Has Chinese Affected Your English?

[889 1,811]

For example, I feel more comfortable with run-on sentences, they seem quite natural now.

 

And "actually" is a great word plugged into just about any sentence, actually.

[Singe 54]

It's definitely affected my sanity this year.

Seriously, I enrolled on a translation paper here through Massey University with the examination on Tuesday morning next week. I hadn't done any Chinese for years and the paper has really got me back into the swing. Loving the way the verbs just flow into each other and the complete lack of conjunctions and the fact that there are far fewer prepositions. As for the characters - beautiful! Why can't all languages be like this?

There's a real resurgence of our indigenous language, Te Reo, here in New Zealand and I've always fancied giving it a try. Not sure how well it will affect my Mandarin study now as I've enjoyed getting back in to Chinese so much.

[杰.克 160]

I often forget English words and blame it on me learning Chinese (ie not enough room in my head for both). I'm not sure whether this is true or not though 😂 it could just be because im getting older!

[markhavemann 224]

7 hours ago, 889 said:

And "actually" is a great word plugged into just about any sentence, actually.

I actually thought I was the only one who had this problem, so I'm actually quite glad to hear I'm not.

[889 1,811]

实际是这样!

[thelearninglearner 43]

3 hours ago, markhavemann said:

I actually thought I was the only one who had this problem, so I'm actually quite glad to hear I'm not.

I actually thought i was actually the only one who actually had this problem, so I'm actually quite glad to actually hear I'm actually not.

 

but yeah, my Chinese is not even all that great, but the amount of time I spend interacting with Chinese vs English (reading, writing, listening and speaking) really shows when I talk to family and have to keep thinking, "what was that word?"

[Demonic_Duck 1,459]

"Next-next week"

"and then..."

"Because X, so Y"

[suMMit 262]

when talking to a foreign friend I pause before saying 北京，上海，广州，深圳，重庆，厦门 etc thinking..."do i want to sound pretentious, or do i want to  confuse myself by saying this chinese word wrongly". Oh and of course TSING DAO!

[abcdefg 4,574]

I find that I use "Chinese-style" punctuation in written messages and informal e-mail with friends now in English. Exclamation points are an example. Almost never used them "pre-China." Now I sprinkle them around liberally. Sometimes comes across as silly or like an over-enthusiastic teenager. 

[vellocet 294]

3 hours ago, suMMit said:

Oh and of course TSING DAO!

It's amazing how many "veteran" foreigners pronounce it "Bay-zheeng".  Including ones who have lived there for ages.  

[xinoxanu 180]

Using 嗯 has become a natural part of my speech pattern - in any language I might be using, so it's definitely subconscious and ingrained at this point. Still, people give me the stink eye because it's rude to interject in such a way over here.

 

And of course, I have to moderate my use of the proper Chinese terminology for places/food/people because others will assume I am trying to show off. Well, I am not denying that... but when I am not it's definitely a pain 😶

[杰.克 160]

7 hours ago, suMMit said:

when talking to a foreign friend I pause before saying 北京，上海，广州，深圳，重庆，厦门 etc thinking..."do i want to sound pretentious, or do i want to  confuse myself by saying this chinese word wrongly". Oh and of course TSING DAO!

 

Yeah I always do this as well. Anxiety about looking uber pretentious. Often i end up going somewhere in the middle, which is the worst choice.  You both look like a dick, and also cringe and the word youve said

[thelearninglearner 43]

I also notice sometimes I say they both can (他们都) instead of they can both

[suMMit 262]

if i could say everything as naturally as i say 啊呀 i'd really be in business

[realmayo 1,942]

Anyone find themselves pronouncing "China" as first tone plus second tone?

[艾墨本 747]

• Sentence finals have unintentionally found their way onto the end of my English statements. "Lets go 吧.“
• Commas are really hard to place in both languages now. I have to consciously decide if it is a Chinese spot or an English spot for a comma.
• The lack of listing commas (、) is annoying.
• I find technical vocabulary easier to remember in Chinese, especially linguistic vocabulary. Like, WTF is syntax and teaching pedagogy and whatnot. Get me that 句法 and 教学法.
• I ask people if they have already eaten far more regularly and now very rarely ask about the weather.
• What does the word "foreigner" refer to, anyways?
• While I don't make the 嗯 sound in English, my "yeah"s are way more frequent now.

In short, yeah, learning Chinese has most certainly affected my English.

[889 1,811]

There's also what I call the kindergarten teacher effect.

 

If you spend a lot of time speaking slow and simple English to Chinese or other non-native speakers, you develop slow and simple speech patterns that carry over into daily life with everyone.

 

I always wondered how Mister Rogers sounded off-screen.

[歐博思 218]

三Q, no Q

[thelearninglearner 43]

9 hours ago, 889 said:

kindergarten teacher effect.

The parents want real immersion for the kids. Slang + college level English

[Takeshi 134]

On 10/31/2020 at 12:07 PM, 艾墨本 said:

I ask people if they have already eaten far more regularly and now very rarely ask about the weather.

 

漂亮