What is the difference between a big school and a big school?

Today I had a chat with Fredrik at a cup of coffee in the cafe where we usually go. We started talking about the difference in languages since there was entering a couple of japanese, a young lady, probably a student and an older man with shirt and intellectual appearance. Both seemed to be very balanced and well educated, something that might be special to see in China (at least for our conception of balance & education).
Unnecessary to say that chinese people „hate“ japanese, as they say, and the reason is easy and not to understand for a foreigner like me: „because of history, you know“. I dont know if the reason they name most of the time should just hide a kind of envy. To discuss about that is equal to enter in a never ending cycle.
I tried, I was misunderstood and at the end I was taught.
Anyway, the japanese couple beside our table began to discuss something and we were happy that we were able to distinguish chinese from japanese.
We as very beginner in learning the chinese language have a bit of a clue how this language works:
'daxue' means university and 'xue' just means school. If you put the caracter for 'big' (in chinese 'da') infront of 'xue' you get a 'big school', a university.
An other example could be shown from a question form. 'Bu' is the negation and it works like the following formula: verb + 'Bu' +verb. Translated it would sound like this 'do you see or you dont?', 'do you go or you dont?', 'do you like or you dont',....
As I know there is no word for 'without', you are supposed to by-pass it and replace it with a sentence where you use 'not have'. Or lets put it this way: dictionary says 'without' is same word as 'not have' but if you use it you actually say 'not have' in chinese. Confused?

The question came up.
Do you think the Chinese language can be as specific as English when it is about a certain subject for example in science?
I surely do not know but Im really curious about that, how accurate you can determinate and define the differences in things.

Our conclusion:
For now it seems like japanese are drawing with tiny brushes to make sure every stroke is in the right place and chinese is painted like a contemporary illustration done with one bucket and it says 'daxue'.

random news VS. whats going on?

what happened?
we went to a beach on the weekend, we got to know a really nice french man who inspired with some great pix to put some effort to fix my 50mm, i fixed my 50mm lens, i got the booklet/catalogue from the shooting , i got a book from zhouhanlin (kate)-the photographer girl- her final work on the university, we have a exam on thursday (tomorrow), further there will be a party in laowaitan on friday because some guys will leave china and go back to sweden or whatever.. sad to hear for those who stay.
my girl told me she managed to sell my guitar, im rich again.

that was written last wednesday if i remember well, and this time i'll throw on the blog, just to save the site from my laziness. maybe this kind of diary writing is going to be posted more often in the future..i like it.

more news since that is also: inter milan won the champions league, i got 80 points at the last exam (yes!), helene has a blog as well now, we bought finally tennis rackets, bayern lost the champions league, i got my first tie and nothing even more boring to tell.

in the next episode you learn how to burn a bridge after passing it without being a bastard, a pyromaniac or steven seagal!

The racket is broken after 2 days..

About a meeting

"On wednesday there is a meeting at the government and it is organized by the government." James, the man who makes everything possible (no matter how......), asked three foreigners to show up at that date.
So, today Sandra, Federigo de Svezia and I went there..
you know, when someone tells you that you are going to watch a new action movie with lots of great actors, expensive cars and so on but at the end instead of that you get a theater performance acted by 13 years old kids, while you are filmed by a local TV. Maybe they are talented and give their best, but still it is not the same what you've expected. So what are you going to say when they ask you questions from which you can tell they just want to get the proof they are good, unique and that they have reason to be proud? You lie. Straight in the face.
..well, we went there and we figured out really soon that the location was a kind of a museum, people were expecting us and welcome us really formal and friendly. After a while we recognized a camera team is joining us.. taking pictures of us... filming.. and interviewing: How many cities have you been in china? Do you travel by yourself or with a friend as a translator? Did you have some trouble while travelling?
Do you like China? Do you like this place? What do you thinkg about the Chinese Government? What about their service?
We knew it was all about representing the foreign face for the TV.

Anyway, we've seen a historic temple, exchanged some contacts, got to know some people, got a free thermos bottle and too much money to pay the taxi. Hao de!

Dong Qian Lake - Fotostream

I was trying to write something about the last day of holiday, beginning with a introduction of the translation programs and the difficulties to use them in the right way, if there is one... but it didn't came as expected.

The "Good Morning, first of all a Photo..." post was inspired by Kwerfeldein.de, I think it is one of the nicest ways to start a posting :)

On monday, Fredrik, Emilie and I went to Dong Qian Lake in the near south of Ningbo. Nice weather, ocean breeze, suntan and beeing tourist - everything captured with our cameras.

(fredriks picasa: http://picasaweb.google.com/hanfre79)

"Fritz has taken some more ping-pong in their bags" / "Fritz hat etwas mehr Ping-Pong in ihren Taschen genommen"

Original

Wie versprochen, mit dem besten, einzigartigen und fehlerlosestem Übersetzungsprogramm das Google zu bieten hat, vom Deutschen ins Englische zu Computer gebracht. Natürlich will ich es dem Übersetzer, ich nenne ihn mal Fritz, nicht all zu leicht machen. Fritz kommt beim Chinesischen leicht ins stottern und vor allem wenn er chinesisch ins Englische übersetzt. Das kommt dann einem Sauerkraut mit Meeresfrüchten und verschiedenem Obst gleich. Um Fritz nicht bloß zu stellen, wurde in China ein Artgenosse nachgebaut, sein Bruder, wenn man so will, ich gebe ihm den Namen PingPong. PingPong weiß seinen Bruder zu retten, denn er zieht die Aufmerksamkeit auf sich, das manifestiert sich durch das geschriebene Englisch. Tatsächlich kommen Sätze dabei raus, die kein Komiker hätte erfinden können. Sätze die Goethe erblassen, Churchill verstummen und Einstein doof aussehen ließen. Denn alles hat seinen Sinn und damit auch jedes Wort seine verschiedenen zwiespältigen Bedeutungen. Im Gesprochenen finden sich plötzlich Wörter, die für jegliche Adjektive Synonyme bilden. Zwar kennt man die Wörter, doch sind Sie das Maß der Dinge für den alltäglichen Sprachgebrauch. Sie sind entweder convenient oder delicious. Ich weiß nicht ob Fritz da etwas mehr in die Trickkiste gegriffen hätte, für PingPong scheint es schließlich angenehm zu sein.

Aber was ich damit sagen will ist: PingPong ist gut, aber Tennis ist besser. Fritz weiß das nicht, denn er spielt Basketball.

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Origano (German to Chinese and then to English)

As promised to provide, with the best, unique perfect program, Google translation into English brought from Germany to the computer. I certainly hope it's translated, I call him Fred, do not do easy. Fritz is the stutter easy access to the Chinese, especially when the Chinese translated into English. This is a cabbage, seafood and various fruits. Fritz provides not only is a copy of the same race, his brother, if you like, I gave him the name Ping Pong. Ping-pong to know to save his brother, because he drew attention to itself, it is itself embodied in written English. In fact, the sentence out of here, comedians will not be invented. Set Goethe pale, silent but Churchill and Einstein look stupid. Because everything has meaning, so every word of all kinds of ambiguous meaning. Suddenly found that his words are synonyms of adjectives. Although we know it, but it is a measure of things you use every day. They are either easy or delicious. I do not know it because Fritz has taken some more ping-pong in their bags cross the border, it seems finally comfortable.
But I will say is: ping-pong is good, but tennis is better. Fritz did not know, because he plays basketball.

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Original (German to English)

As promised to offer, with the best, unique and flawless translation program that Google has brought into English from German to computer. Of course I want it to the translator, I call him Fred, do not do all too easily. Fritz comes to stutter slightly at the Chinese and especially when Chinese translated into English. This is then a cabbage with seafood and various fruits like. To provide not only Fritz was in China a replica conspecific, his brother, if you will, I give him the name PingPong. PingPong knows to save his brother, because he draws attention to itself, which manifests itself through the written English. Actually come out sentences here, the comedian would not have invented. Sets the Goethe pale, silent, Churchill and Einstein did look stupid. Because everything has a meaning and therefore every word of his various ambiguous meanings. In spoken suddenly find words that are synonyms for any adjectives. Although we know the words, but you are the measure of things for everyday usage. They are either convenient or delicious. I do not know if Fritz had since taken a little more in its bag of tricks for PingPong, it seems finally comfortable.
But what I'm saying is: PingPong is good, but tennis is better. Fritz does not know that because he plays basketball.

Guten Abend, erstmal ein Foto...

oder auch mehrere Fotos. Letzte Woche hatte ich das Vergnügen in das Büro eines Fotografielehrers geladen zu werden. Ich wurde begleitet von einem schwedischen Freund und einem aufgewecktem jungen Chinesen, dessen Englisch hin und wieder eine Fragezeichen aufwirft, ansonsten aber einwandfrei ist. Hinter seinem englischen Namen Kevin verbirgt sich der chinesische He Xiaping. Wir hatten uns durch das "Shooting" kennen gelernt. Kevin, Fredrik und Ich gingen in das Gebäude 52, in welchem wir Prof. Jiang antrafen. Wir tauschten uns mittels Kevins Sprachkenntnisse aus, plauderten über dies und jenes und bekamen schließlich einige Arbeiten des Professors zu sehen und nachfolgend praktische Tipps. Der Professor und passionierte Fotograf Jiang geleitete uns dazu noch in sein Equipment Raum um uns verschiedene Kameras, Objektive und technische Spielereien zu demonstrieren. Die guten Stücke waren umgeben von faszinierten Kinderaugen.

Das Treffen fand aber bald ein abruptes Ende da Herr Jiang ein beschäftigter Mann an der Universität ist.

Ich verließ das Gebäude mit neuer Motivation und ein wenig Unsicherheit, hatte mich der Professor doch eingeladen ihm einige Fotos per mail zukommen zu lassen.

Mit einem Chinesisch auf Krücken verschicke ich meine 6 Bilder. Einen Tag später kommt die Antwort, ein 6 zeiliger Absatz aus reinem Chinesisch. Ich verstehe "Hallo", das Datum, mein Name sowie einige Wörter, wie "ist" und "haben". Ach ja, 50mm konnte ich auch verstehen da es nicht übersetzt war.

Weil ich keinen chinesischen Kontakt in einen meiner Chat-Programme online fand musste ich zu Google-Übersetzung greifen. Nachfolgend sieht man mein Chinesisch auf Krücken, das mit der Übersetzung endgültig zu Fall kam, und weil es so lustig war, wird der nächste Eintrag von Google ins Englische übersetzt.

"Hallo Lehrer,

Ich bin ein Student aus.

Meine Fotografien sind zu klein, ist die Auflösung nicht gut, sorry!

Grams schreiben Sie Ihre Meinung zu diesem so gut?

Mein Chinesisch ist nicht gut, sorry!

Auf Wiedersehen

Klar"

Nun, so komisch diese Sätze auch klingen mögen, das wirklich absurde ist, dass der letzte Satz in keiner Weise einen Fehler aufweist und somit perfekt übersetzt ist.

Klar am Ende klingt auch seltsam und ist nicht die falsche Variante von Karl. Nein, mein Name ist im Chinesischen mit dem phonetisch nächsten liegendem übersetzt. Armin wird zu A Ming, da ich auf das A verzichten möchte, bleibt nur noch Ming, das im Deutschen mit "Hell", "Klar", "Weise" übersetzt werden kann.

Die gezeigten Fotos sind die letzten, die ich bislang gemacht habe. Es sind Versuche, wie die meisten Fotos von mir, einige schmücken einen Proberahmen, der das Bild und den Effekt verstärken soll. Weiters glaube ich geben diese Bilder einen neuen Stil für mich vor (der aber nix Neues ist), den ich sehr mag aber vorsichtig einzubringen versuche... mal sehen.

Lao Wai Tan

Jetzt wirds aber mal Zeit die Sprache zu wechseln.. Dieser EIntrag ist nur Hinweis auf einige Bilder von mir in Picasa. Letzten Samstag wurde Geburtstag gefeiert. Von wem? Einer Austauschstudentin, aber nicht wichtig. Wir, das ganze Ausländerpack, waren eingeladen spät abends nach Lao Wai Tan zu kommen um uns dort zusammen den Festlichkeiten hinzugeben. Tanzend, trinkend, sich schreiend unterhalten, sinnfrei Müll redend, sich kaputt machen, trinkend. Die Kamera war stets ein guter Freund und Begleiter an jenem Abend. Viel Spaß beim Zappen.