What is in your cup?

[GeoffC]

Another Coffee ....

[Stitchawl]

As I read, I'm drinking a lovely mug of Assam, courtesy of the East India Company!

Originally Posted by astra

You have an impressive list of foreign languages because they are so different in nature.

I've lived in several different countries and traveled often though many, many more. Some languages I learned because I had to, other because it was easier to get around.

How can you learn another language if you don't know the basics of grammar of your own language?

This was my biggest problem when learning Thai! The teacher taught the class based on subject, object, preposition, etc. I hadn't thought in those terms in 50 years!

I have heard the same about Chinese?

I believe Chinese uses four tones. I know some 'traveler's Chinese' but I don't worry about getting the tones right. Locals are able to figure out what we mean based on context. Unfortunately, this is NOT the case in Japanese! Every sound must be absolutely perfect or there is no understanding. There are no tones but there are accents placing emphsis on certain parts of words. If these are wrong, they look at you like you are speaking Martian!

Stitchawl.

[pdurrant]

Coke Zero #2

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I believe Chinese uses four tones. I know some 'traveler's Chinese' but I don't worry about getting the tones right. Locals are able to figure out what we mean based on context. Unfortunately, this is NOT the case in Japanese! Every sound must be absolutely perfect or there is no understanding. There are no tones but there are accents placing emphsis on certain parts of words. If these are wrong, they look at you like you are speaking Martian!

In order to keep old brains active I have been planning to learn Japanese or Chinese if I live long enough to reach retiring age. When I learned about all the emphasis/tone issues I knew I am in the wrong department. I have absolutely no ears for sounds let alone repetitions of them. You don't want to be in the same building if I decide to sing (I and bears are probably close acquaintances from my childhood ----- there is a Russian saying about people with no ear for music: A bear stepped on your ear).

[Iridal]

Glass of water and a cup of Chinese blossom tea. This morning I finally remembered to bring some of my own tea to drink at work.

Resolution for the rest of the day: no more coffee !! I don't know whether I'll be able to survive this ...

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by astra

IYou don't want to be in the same building if I decide to sing (I and bears are probably close acquaintances from my childhood ----- there is a Russian saying about people with no ear for music: A bear stepped on your ear).

Switching to Bombay Sapphire for the evening... I like blue!

No ear for music shouldn't stop you. I'm deaf but sing and play guitar. Why not? I don't have to listen to it!

Stitchawl

[GeoffC]

In order to keep my brain somewhat active, another Coffee, Black ....

No ear for music shouldn't stop you. I'm deaf but sing and play guitar. Why not? I don't have to listen to it!

I can 'hear' my voice when I talk, can't you? Transfer through the bone?

[maianhvk]

Chinese is easy to speak, but when it comes to writing / reading it's insanely hard. Just one simple tiny dot and the word is completely different. I'm clumsy with pen in hand and I've seen many friends of mine practising writing in Chinese for days and months - still they haven't had the slightest idea of writing a whole sentence on their own; and from that perspective I admire Chinese children.

Somehow I have advantage in learning Chinese, cause Vietnam (as well as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia... any country that lies near China) is affected by China in many ways, including many elements in language - China has always been a vast civilization. Vietnamese sounds 80-90% alike Chinese. Oh and Vietnamese has 5 tones by the way Listening to foreigners speaking Vietnamese is almost irresistible to us

[happy_terd]

coffee number 2. A headache already and the day hasnt even started.

[david_e]

Starbucks French Roast... made in a french press... I really love dark / bold coffee but this batch of beans seems a bit more smokey than normal... should have made some Sumatran

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I can 'hear' my voice when I talk, can't you? Transfer through the bone?

Sure, but I can't tell if I'm in tune or not. Everything sounds fine... from my side.



Stitchawl

[astra]

A cup of Yorkshire Gold tea dust
(lunch)

[ProfCrash]

sheeesh take a long weekend off and look what happens.

I started the day with a Yogurt Smoothie. I am currently enjoying pot 1 of Rooibos Lemon.

I sampled many teas this weekend. I very much enjoyed my China Pu-Erh Taocha from Tea Gschwendner this weekend. I am going to look into getting some different types once the credit card is paid off, so sometime in March.

I did enjoy Lapsang Souchong. I had a mug or two by the fire place while reading and chasing after a puppy. A very smart puppy who likes shoes. and pillows. and bean bags. and anything that isn't a chew toy when he thinks we are not watching. Cooper ended up on a leash attached to the leg of the couch with a chew toy to play with. I ended up reheating tea.

I tried Tea Gschwendner's Diplomats Tea and have decided that I don't like blends of Assam and Darjeeling. It is not that they are bad but that they are boring.

I speak one language. I was semi-fluent in Italian when I was in College. I arrived in Milan speaking no Italian and left debating politics at the end of six months. The problem is that there are not too many Italian speakers in the US so I did not use it when I came home.

I do speak advanced statistics, game theory, and tea. Does that count for anything?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Sure, but I can't tell if I'm in tune or not. Everything sounds fine... from my side.



Stitchawl

That is all that matters...no?!

[ProfCrash]

Onto a pot of Pu-Erh. Finally getting to try a resteep. The resteep looks darker then the original steep. I might even be adventerous and try a third steep.