Newbie to group

[Cobie]

 Me ‘Cassandra’ do prophesy that Xxandra will not be back. 

[Cobie]

3 hours ago, Master Logray said:

Why?  Is it mainly due to the writing characters?  …

Yes.

 

2 hours ago, Master Logray said:

I think foreigners learn speaking Mandarin reasonably. 

 

I can read the pinjin and do the ‘tones’ fairly now.  

But I cannot remember words well as they have no common root with my language at all. 

Also I think I started a bit too late in life to get anywhere with something that requires so much memorising.

I still practice a little bit, just for fun, as I do think it is a very beautiful and intriguing language. 

 

2 hours ago, Master Logray said:

But they drop out due to writing and reading.

 

Yes. It’’s like having to learn 2 languages. For each English word I have to learn the Chinese equivalent + the character for it.
Despite online fairy tales, in my experience each character is pretty much unique and needs to be separately memorised. 
 

2 hours ago, Master Logray said:

There is an interesting development in recent decades.  Some Chinese kids prefer English as it is easier, though it is rare.

 

 Ha, ha, I definitely sympathise.  
But yes, it would be “rare”; most people love their own language above all others. 

 

2 hours ago, Master Logray said:

It doesn't happen in the old days when students need to rote learning and recite a whole chapter. 

 

Yes, I heard a bit about that before. A system of very hard to pass exams for entry into civil service, one had to learn by heart some of the classics. 

 

2 hours ago, Master Logray said:

Taoist teachers frequently expect students to recite the DDJ.  

 

Wow, 81 verses … definitely impossible for me. 

 

 

 

[Mango]

On 10/21/2022 at 6:49 AM, Cobie said:

@Mango (wordplay aside) serous question - what do you mean with Semi-Taoist? 

Semi-Taoist is someone who does half of the things that a true Taoist does.

Edited October 24, 2022 by Mango

[Cobie]

13 minutes ago, Mango said:

Semi-Taoist is someone who does half of the things that a true Taoist does.

 I’m a quarter-Taoist. 

[Mango]

5 hours ago, Master Logray said:

 

信徒 - believers, all kinds

教徒 - usually refer to believer of Christianities

道徒 - some sources say refers to believers in cults and superstitions, bad connotation

佛徒 - Buddhist followers

信衆 - mass believers

善信 - good believers, how temples' addressing believers

道友 - supposed to be friendlies following the Tao, now mostly mean heroine addicts

同道 - same belief believers, now can mean drug addicts too
 

These terms are widely used with no limitations. Let's make it clear before it misleads everybody.
"教徒 - usually refer to believer of Christianities" 
It is a general term that applies to believers of all religious cults, not necessarily just applies to Christianities.

"道友 - supposed to be friendlies following the Tao, now mostly mean heroine addicts"
It is a general term for friends in the same religion. It is slang for any kind of addict but not necessarily just for heroin addicts.

"同道 - same belief believers, now can mean drug addicts too"
The former is true. The latter is not necessarily only apply to drug addicts. It may apply to people who are sharing the same interests.

[Nungali]

7 hours ago, Cobie said:

 The OP scared me off.  
 

 

 

I think they where here looking for Chinese heroin addicts     

[Master Logray]

18 hours ago, Mango said:

These terms are widely used with no limitations. Let's make it clear before it misleads everybody.
"教徒 - usually refer to believer of Christianities" 
It is a general term that applies to believers of all religious cults, not necessarily just applies to Christianities.

"道友 - supposed to be friendlies following the Tao, now mostly mean heroine addicts"
It is a general term for friends in the same religion. It is slang for any kind of addict but not necessarily just for heroin addicts.

"同道 - same belief believers, now can mean drug addicts too"
The former is true. The latter is not necessarily only apply to drug addicts. It may apply to people who are sharing the same interests.

 

The terms mean different things at different time irrespective of their original meaning in the dictionary and usages.  Take 道友 as example, it has been synonymous with heroine addicts.  However not too many people are interested in heroine these days.  So this term is not so well known and used.  Perhaps it catches new meanings in the future.

 

The Chinese word comrade has picked up the meaning of homosexuality, probably from overseas.  It has been so widely understood that the General Secretary Xi has instructed to revive the proper address of Comrade amongst Communist party members.

[Mango]

4 hours ago, Master Logray said:

The Chinese word comrade has picked up the meaning of homosexuality, probably from overseas.  It has been so widely understood that the General Secretary Xi has instructed to revive the proper address of Comrade amongst Communist party members.

What is the new term for 同志(comrade) that I am not aware of?