So the weather has really started to change here in Shanghai and of course, I have been trying to learn Chinese. The word for "hot" is "rur" and although this word looks like it is easy to say, it requires that you must move your tongue to the back of your upper teeth, move your upper lip upward and do some voicebox action to get to the right pronunciation. Needless to say, I was having some real difficulty coordinating all of these into one intelligible word for "hot" in Mandarin. Most of the time it would come out roor or rwoor. The folks in the office found this amusing and during breaks would draw pictures of the mandible and maxilla (jawbones) to show me the correct position of tongue and upper lip to create the correct sound. It has proven to be the most difficult word that I have ever attempted to learn. So Saturday, I decided to go out on a walking journey and I actually walked 16 kilometers around Shanghai. I was so preoccupied with the word for "hot" first because it was, and second, there really has never been a word that I was unable to say without just a little work. So I am walking on the streets of Shanghai and there are people passing me as I am practicing how to say "rur" I keep trying to pronounce the word "rur" as I walk. There were times when I was saying "rur" "rur" "rur" "rur""rur""rur". Never quite getting it right at any time. In reality, I am not sure just exactly what I was saying. For all intents and purposes, it could a been a swear word or something else. I guess I did not realize how loud my practice was as people were staring at me.......probably thinking that I am some sort of lunatic from May-Guo which is the Chinese word for "America" And they just kept staring at me......
I have now since mastered the word according to my friends here in Shanghai. So when I get back and see you all soon, you will just have to have me say on a very warm Michigan day......Jintian tenschi hen rur........
All for now,....take care all.
5 comments:
Don Vogrin says you are doing really well mastering the language.
It's been rur, rur, rur, here. Record temp predicted here for today.
Other than that, I'm all moved in to your row as of yesterday.
You better watch yourself -- they're going to put you on the short plane back to the US!
*sings* it's getting rur, rur, rur in here.... or something! Love you, Dad!
Well, the Piston's were not rur. They lost to the Cav's in the finals last night and can now go on vacation. They looked very lethargic.
The Tigers won last night beating the Indians 9 to 5. That stopped a 6 game losing streeeak! Ouch. We are 3.5 games behind the Indians in the standings.
I hope you are getting the BOS info. I said you and Schutte were in first last week. JJ says that was wrong. Anyway, JJ and I are back in first. He is really playing well (rur) as of late.
How do you say rain? We are getting some of that today.
Ok, back to the Weather Channel. I want to walk 9 holes today.
See ya,
BW
To All:
Aka-U have not taken my chair have you?
Lorik-Everyone here thinks I have a "unique" personality-more about that in my next blog.
Beth-It is good to hear from you daughter
Bdub-The word for rain is "shiyu"
All for now-me
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