Comments on: There’s Nothing Delicious About Delicious

By: James

James — Sun, 08 May 2011 11:50:20 +0000

Based on my experience teaching in China a few years I have to say it is overused in the sense that we don’t use it anywhere near as much in native speaking countries. It’s used by us to express particular appreciation of a dish or to express gratitude to relatives or friends who have cooked for us. However, I suspect that there is more to this than meets the eye, national pride in Chinese food being a possible factor. Rather like, students always say their hometown is beautiful whereas its relative aesthetic merits in a Westerner’s eyes may vary. It’s a cultural thing, no?

By: Feng Lei

Feng Lei — Sun, 08 May 2011 10:33:59 +0000

Baoru:

You are wrong. Your simple and flawed logic is wrong. If your aim is only to simply express yourself in another language then I suggest you aim a little higher. My dog gets his meaning across with simple grunts and body language. I take offense that you suggest Chinese should just settle for such basic communication skills.

Lets be honest, you are a collective apologist for people who say “delcious” with regard to any Chinese food. As a Chinese, I know their is great Chinese food along with mediocre and some awful foods out there.

The other posters are right, there is no room for argument here. If native speakers mention that the usage of a word in a specific content in inappropriate or wrong, then it is simply thatw wrong. Learn from your mistakes, say thank you, and move on. Don’t be so uppity.

By: villager

villager — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 23:22:58 +0000

Neither clean nor spartan in my experience. I like it here, but it is filthy and cluttered.

By: jixiang

jixiang — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:55:58 +0000

what about the word “hometown”? That’s certainly the most oversued English word in China. They even use for provinces or countries sometimes.

By: Meng

Meng — Fri, 21 May 2010 02:04:09 +0000

I’m going to have to agree with everybody on this one–flowery speech is not used very often in day-to-day chat. I mean, when was the last time you heard, for instance, somebody utter a chengyu? Chatting with friends is usually minimalistic, and even when you tell somebody a story, it seems to follow the structure of “他什么什么的。。。然后什么什么的。。。然后“ and an endless string of 然后s with even the 他 taken out after the first utterance. In Chinese language classes, yes, very often you are taught to speak eloquently, but nobody really talks like that with their friends.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:15:19 +0000

“Clean but spartan?”, “Modern Chinese culture is not a decorative culture as it was in the past?”, “Colourful language doesn’t seem to be used so much in everyday speech?”, “Chinese is a bit more practical and efficient?”
Do you guys live in bizarro China?

By: nooidea

nooidea — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:34:05 +0000

I was taught when i was in 初中 (Chūzhōng) Junior high school for saying delicious in all most every eating occasion.

that was what the book wrote.

But gradually we all find out that laowai does not say this quite often… how shame to be like this… our local english teachers especially in junior high school should think about this.

By: Bakery

Bakery — Thu, 13 May 2010 05:51:15 +0000

Yeah, the first time an adult (male or female) tells you they want to play with you it’s a little weird.

By: Bakery

Bakery — Thu, 13 May 2010 05:39:52 +0000

Nick,
Yes…no disagreement here. Colourful language doesn’t seem to be used so much in everyday speech. I took your point to mean that the Chinese language itself has a small repertoire, whereas now I know you’re talking about only what is most commonly used, and you’re right. If only everyone spoke like advertisements…that would certainly be more, um, “interesting”…
As for the reason for over-using certain adjectives when speaking English, I would guess it’s mostly this, and partly what I mentioned earlier.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:26:26 +0000

Well I agree with you to a point; however, when I hear Chinese people discussing their cities or local food or girls or whatever in Chinese, they use the same bland adjectives as well, such as “beautiful,” “delicious,” etc. Of course the same situation exists in every culture- no need to be overly flowery with one’s descriptions, but I think it may something to do with a Chinese cultural inclination towards practicality.

Look at Chinese homes, offices, restaurants, and classrooms- usually clean but spartan. Modern Chinese culture is not a decorative culture as it was in the past, and I think the language is reflective of this. Why exert one’s vocabulary when “好吃” or “漂亮” does the job?