Learn about loanwords in Chinese
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Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What are some common loanwords in Chinese? |
| Dehua: And, are any English words used differently in Chinese? |
| Michael: At ChineseClass101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following situation: Ben Lee is eating out with a friend, Emma Liu. They are deciding what to eat. Ben Lee says, "I want a salad." |
| 李 本: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| Dialogue |
| 李 本: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| 刘 艾玛: 我要一个三明治。 (Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.) |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| 李 本: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| Michael: "I want a salad." |
| 刘 艾玛: 我要一个三明治。 (Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.) |
| Michael: "I want a sandwich." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: Just like most languages, Chinese has picked up many loanwords from around the world. This is often the case after great periods of immigration, emigration, or, nowadays, is often the result of globalized business, travel, and communication. |
| Michael: English speakers who are learning Chinese for the first time will notice many English loanwords that now play a vital role in everyday Chinese vocabulary. Let's take the word for "T-shirt" in Chinese, which is |
| Dehua: T恤 (T xù) |
| Michael: or the word for "pizza" in Chinese, which is |
| Dehua: 披萨(pīsa) or 比萨 (bǐsà). |
| Michael: Another example is the word "daddy," which is pronounced |
| Dehua: 爹地 (diēdi), |
| Michael: and the word for "talkshow," |
| Dehua: 脱口秀 (tuōkǒuxiù). |
| Michael: Learning loanwords like these early on in your study of Chinese will help you boost your vocabulary quickly. It's also a great way to gain a deeper understanding early on of the Chinese language, culture, and international influences over a period of hundreds of years. |
| Practice Section |
| Michael: Let's review the sentences we've heard in this lesson. I'll say the sentence in English, and then I want you to try and reply in Chinese. Dehua will then model the correct answer—listen to her carefully and repeat, with emphasis on your pronunciation. |
| Do you remember how Ben Lee says "I want a salad?" |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Dehua: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| Michael: Listen again and repeat. |
| Dehua: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Dehua: 我要一份沙拉。 (Wǒ yào yī fèn shālā.) |
| Michael: And do you remember how Emma Liu says "I want a sandwich?" |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Dehua: 我要一个三明治。 (Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.) |
| Michael: Listen again and repeat. |
| Dehua: 我要一个三明治。 (Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.) |
| [Beep. Pause 5 seconds.] |
| Dehua: 我要一个三明治。 (Wǒ yào yīgè sānmíngzhì.) |
| Cultural Insight/Expansion (Optional) |
| Michael: It's nice when different cultures meet, and the loan words are like a little gift to the other culture. While more and more Chinese people are enjoying |
| Dehua: 披萨 (pīsa) |
| Michael: and |
| Dehua: 三明治 (sānmíngzhì), |
| Michael: more people in Western countries are learning Kung Fu, which is a loan word from Chinese, |
| Dehua: 功夫 (gōngfu), |
| Michael: as well as Tai-Chi, |
| Dehua: 太极 (tàijí). |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them! |
| Dehua: 再见！ (zàijiàn!) |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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