Posted on 04/18/2005 8:08:28 AM PDT by Dr. Marten
"Huh? If they're instructing Americans how to pronounce it phonetically, what does "typing Chinese into your computer" have to do with how it should be pronounced?"
It has nothing to do with being American.
On the other hand, the phonetic pronuciation is identical to the pinyin which is used to type it into your computer.
ie, it's not pronounced Tsing Tao, it's pronounced "Qing Dao" and that is how it is typed to get the Chinese character on the computer too.
Cheers!
Nothing to get into a "pissing match" over. (pun intended)
My apologies.
I didn't make an error. I said the Chinese people AROUND ME pronounced it a certain way. I also never made an error in mentioning Chinese food before I was told that I was clueless about REAL Chinese food by a sophisticated world traveler who disdains anyone who "just doesn't get it".
It's pretty simple to figure out an arrogant, condescending poster when you see one.
Accepted. Peace.
Great, so it's pronounced "Ching-Dow".
Thanks for verifying that in your roundabout way.
That's not even part of the phonetic alphabet.
That's not even part of the phonetic alphabet.
It's hard to attempt to spell a CHinese word with English or any Roman characters. Just doesn't work that way. If you say Qing Dao or Ching Dao, that still doesn't come close. There are 4 variation of pronounciation for each phonetic sound :) Hard to explain unless you have actually taken a Chinese course with Pin-yin (either the Taiwanese one or the Chinese one, doesn't matter).
China will spell Ching-Dow/Dao as Tsingtao. Just like Tsing-hua university is really pronounced more closely (not exactly) Ching Hwa. :-)
Also, Taipei is prounced more close to Tai-Bei :) Kaoshiung, the southern city, is more closely to Gao-Siung. But you still have the 4 different variation of sounds that you need to emphasize on each of those characters....
Just enjoy the beer, dammit :) I wish I can get "Taiwan" beer here.
You're one of those "last word" types I take it.
Enjoy the pijou, Pengyou!
While we're on the subject of alcohol --
anyone tried Maotai while they were in China? :)
(it's that gasoline like drink which is initially difficult to take, but after 2 shots it grows on ya, and it feels like twice as strong as vodka when you have had enough)
now that's a drink that's served best when it's warm.
That reminds me of the first time I had the pleasure of eating fish balls. When I first got to Hong Kong during my 2-year missionary stint, we had a lunch appointment with a lady who served us soup floating with the junk. I mistook them for chicken and got a sproingy surprise when I bit down. Blechhh!
When the lady went to the kitchen, my companion and I took turns flinging the balls out the window, until one bounced off the windowpane and rolled back across the room; I had to squash it under my foot to keep the hostess from noticing.
LOL! Thanks for triggering that memory!
LOL!
The first time I had fish balls (I really hate saying that), I had the same exact reaction. I just couldn't fling them out the window because my wife was the one who cooked them. Ewe!
You gotta be kidding me!
I don't know where you lived in China, but I've been all over the place and they ALL drink it warm. In fact, it wasn't until recently that they started serving it cold in places.
Actually, come to think of it, the first time I came to China it was darn near impossible to find a place that served coca cola with ice. (and that was Shanghai!)
I could go on for hours about culinary horror stories in China, and I'm sure you could do the same.
At that same lady's house, my comp forgot to tell me that in actual Chinese food, those tempting bite-sized pieces are NOT deboned. I just about popped a molar.
Another time, it was a hot summer day (and you can definitely empathize; nothing is more hellish than Chinese summers!) and our hostess brought out glasses of lemonade... or so we thought. In one of our most embarrassing moments, I clinked glasses with my comp and our two other roommates, and we tipped the bottoms toward the sky... only to spray the liquid into the atmosphere as soon as it reached the tongue. No, cold chicken broth doesn't exactly hit the spot!
I currently LIVE in South-west China and I'm telling you, they don't drink cold beer. I also lived in Hangzhou and Guangzhou. Same thing!
The only time any of my Chinese friends or relatives drink cold beer is when I am around.
99% of the people in China drink warm beer! The idea of drinking cold beer is just starting to catch on.
By the way, I've been as far north as Heilongjiang and as far south as Shenzhen.
Sorry bud, those are the facts.
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