Are you Chinese or English?

[Benarsenal]

Just a simple question, no controversy here.

I notice some people here read and follow Chinese language media.

For me, while I can speak Chinese (and have worked in China), I'm a bit illiterate at reading Chinese words. I mostly read in English.

[Beregond]

On 1/2/2024 at 3:45 PM, Benarsenal said:

Just a simple question, no controversy here.

I notice some people here read and follow Chinese language media.

For me, while I can speak Chinese (and have worked in China), I'm a bit illiterate at reading Chinese words. I mostly read in English.

Speak both Chinese and English.

Read both Chinese and English.

Write English.

But without PC hanyupingyin help. I think I cannot write Chinese already😪

[Lala81]

Hmm I think more importantly is can you think in the language. Your internal monologue. 

I don't like to read Chinese current affairs. But no problem with Chinese novels. 

Of course it's easier to skim English articles. Just by sheer practice. Chinese have to take conscious effort cos lot of current affairs vocabulary/names need some translation 

[Jman888]

read, speak n write in both chinese n english, recently join some hobby forum groups in Taiwan n HK hence get to practice more writing in chinese (traditional chinese) 

[Beregond]

On 1/2/2024 at 4:45 PM, Jman888 said:

 (traditional chinese) 

Huh. Mean what? U write in 繁体字？😅

[kobayashiGT]

On 1/2/2024 at 4:04 PM, Beregond said:

Speak both Chinese and English.

Read both Chinese and English.

Write English.

But without PC hanyupingyin help. I think I cannot write Chinese already😪

same. hahaa. I always use https://www.pinyinput.com/?lang=en to text my father one. hahahahah. If not voice message him. 

[Lala81]

On 1/2/2024 at 4:25 PM, Lala81 said:

Hmm I think more importantly is can you think in the language. Your internal monologue. 

I don't like to read Chinese current affairs. But no problem with Chinese novels. 

Of course it's easier to skim English articles. Just by sheer practice. Chinese have to take conscious effort cos lot of current affairs vocabulary/names need some translation 

Sorry to elaborate. 

I think it's hard to think high level thoughts in Chinese. 

I find English an incredibly effective way to communicate complex ideas. As in you can listen to very intelligent people and can catch ball easily. But for Chinese, a lot of depth in every word. 

Just like how for Idioms, English ones u roughly can catch ball. For Chinese, really without translation and lot of context, catch no ball. 

 

[Jman888]

On 1/2/2024 at 4:47 PM, Beregond said:

Huh. Mean what? U write in 繁体字？😅

yes that, dun pray pray i got write calligraphy one 

[Benarsenal]

On 1/2/2024 at 4:25 PM, Lala81 said:

Hmm I think more importantly is can you think in the language. Your internal monologue. 

I don't like to read Chinese current affairs. But no problem with Chinese novels. 

Of course it's easier to skim English articles. Just by sheer practice. Chinese have to take conscious effort cos lot of current affairs vocabulary/names need some translation 

For me it's mostly English. Sometimes I need to think quite hard to express certain things in Chinese, so my Chinese level really not quite there.

[Mustank]

I am money 😅

[Beregond]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:15 PM, Benarsenal said:

For me it's mostly English. Sometimes I need to think quite hard to express certain things in Chinese, so my Chinese level really not quite there.

To communicate in basic Chinese is easy.

But deeper abit. to use 诗词。 not that easy.  Need alot of study.

Not practical  in sg also. Unless it's interest. 

Not to mention writing.

I think soon the current gen cannot even speak properly already.

[Lala81]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:31 PM, Beregond said:

To communicate in basic Chinese is easy.

But deeper abit. to use 诗词。 not that easy.  Need alot of study.

Not practical  in sg also. Unless it's interest. 

Not to mention writing.

I think soon the current gen cannot even speak properly already.

Unless you are 华校生 like from my FIL time, very difficult. Or those who work with Chinese medium all the time, like broadcasters or journalist. 

Yeah you see the prcs and Taiwanese explaining something about philosophy . U don't even know what they mean. They have to explain word by word. 

Edited January 2 by Lala81

[Sosaria]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:31 PM, Beregond said:

To communicate in basic Chinese is easy.

But deeper abit. to use 诗词。 not that easy.  Need alot of study.

Not practical  in sg also. Unless it's interest. 

Not to mention writing.

I think soon the current gen cannot even speak properly already.

Because for the current gen, the chinese literati have largely disappeared. And even in home environment that speaks mandarin, the vocab is confined to everyday conversational stuff, nothing too deep or technical.

Those that can speak or write or think in mandarin very well will be the new citizen  Does that count?

 

 

[kobayashiGT]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:02 PM, Lala81 said:

Sorry to elaborate. 

I think it's hard to think high level thoughts in Chinese. 

I find English an incredibly effective way to communicate complex ideas. As in you can listen to very intelligent people and can catch ball easily. But for Chinese, a lot of depth in every word. 

Just like how for Idioms, English ones u roughly can catch ball. For Chinese, really without translation and lot of context, catch no ball. 

 

I 省吃俭用, but when i wanna buy house i 无可奈何, because the property price 乱七八糟, i shall 顺其自然 .

like this you can understand? ahahaha 

[inlinesix]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:48 PM, kobayashiGT said:

I 省吃俭用, but when i wanna buy house i 无可奈何, because the property price 乱七八糟, i shall 顺其自然 .

like this you can understand? ahahaha 

This is quite normal

[kobayashiGT]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:50 PM, inlinesix said:

This is quite normal

my situation normal or the price is normal? or my idioms is normal? 

hahaha. can you don't 一针见血 😂

[inlinesix]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:52 PM, kobayashiGT said:

my situation normal or the price is normal? or my idioms is normal? 

hahaha. can you don't 一针见血 😂

The way you talk is normal

[Benarsenal]

On 1/2/2024 at 5:42 PM, Sosaria said:

Because for the current gen, the chinese literati have largely disappeared. And even in home environment that speaks mandarin, the vocab is confined to everyday conversational stuff, nothing too deep or technical.

Those that can speak or write or think in mandarin very well will be the new citizen  Does that count?

 

 

But I see some people here Chinese quite tok gong leh 🤭

For me I can't even understand Lianhe Zaobao