translation will be "time and tide waits for no man"

Edited October 13, 2011 by Scion

[Tigerwoods]

English is a commercial language, it's a practical language that we should learn but don't neglect your own mother tongue (Chinese) and the culture. But what have we today? Bunch of hypocrites who are short sighted. If a language has no commercial value, to them, it means no value.

 

That's why Singaporean are not united, esp. the chinese, either at homeland or overseas, because their cultural values are very weak. It's fault of our education system that produces 'robots' that is good only for business industries. Well, what is the meaning of life for someone who cannot even appreciate the beauty in that sense of belonging?

 

I cannot comprehend that mother tongue is taught in school since primary schools and a person can say they do not speak Chinese without shame. Not only they dispise chinese newspaper n literature, chinese music n language, they even dispise others that are not as vonversant in English as them. To these bunch of ppl exist till today, Singaporean Chinese, who can speak your own language but do not respect own language, root or culture, I really dispise you.

 

You are as good as dispising your own father and mother who gave birth to you, you must be thinking, why didnt your mother married ang mo so you can be non chinese!!! Bananas!

 

Yes, there will be a day when 'being Singaporean' has no value, and where are we going to for recognition?

I agree with you on the part that SG treats all citizens as economic tools. We live on a production line system in a Commercialised Country.

But I don't agree that Chinese language is our Mother tongue.

For me Cantonese language is my mother tongue. To others Hokkien, Teochew, Hainan, Hakka.

Cantonese could have been the official language in China...

[Littleknown]

我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑

 

part of tan shi tong's poem when he was caught by the qing court

tan shi tong was one of the reformists in late qing dynasty

 

the poem displayed his fearless attitude during the execution

literally means: when facing the execution sabre, i look up at the sky and laugh, and i leave behind my guts as large and magnificent as the kunlun mountains

 

 

 

黄鹤一去不复返，白云千载空悠悠

 

part of the tang poem "黄鹤楼"

 

this verse literally means when the yellow crane flew away, it won't not return and the sky was left with only white clouds for thousand years

the deeper meaning refers to the emotional thoughts of the poet, when he visited 黄鹤楼 because of its fine reputation.. however, it turned out to be an ordinary building which lost its previous glory, thus it disappointed the poet greatly

 

this verse can be used to describe that everything in this world doesn't last forever, be it people, landmarks, wealth, etc

a close english translation will be "time and tide waits for no man"

 

Thanks!!! I learn something new today!!! Chinese is a language of great depth. Really appreciate your time.

 

 

[Jpcc]

The following is a list of these languages in terms of the number of countries where each is spoken. The number that follows is the total number of countries that use that language (from Weber, 1997):

 

English (115)

French (35)

Arabic (24)

Spanish (20)

Russian (16)

German (9)

Mandarin (5)

Portuguese (5)

Hindi/Urdu (2)

Bengali (1)

Japanese (1)

 

Only 5 countries are recognised as speaking Mandarin, compared to 115 for English.

You have to consider the colonial eras,.

1997, HK was just returned back to China.

 

China had been weak for 300-400 years, while the empire of the sun and the colonial powers (English, French, Spanish) had been on the rise after renaissance.

 

Singapore benefited largely from sea trade for at least 200 years.

 

Most of the older people benefited from English governance were Chinese illiterates (e.g. first two generations of pappy leaders/ power core).

There are some Chinese educated in pappy group after 1965, but I won't think they are considered in the power core, other than otc, even though he was not given face with a reply of 56 man years. I don't really think that is considered in the power core.

Edited October 13, 2011 by Jpcc

[Tigerwoods]

you another night owl!!

 

i had problem with old password / nick yesterday while using my office notebook.... (it had a mini crash and i ended up asking for a new password and got it plus a new nick (compulsory)...)

 

when i reached home and used my own notebook, presto!! --------- i got back my old nick.... quite happy with my 'reunion' with old nick, eveytime back to normal now... i hope

Pls lah Password use 123 lah...

[Menzterminator]

I agree with you on the part that SG treats all citizens as economic tools. We live on a production line system in a Commercialised Country.

But I don't agree that Chinese language is our Mother tongue.

For me Cantonese language is my mother tongue. To others Hokkien, Teochew, Hainan, Hakka.

Cantonese could have been the official language in China...

 

In SG, our supposed 1st language till present is malay..

it should not change in honour of Sang Nila Utama...

 

We are taught lessons is English...

this helps us because we are able to communicate with most countries this way...

we also have language lessons in Chinese and Malay...

 

this further widens our communication ability...

 

the one Wow factor even though we do not speak both English and Mandarin well is the knowledge of both....

and to add on further with the dialects we pick up... we are probably one of the few "Special countries" in the world which speaks 5 languages or more(If we include dialects)

certainly this makes us one of the most intellectual ppl in the world...

 

All these are only IMO...

[Tigerwoods]

In SG, our supposed 1st language till present is malay..

it should not change in honour of Sang Nila Utama...

 

We are taught lessons is English...

this helps us because we are able to communicate with most countries this way...

we also have language lessons in Chinese and Malay...

 

this further widens our communication ability...

 

the one Wow factor even though we do not speak both English and Mandarin well is the knowledge of both....

and to add on further with the dialects we pick up... we are probably one of the few "Special countries" in the world which speaks 5 languages or more(If we include dialects)

certainly this makes us one of the most intellectual ppl in the world...

 

All these are only IMO...

Chinese is a dialect too.

[KARternew]

Chinese is a dialect too.

How come? isnt chinese 'above' dialect?.... unless we only consider Beijin chinese as the true 'chinese' language?

[KARternew]

Pls lah Password use 123 lah...

how can? then everyone can log on as KARTer liao :D

[Menzterminator]

Chinese is a dialect too.

 

 

It has since becomed a language...

 

The present Chinese language varieties developed out of the different ways in which dialects of Old Chinese and Middle Chinese evolved. Traditionally, seven major groups of dialects have been recognized. Aside from Mandarin, the other six are Wu Chinese, Hakka Chinese, Min Chinese, Xiang Chinese, Yue Chinese and Gan Chinese. More recently, other more specific groups have been recognized.

 

 

[KARternew]

You have to consider the colonial eras,.

1997, HK was just returned back to China.

 

China had been weak for 300-400 years, while the empire of the sun and the colonial powers (English, French, Spanish) had been on the rise after renaissance.

 

Singapore benefited largely from sea trade for at least 200 years.

 

Most of the older people benefited from English governance were Chinese illiterates (e.g. first two generations of pappy leaders/ power core).

There are some Chinese educated in pappy group after 1965, but I won't think they are considered in the power core, other than otc, even though he was not given face with a reply of 56 man years. I don't really think that is considered in the power core.

lky and gang are basically jiak-kang-tang type, he learned chinese for economic reasons:- he hasnt learned even a gram of humility which is a key component of true chinese culture.

[Badder]

chinese is only useful in china and taiwan. no other country in the world uses it.

 

lol wait 10 years then see how