HashiriKata Posted December 23, 2005 at 09:51 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 09:51 AM 买什么好？ This is how I think the above should be pronounced: Mai3 shen2me hao3? This is what I actually heard (note the change of tone) : Mai2 shen2me hao3 ? So, can anyone tell me why mai3 changes into mai2 in this sentence (spoken by a Chinese native speaker). Is it a regional variation? Can 什么 ever be pronounced as shen3me (in stead of shen2me), which may have affected the preceding 3rd tone of 买 ? Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr. fanglang Posted December 23, 2005 at 10:35 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 10:35 AM you are right, it is often pronounced as Mai2Shen3me which affects the mai pronunciation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted December 23, 2005 at 10:52 AM Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 10:52 AM Thank you mr. fanglang, for clearing my doubt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipponman Posted December 23, 2005 at 12:20 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 12:20 PM The question is then, why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaocai Posted December 23, 2005 at 01:30 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 01:30 PM I cannot tell the reason, just because it sounds more natural to me. It also seems that sometimes it depends on how you pronounce 什么. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted December 23, 2005 at 02:25 PM Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 at 02:25 PM There are a few things in Chinese pronunciation which deviate from the dictionary forms. I remember we discussed before the pronunciation of sentences such as 你多大了? (duo1 =>duo2), 好主意! (zhu3 => zhu2). I guess "mai2 shen3me ?" here may be just a similar case to remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingfal Posted January 13, 2006 at 06:33 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 06:33 AM We often pronounce it as "mai3 shen2me hao3". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amego Posted January 13, 2006 at 10:01 AM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 10:01 AM its a rule...whenever two 3rd toned words are side by side, say AB, the word A always (well, almost) automatically changes to a 2nd tone...the reason is simple...it sounds nicer, really...if not if'll be very weird sounding...words like 老鼠 lao3 shu3 (mouse) just sound horrible...and one nice thing to note is that when we read, our brain will auto detect this and it will sound out nicely...cool...(even when reading names, where we don't know it in the first place) BUT (In Singapore) when words that are used so very often that this rule is ignore, esp for an emphatic answer... "不可以这样做的！" bu4 ke2 yi3 zhe4 yang4 zuo4 de You can't do it this way! "我懂！" wo3 dong3 I know! oh i just thought of another thing...you may ask "what if 2 or more consecutive 3rd toned words are together? simple...apply the same rule.... 老鼠很美 lao3 shu3 hen3 mei3 =>>>> lao2 shu2 hen2 mei3 Mice are beautiful yeppy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipponman Posted January 13, 2006 at 12:33 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 12:33 PM its a rule...whenever two 3rd toned words are side by side, say AB, the word A always (well, almost) automatically changes to a 2nd tone...the reason is simple...it sounds nicer, really...if not if'll be very weird sounding...words like 老鼠 lao3 shu3 (mouse) just sound horrible...and one nice thing to note is that when we read, our brain will auto detect this and it will sound out nicely...cool...(even when reading names, where we don't know it in the first place) Thats nice and everything but in the sentence买什么好, 什 is clearly second tone so that rule doesn't apply here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amego Posted January 13, 2006 at 02:19 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 02:19 PM oh i see what you mean...its just that im used to saying shen3 me...and i din realise that e post was toking about shen2 me...haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyr Posted January 13, 2006 at 09:28 PM Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 09:28 PM Sorry for my ignorance I'm very new to the language. I can read the pinyin and know it translates to: mai3 shen2me hao3 buy what good/well Could you tell me what this means and in what context it's used? Thanks, Xiang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted January 13, 2006 at 11:02 PM Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 at 11:02 PM Could you tell me what this means and in what context it's used?It's a question and literally it means "To buy what is good?" So, => What should I buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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