I'm very fortunate that there's an amazing tea stand directly across from the front gate of our school. Needless to say, I frequent it often. Last night, a friend and I were picking up drinks when one of my students showed up. We chatted for a few minutes until he was ready to leave.
Student: Hao. Wo xian zou le. (translated - Ok, I'm going now.)
Me: Ok.
Student: Wo xian zou le.
Me: Ok.
Student: (a little more emphatically) Wo xian zou le.
Me: Uh...ok then.
Student: (slightly perplexed) Do you know what I am saying?
Me: Yes - ni xian zou le. (You're going now.) But I don't know why you're still here.
Student: Wo xian zou...(finally realizing I had indeed understood his Chinese)...ohhh, bye!
He skipped class yesterday. Otherwise, he might not have been so quick to assume my inability to communicate. In class yesterday I mentioned how most people in the US expect everyone (foreigners included) to be able to communicate in English, whereas most Chinese (at least in our area) assume foreigners are unable to communicate in Mandarin. I mentioned how sometimes I can't help myself when I overhear people talking about me with "Lao wai...ta ting bu dong." ("Ah, a foreigner...she can't understand what she hears.") Sometimes before I even realize it I've responded with "Ting de dong." ("I do understand.") At times, that has led to a fun conversation, but I'm pretty sure my student's bashful reaction of running off has been my favorite so far.
Student: Hao. Wo xian zou le. (translated - Ok, I'm going now.)
Me: Ok.
Student: Wo xian zou le.
Me: Ok.
Student: (a little more emphatically) Wo xian zou le.
Me: Uh...ok then.
Student: (slightly perplexed) Do you know what I am saying?
Me: Yes - ni xian zou le. (You're going now.) But I don't know why you're still here.
Student: Wo xian zou...(finally realizing I had indeed understood his Chinese)...ohhh, bye!
He skipped class yesterday. Otherwise, he might not have been so quick to assume my inability to communicate. In class yesterday I mentioned how most people in the US expect everyone (foreigners included) to be able to communicate in English, whereas most Chinese (at least in our area) assume foreigners are unable to communicate in Mandarin. I mentioned how sometimes I can't help myself when I overhear people talking about me with "Lao wai...ta ting bu dong." ("Ah, a foreigner...she can't understand what she hears.") Sometimes before I even realize it I've responded with "Ting de dong." ("I do understand.") At times, that has led to a fun conversation, but I'm pretty sure my student's bashful reaction of running off has been my favorite so far.
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