BASIC STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATION

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Basic strategies for communication

Languages have specific expressions that speakers use to start conversations and to keep them going. These expressions often reflect the degree of formality of the situation, the relationship of the participants in the conversation, and the attitudes of the speakers. This section presents the most commonly used expressions in Mandarin.

21.1Attracting someone’s attention

21.1.1Attracting attention by using a name or title

In Mandarin, the most common way to attract someone’s attention is to address them with their name or a title or kinship term.

Í18.4

In mainland China, to politely get the attention of a male whom you do not know, you can say:

Taxi drivers are typically addressed as:

An informal way to attract someone’s attention is by using the interjection:

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21.1.2Attracting attention by apologizing for the intrusion

21.1.3Attracting attention by indicating that you want to ask a question

( ) !

( ) !

21.1.4Attracting attention by asking for help

21.2Responding to a call for attention

The most common way to respond to a call for attention is to use the phrase

!!

Shénme shì?

What is the matter?/What do you want? Other responses include

21.3Checking whether people have understood you

21.4Indicating understanding or lack of understanding

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!

Wn bù dnng.

I don’t understand.

21.5Requesting repetition or clarification of spoken language

!"!"

Qmng nm zài shus.

Please repeat./Please say it again.

( ) !" ( ) !"

(Nà shì) shénme yìsi?

What does that mean?

!"#$!"#$

Qmng nm shus màn yrdikn.

Please speak a little slower.

21.6Asking for assistance in identifying a Chinese character

21.7Providing information about the identification of Chinese characters

The following strategies are commonly used to help a listener identify a character.

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• Present a common word in which the character in question occurs

!= !

‘qrngchu’ de ‘qrng’ the ‘qing’ in ‘qingchu’

!" !

‘péngyou’ de ‘ynu’ the ‘you’ of ‘pengyou’

• List the components of the character in question

!"# $"!"# $"

‘spndikn shum’ de ‘qrng’

the character ‘qing’ with the ‘three dot water’ radical

!=

‘mù’ ‘zm’ ‘Lm’

the character ‘ Lm’ that consists of the character ‘ mù’ and the character ‘ zm’

21.8Signaling that you are following the speaker

To indicate that you are following a speaker, say:

21.9Interrupting a speaker

To interrupt a speaker say:

21.10 Using fillers

A filler is an expression that fills a pause in a conversation and keeps the conversation going. English uses expressions such as ‘well,’ ‘mmm,’ ‘uh.’ Mandarin uses these expressions.

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21.11 Formal development of a topic

21.11.1 Opening remarks

To formally introduce a topic in a talk or written report, use the following expressions:

!"#$%& K K K

!"#$%& K K K

Jrntipn yào tándào de wèntí shì . . .

The issue/problem we are going to discuss today is . . .

!"#$% K K K ( !"#$%& K K K )

!"#$% K K K ( !"#$%& K K K )

Jrntipn yào jikng de tímù shì . . . (jrntipn yào tkolùn de tímù shì . . . )

The topic I am going to talk about today is . . . (The topic I am going to discuss today is . . . )

!!"#$!!"#$

Qmng gèwèi dusdus zhmjiào.

I invite your comments and corrections. (used in formal speeches and written presentations)

Í53.1

21.11.2 Introducing further points

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21.11.4 Establishing references

To refer to information that is relevant to the conversation, use these expressions:

/ guPnyú regarding (noun phrase)

!"#$%&'()*+,!"#$%&'()*+

Gupnyú mki fqijr piào de shì, qmng nm fùzé.

As for buying the airplane tickets, please take charge.

/ zhìyú in reference to (noun phrase)

!"#$%&'()*+,!"#$%&'()*+

Zhìyú dìng lugukn de shì, nm bù bì fèixrn.

As for making the hotel reservations, you don’t have to bother (doing that).

/ shènzhì yú even, go so far as to (noun phrase or verb phrase)

!"#$%&'()*+,-./0!"#$%&'()*+,-./

Yhqiè shnuxù dsu bànhko le, shènzhìyú nm zhù de dìfang.

All of the arrangements have been taking care of, even down to the place where you will live.

!"#$%&'()*+,-./01234!"#$%&'()*+,-./01234

Wèishénme ynu shíhòu dkkpi wkngyè de sùdù hln màn shènzhìyú wúfk liánjie?

Why is it that sometimes it takes a very long time for a web page to open, sometimes not even connecting at all?

Í53.1.1

21.11.5 Giving examples

To give examples, use these expressions to introduce your remarks:

/ bMfang shuS for example (+ sentence)

! "#$%&'( )*+,-(! .)$! "#$%&'( )*+,-(! .)$

Zhsngwén gqn Yrngwén bù tóng. Bmfang shus, Zhsngwén yku sì gè shqngdiào, Yrngwén méi ynu.

Chinese and English are different. For example, Chinese has four tones, English doesn’t have tones.

lìrú for example (+ sentence)

!" #$%&'()*+,-./0123*4012356*778!" #$%&'()*+,-./0123*4012356*778

Qmng nm shus yrxià nm shì zlnme xué Zhsngwén de, lìrú mlitipn hup dusshao shíjipn, trng dusshao shíjipn lùyrn, dlng dlng.

Please tell (me) how you study Chinese, for example, how many hours you spend every day, how long you listen to recordings, etc.

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=pìrú for example (used the same way as =lìrú, but in more formal contexts)

!/ ! jOlì láishuS to give an example (+ sentence)

!"#$%&'()*+,-)..)//)00)12!"#$%&'()*+,-)..)//)00)12

Zhsngguó huà ynu hln dus cí klym chóngdié, jo lì lái shus, znu znu, gqge, tipntipn, dlng.

Chinese language has a lot of words that can be reduplicated, for example, ‘zou zou,’ ‘gege,’ ‘tiantian,’ etc.

21.11.6 Summarizing and concluding

To summarize and conclude, use these expressions to introduce your remarks:

!/ ! zNng’éryánzhR in other words, to put it another way

!"#$%&'()&*+,-./01!"23456*7!"#$%&'()&*+,-./01!"23456*

Zhè jiàn shì wnmen ymjing tán le hln dus cì le. Znng’éryánzhr, xrwàng wnmen néng hùxipng xìnrèn.

We’ve talked about this matter many times before. To put it another way, I hope we can trust each other.

!/ ! zNngkuò láishuS to sum up

!"#$%&'()"*+,-./!"#$%&'()"*+,-.

Znngkuò lái shus, Zhsngguó wénzì tài fùzá, xtyào gkigé.

To sum things up, the Chinese language is too comlicated and needs to be revised.

/ zuì hòu finally

!"#$%&'()*+,-./01!"#$%&'()*+,-./01

Ymxià shì wnde kànfk, zuìhòu xrwàng gè wèi néng dus tí yìjian.

What follows is my opinion. Finally, I hope that everyone will provide feedback.

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