What nationality are you?

[db05]

I am Aussie. But one thing about us in Australia we are a real melting pot of all nationalities. It is not unusual to see very interesting mixes of races. My mum is German and my dad is Chinese.

Aside from English, do you speak and write German or Chinese? I'd be amazed; those are completely different languages. Ever tried writing a German word in Chinese characters or vice-versa?

[lostinidlewonder]

Aside from English, do you speak and write German or Chinese? I'd be amazed; those are completely different languages. Ever tried writing a German word in Chinese characters or vice-versa?

I speak both German and Chinese, but the Chinese I speak is a dialect called Hainanese. I speak German better than Chinese because I can practice it more, the Chinese was more for my grandparents from my fathers side (even though they spoke English perfectly) and I have only ever met one other person outside of my family that speaks the dialect.

I like Hainanese, it is a very old language and it doesn't have words for things like aeroplane (flying boat) or telephone (hit copper coil). So you say, I hit copper coil to tell the agent to get me a seat on the flying boat. Very amusing

I studied how to write Chinese for 3 years on Saturdays out of school time, but it didn't do much good, I am not very good in that, and we studied Mandarin which is very different to Hainanese but all the writing of all Chinese no matter which dialect, are the same. I taught myself how to write German, it isn't that much more difficult than English, however I never got the tricky grammar sometimes. I actually did a course in German for a minor subject in my first year University which was free marks ehhe.

[momopi]

^wow~~~  your heritage is so interesting! lucky you! Where in China is Hainanese spoken? IMO, you should continue learning your ancestors' (?) language, so you can passed them to your future children... 

[db05]

^wow~~~  your heritage is so interesting! lucky you! Where in China is Hainanese spoken? IMO, you should continue learning your ancestors' (?) language, so you can passed them to your future children... 

I believe it is in Hainan, China?? The island below the mainland, NOT Taiwan.

But then, I'm confused. I've been there once, and we were with some Filipino-Chinese students and their moms. They can speak Fukienese, and that's how they got to talk to the locals. I didn't hear anything about Hainanese. 

[lostinidlewonder]

I believe it is in Hainan, China?? The island below the mainland, NOT Taiwan.

You are right it is in the South China Sea quite a large island. If I remember a few years ago an American plane crashed into Hainan, and there was all this fear that the Chinese would steal secrets from the US

They can speak Fukienese, and that's how they got to talk to the locals. I didn't hear anything about Hainanese. 

Hainanese, is a variant of the Fukien dialect. I can understand Fukien it but it is not completely the same. I believe Hainanese is also known as Qiong Wen. It is a very different chinese language, a mainland chinese speaker would have little idea what we where saying, but we can pick out a few words from each other.

[db05]

Hainanese, is a variant of the Fukien dialect. I can understand Fukien it but it is not completely the same. I believe Hainanese is also known as Qiong Wen. It is a very different chinese language, a mainland chinese speaker would have little idea what we where saying, but we can pick out a few words from each other.

That explains it. They said though Mandarin is the official language, most Chinese know Fukienese.

I wonder what you look like. I think it has something to do with your students getting hurt. 

[momopi]

lostinidlewonder is very lucky to have a rich heritage. I know it's stupid but the only hainanese i know is the hainanese chicken (i love eating it~~~  )

db05 is very lucky too, she has been to foreign places. i want to travel too~~~

[tanman]

anyone here actually live in Malaysia?

[db05]

lostinidlewonder is very lucky to have a rich heritage. I know it's stupid but the only hainanese i know is the hainanese chicken (i love eating it~~~  )

db05 is very lucky too, she has been to foreign places. i want to travel too~~~

Haha I don't recommend travel for everyone. More than anything, it causes wanderlust. If the US was so nice, I want to go to Europe too... China is okay, wonder what Japan is like... LOL... And I haven't even seen much of my own country.

[momopi]

What's wrong with traveling and wanderlust? I survived living in a foreign country (Japan) for year. I didn't know their language and I didn't see my family and friends from home for a year. Still it was a good experience. I met a lot of people and learned their language. I'm not very good at it though... since I'm also learning other languages. It was very difficult. But I wouldn't discourage anyone from a good experience like traveling and living abroad. I actually highly recommend it. Especially for those who has been in a rut and needs a change of scene and perspective.

[db05]

It's expensive.  And there are good places near home I still haven't been to.

[mephisto]

French

[kayordee]

  AUSSIE!!!! OZZIE!!, OZZIE!!, OZZIE!!. OI!!, OI!!, OI!! 


                Most aussies are proud to be and not afraid to show it
                                             
                Anyone aussie from northern NSW???

[morningstar]

AUSSIE!!!! OZZIE!!, OZZIE!!, OZZIE!!. OI!!, OI!!, OI!! 


                Most aussies are proud to be and not afraid to show it
                                             
                Anyone aussie from northern NSW???

WOOHOO! Another aussie! Nah Queenslander!

[allthumbs]

WOOHOO! Another aussie! Nah Queenslander!

I'd like to visit Australia. I think the Canucks and the Aussies have a lot in common.

I'd like to also go visit Stuart & Sons. Awesome pianos.

allthumbs

[roniman]

who's the other brazilian here?

[wert718]

I'm a Canadian.

Wert718

[pianoplayer88]

I'm an American!

[morningstar]

Queenslander!

[pianoplayer88]

I'm American, but I'm part Polish..And I have a little bit of German, Irish, and some other stuff...Not sure what else.

[morningstar]

I'm American, but I'm part Polish..And I have a little bit of German, Irish, and some other stuff...Not sure what else.

Ooh thread idea-family trees! And I passed the limit so havent posted yet sorry pp88

[pianoplayer88]

And I passed the limit so havent posted yet sorry pp88

Same here. 

[G.W.K]

Ooh thread idea-family trees! And I passed the limit so havent posted yet sorry pp88

Do you mean: actually post your family tree? Hmmm...bad idea.

Or do you just mean: I'm 1/8th Indian on my uncle's wife's second daughter's husband's side?

G.W.K

[morningstar]

Do you mean: actually post your family tree? Hmmm...bad idea.

I mean make up ps forum family trees! They won't go far back though...bad idea maybe.

[mad_max2024]

Portuguese

[lostinidlewonder]

... the only hainanese i know is the hainanese chicken (i love eating it~~~  )

MMmmmm nice, and it's so easy to cook too! My grandfather owned 3 restaraunts in Singapore and Malaysia when he was younger and he cooked this chicken rice almost once a week mmmmmmmmmmmm. I wish he was still alive.

I'd like to also go visit Stuart & Sons. Awesome pianos.

Yes the Australian Steinway! Actually I think they are better than Steinway but I'm probably bais because hes an Australian

[G.W.K]

I mean make up ps forum family trees! They won't go far back though...bad idea maybe.

I still not quite understand this...something similar to cai's threads? Piano Street Forum Families, etc?

G.W.K

[morningstar]

I still not quite understand this...something similar to cai's threads? Piano Street Forum Families, etc?

G.W.K

Very loosely similar...Don't worry it won't work very well anyway.

[G.W.K]

LOL...OK.

G.W.K

[csharp_minor]

English, born and bred. German roots though. Theres a story in my family that my German side might even be related to Richard Wagner?! I don't know if it is true though.

Would be cool if it was, but I'm not a fan of his music