Corrections to my written Chinese

From: my Uni friend Grace

 

Hello,

 

I read your blog today,and was impressed by your persistence in learning madarin.

 

Would you mind if I give you some advice to your writing?

 

我昨天晚上本来是打算跟我的同屋Martin吃饭。他是刚从台湾回来的。但

我昨天晚上本来打算跟我的同屋Martin一起吃饭的。他刚从台湾回来。但

 

是他最后都是跟他的叔叔吃饭，所以我就是一个人自己吃饭的。我的阿姨

是他最后和他的叔叔一起吃饭，所以我就一个人自己吃的。我的阿姨

 

是已经帮到我烧菜。他少了一个荤菜，是排骨跟豆腐的，还有一个蔬菜，

帮我烧好了菜。她烧了一个荤菜，是排骨跟豆腐，还有一个素菜，

 

但是我不认识是什么东西的。好像是白色后者说透明，一块一块这样。还

good writing    好像是白色或者说透明，一块一块这样的东西。    

 

有一个汤，蘑菇的。不错，所有都不错。吃完了饭，我看了一点一个点四

有一个蘑菇汤。不错，所有都不错。吃完了饭，我看了一点一个电视上放

 

 

的台湾电影。哪一个电影是由马马虎虎的故事，还是一点慢，但是给我多

的台湾电影。那一个电影的故事（plot）马马虎虎，节奏（pace）还有一点慢，但是我能多

              

听一点普通的中文，我没所谓。

 

我哪一个时候，我自己的感觉是忙开行的。这样过的生活是忙不错的。我

我那个时候，我自己的感觉是满/蛮开心的。这样过的生活满不错的。我

 

来了中国，不是只有困难或者难过的事情的。忽然我发觉了一点负疚的感

来了中国，不是只有困难或者难过的事情的。忽然我有一点负疚的感

 

觉。我是应该不吃怎么多饭，看电视机，我应该是先去游泳。哈哈，我碰

觉。我是不是应该少吃饭，少看电视机，我应该先去游泳。哈哈，我碰

 

到空的时间，我应该是抓紧时间去锻炼身体.

 

Kai-Wing’s thoughts having read this

Thanks Grace!

 

New words

节奏        jie2 zou4                pace / musical rythmn. 

 

Wrong words / pronounciations

满            man3                     completely / very  (I thought this was mang3)

开心        kai1 xin1                happy                     (I thought this was kai1 xing1)

 

Some carelessness in watching what my computer was putting in for words.  Some carelessness in not checking/thinking about what the computer had put in for words.  Some sentence construction problems, when putting slightly more complex sentences together.  And as Aline commented, I do use 是 far too much.

 

I think this was a good exercise.  It was a good exercise for me to do at the time, and having now read a correction, I can learn from some of my mistakes.  I think if I do this kind of thing every now and then I will make some improvements.  

 

I wonder now whether my work will provide me similar opportunities or not.  Possibly not I think.  If I could write sales proposals and presentations in Chinese then that would be great.  Realistically the best I can do right now is simple emails and chatting on MSN.  But it’s a hassle for others to correct my Chinese, and slows conversations / dialogues right down / distracts from the original topic.  Maybe the blog is indeed the best way – and hope for a kind soul like Grace to advise me where I have gone wrong!

 

How embarrassing… how incorrect my Chinese is, for such simple phrases and topics!  Thank goodness my friends and colleagues are so kind to put up with me and help me.  As a child learning Cantonese, I think it wasn’t so easy – at the time it was just too amusing for HK Chinese friends and relatives to take amusement at my mispronounciations.  Here, thankfully people are far more accommodating.