Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Suitable Adjectives.

Background story: While I was in May's house last night, her cousin, 10-year-old Johannah, asked me to help her with her chinese homework. She was suppose to describe an animal in a form of poetry. She chose bird as her subject, and I gave her one example:

"鸟儿是纯真的小孩, 在天空自由自在。 "
Now, let me clarify that the purpose of showing you the example I gave Hannah is not meant for me to boast. After all, it's a 10-year-old's homework. Furthermore, I'm not the type that would blow my own horn, but I could, I would... Anyway, it's for reference for you lah, basically. So you know what's going on. The idea is to describe the animal using a characteristic of another subject. Ok let's get back to the story.
I wanted to help Hannah think on her own, so I asked her several questions.
Joash: You have to describe the bird, Hannah... Now, is the bird funny?
Johannah: Don't know.
Joash: Is the bird handsome?
Johannah: Don't know.
Joash: Is the bird stupid?
Johannah: Of course stupid lah... the bird didn't go to school also...
Joash: (bursts out laughing)
Johannah: All animals stupid one mah, cause they don't go to school.
Joash: (laughs somemore)
I tried to give more clues to help her.
Joash: Ok, who sits beside you in class? What's her name?
Johannah: But it's a boy...
Joash: Ok, then tell me his name...
Johannah: Chinese or English name?
Joash: Whichever lah... not important.
Johannah: you tell me lah, Chinese or English...
Joash: ok ok, give me his Chinese name.
Johannah: 张志强。
Joash: 志强 got do homework or not?
Johannah: Got.
Joash: Everyday got pass up homework?
Johannah: Got.
Joash: So can we say that he's hardworking?
Johannah: (nods head in agreement)
Joash: Ah, can we also say that the bird is hardworking?
Johannah: But birds don't have homework also...
Joash: (bursts out laughing)
Just before I left, I said thank you to Hannah...
Joash: Thank you for making me laugh ar, Hannah...
Johannah: Why you say thank you to me?
Joash: Cause you made me laugh mah...
Johannah: I got make you laugh meh?
Joash: Just now you didn't see me laugh meh?
Johannah: Why you laugh?
Joash: ( =_" walks away immediately)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's CUTE !!ahahaha