My 姨丈 is my hero.....and here's why......
Showing posts with label taiwanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taiwanese. Show all posts
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Monday, October 03, 2011
Mi Vida Loca
BBC's video course Mi Vida Loca is really one of the most well-designed introductory courses I have seen.....whoever designed it really did a top notch job.
The course enables you to practice listening and speaking, in an interactive way, in the context of a mystery storyline that takes place in Spain. With the suspense, it motivates you to keep going to the next lesson, to find out what happens. With the video, you also see nice pictures of Madrid, the Spanish countryside, and the Canary islands. You practice things like checking into a hotel, renting a car, ordering in a restaurant, and buying groceries in a marketplace, all in an interactive way.
An interactive phrasebook helps teach you the things you need to say, and you can click for reminders as well (in the event that you forget what you need to say). Helpful phrases are written and spoken for you, and you can click again to hear it multiple times, and toggle back and forth between Spanish spellings and English equivalents.
At the end of each unit, there's a review that's also interactive, that takes you through grammar, vocabulary, and additional practice. You learn the language in its natural context, and rather than feeling forced, you are able to pick up useful phrases without bland and repititious memorization.
I highly recommend it. You know those Taiwanese methods of learning languages? The ones that make those poor students do countless grammar exercises without focusing on real conversation and real-life situations? The ones that result in Taiwanese kids not being able to say a single word, because they are too afraid to express themselves in the foreign language?
This is the exact opposite. Language learning made fun, and effective - in real-life useful and interesting contexts, rather than bland grammar and memory lessons. Kudos to the BBC!
The course enables you to practice listening and speaking, in an interactive way, in the context of a mystery storyline that takes place in Spain. With the suspense, it motivates you to keep going to the next lesson, to find out what happens. With the video, you also see nice pictures of Madrid, the Spanish countryside, and the Canary islands. You practice things like checking into a hotel, renting a car, ordering in a restaurant, and buying groceries in a marketplace, all in an interactive way.
An interactive phrasebook helps teach you the things you need to say, and you can click for reminders as well (in the event that you forget what you need to say). Helpful phrases are written and spoken for you, and you can click again to hear it multiple times, and toggle back and forth between Spanish spellings and English equivalents.
At the end of each unit, there's a review that's also interactive, that takes you through grammar, vocabulary, and additional practice. You learn the language in its natural context, and rather than feeling forced, you are able to pick up useful phrases without bland and repititious memorization.
I highly recommend it. You know those Taiwanese methods of learning languages? The ones that make those poor students do countless grammar exercises without focusing on real conversation and real-life situations? The ones that result in Taiwanese kids not being able to say a single word, because they are too afraid to express themselves in the foreign language?
This is the exact opposite. Language learning made fun, and effective - in real-life useful and interesting contexts, rather than bland grammar and memory lessons. Kudos to the BBC!
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
早Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
臺灣之子 - Son of Taiwan
To the true 臺灣之子 (Son of Taiwan),
Rest in peace my friend. You will be sorely missed. We will meet again in God's glory. For now, take care.....
阿挺 & Betty
Rest in peace my friend. You will be sorely missed. We will meet again in God's glory. For now, take care.....
阿挺 & Betty
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
This non-Taiwanese person speaks awesome Taiwanese!
I think those Taiwanese that can't speak Taiwanese should be ashamed of themselves after watching this:
Bravo, white guy! Bravo!
Bravo, white guy! Bravo!
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Toronto remembers the victims of the February 28, 1947 Massacre
Good job Mom......I hope that we will never forget the bloodshed and sacrifice of Taiwanese to bring about a democratic and free Taiwan. I hope that future generations never take for granted the freedom that they enjoy....
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Island Nation
The island nation lies silent, quietly it mourns,
Formosans with bowed heads, and hearts that are torn,
They weep for the memory of those that fell,
And for those who witnessed that dreadful hell.
Though many years past, the hurt does not fade,
The bloodshed and sufferings cannot be unmade.
So many killed, so many families destroyed,
The cries of the victims, they could not avoid
The death that came to them and their friends,
From a stubborn regime that just wouldn't bend.
From the streets of Taipei, to the farms in Chia-Yi,
The gunshots rang steadily, as loud as can be.
The slaughter continued on its merciless path,
Murdering political dissidents with its angry wrath.
The death of so many will not be in vain.
Neither will be their families' anguish and pain,
We remember these victims with saddened sorrow,
But we still retain hope for a better tomorrow.
For freedom has its price, it does not come cheap,
The victims have sacrificed, they have earned their keep,
But we must go on, our mission is not done,
Until the fight for freedom has truly been won.
We will not let them down, the ghosts of the past,
Their cause of yesteryear is our greatest task,
We strive for the freedom of Formosans today,
To our compatriots, have faith, rest in peace you may.
In memory of the victims of the February 28 1947 Massacre
阿挺
Formosans with bowed heads, and hearts that are torn,
They weep for the memory of those that fell,
And for those who witnessed that dreadful hell.
Though many years past, the hurt does not fade,
The bloodshed and sufferings cannot be unmade.
So many killed, so many families destroyed,
The cries of the victims, they could not avoid
The death that came to them and their friends,
From a stubborn regime that just wouldn't bend.
From the streets of Taipei, to the farms in Chia-Yi,
The gunshots rang steadily, as loud as can be.
The slaughter continued on its merciless path,
Murdering political dissidents with its angry wrath.
The death of so many will not be in vain.
Neither will be their families' anguish and pain,
We remember these victims with saddened sorrow,
But we still retain hope for a better tomorrow.
For freedom has its price, it does not come cheap,
The victims have sacrificed, they have earned their keep,
But we must go on, our mission is not done,
Until the fight for freedom has truly been won.
We will not let them down, the ghosts of the past,
Their cause of yesteryear is our greatest task,
We strive for the freedom of Formosans today,
To our compatriots, have faith, rest in peace you may.
In memory of the victims of the February 28 1947 Massacre
阿挺
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Lunar New Year - the Year of the Tiger
Happy Lunar New Year - it's the year of the Tiger this year.....
In Taiwan this is usually celebrated with Hot Pot, and the giving of Red Envelopes to family members. It's the biggest holiday in Tawian......
So to my fellow Taiwanese: 臺灣新年恭喜! 向望今年逐家健康!
In Taiwan this is usually celebrated with Hot Pot, and the giving of Red Envelopes to family members. It's the biggest holiday in Tawian......
So to my fellow Taiwanese: 臺灣新年恭喜! 向望今年逐家健康!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Finally a Taiwanese dictionary
Taiwanese is a great language - unfortunately, it was oppressed by the KMT dictatorship, and is only in the last 10-20 years being respected again. The problem is that the Taiwanese themselves don't treasure their own culture, and less and less Taiwanese can speak the language.
In fact, a Canadian-born person like me (2nd generation Taiwanese) can speak better Taiwanese than the majority of people my age who live in Taiwan.....that's really sad.
Finally the government of Taiwan has come up with an official Taiwanese to Chinese dictionary. About time - this should have been done 10 years ago!
Hopefully this tool can make written Taiwanese more frequent, and more accessible!
But the Taiwanese themselves need to show more willpower to learn and use Taiwanese!
Link to Dictionary webpage
Hopefully there will also be an English-Taiwanese dictionary available soon!
In fact, a Canadian-born person like me (2nd generation Taiwanese) can speak better Taiwanese than the majority of people my age who live in Taiwan.....that's really sad.
Finally the government of Taiwan has come up with an official Taiwanese to Chinese dictionary. About time - this should have been done 10 years ago!
Hopefully this tool can make written Taiwanese more frequent, and more accessible!
But the Taiwanese themselves need to show more willpower to learn and use Taiwanese!
Link to Dictionary webpage
Hopefully there will also be an English-Taiwanese dictionary available soon!
Monday, October 05, 2009
Midautumn Festival
Last Saturday, it was the Midautumn Festival in Taiwan.
To celebrate, here is a new poem, written by a 21st century poet named 阿挺
八月十五食月餅
恁來切阮來請
食到逐家腹肚疼
佇便所聽落屎聲
To celebrate, here is a new poem, written by a 21st century poet named 阿挺
八月十五食月餅
恁來切阮來請
食到逐家腹肚疼
佇便所聽落屎聲
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
白人牙膏 - more crazy Taiwanese brand names
So we've heard already about 黑人牙膏, the "black man toothpaste", but in direct competition is now:
白人牙膏 - white man toothpaste.....
Why are Taiwanese people so weird?
白人牙膏 - white man toothpaste.....
Why are Taiwanese people so weird?
Monday, June 30, 2008
Best brand names
What is the best brand name in the world?
I think that 黑人牙膏 is near the top, if not the #1 brand name I've ever heard!
黑人牙膏 kicks ass!
I think that 黑人牙膏 is near the top, if not the #1 brand name I've ever heard!
黑人牙膏 kicks ass!
Monday, February 04, 2008
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