DVD Vocab

But before we get started on that I thought I'd share a vocab list I "finished" for my students today. You can use it in reverse if you like to study Chinese.

Movie Vocabulary
Here is a list of some of the words and expressions you might need if you want to study with movies and television programs. You will already know some of them but others will probably be new to you. Don’t worry. This is just an introduction. Words are like people. It takes time to get to know them. Some will become good friends. Others will be forgotten quickly. And still others (many, many others) haven’t been added yet as this list should grow with every class you come to, every movie you see, every common expression you learn….

Basic Television Vocab
Please turn on the television - Qing3 da3 kai1 dian4shi4.
Please turn off the television - Qing guan1diao4 dian4shi4.
Please turn it up - Qing3 da4 shang1 yi5dian3.
Please turn it down - Qing3 xiao3 shang1 yi5dian3.

Basic DVD Vocab
Repeat function - chong2fu4 gong1neng2
Push "a" - an4 a
Push "b" - an4 b
Subtitle - zi4mu4
English subtitle - ying1wen2 zi4mu4
Chinese subtitle - zhong1wen2 zi4mu4
Change the subtitle - gai3bian4/huan4 zi4mu4
Play - buo1fang4
Fast forward - kuai4zhuan3
Rewind - hui2zhuan3
Pause - Zhan4ting2
Stop - ting2zhi3
Cue - tiao2dao4 ni3 yao4 de di4fung1
Channel - pin2dao4
Remote Control - yao2kong4qi4

Miscellaneous Vocab
Erase the tape- san1cu2 lu4yin1dai4
Continue - ji4xu4
Look up this word in the dictionary - zhe4ge ci2 cha3 zi4dian3
Record this - lu4xia4lai3 zhege
Write it down - xie3xia4lai3 zhe4ge
Read aloud - nian4qu1lai2
Mimic - mo2fang3
Tone of Voice - sheng1yin1yin1diao4
Body language - zhi1ti3yu3yan2
Facial Expression - lien3bu4biao3qin2
Stress - zhong4yin1
Pause - ting2zhi3
Translate - fan1yi4
Context - shang4xia4wen2
Homonym - tong2yin1 yi4yi4 ci2
Summarize - zong3jie2
Style - feng1ge2
Hero - ying1xiong2
Pretend - jia3zhuang1
Formal - zheng4shi4
Informal - fei1 zheng4shi4
Metaphor - bi3yu4 de shuo1fa
Idiom -cheng2yu3
Sarcasm - feng3ci4
Common Expression - pu3pian4 de biao3da2fa3
Drama - xi4ju4
Comedy - xi3ju4
Focus on - zhuan1zhu4
Plot - qing2jie2
Character - jiao3si4
Theme (topic) - zhu3ti
Theme (message/moral) - zhu3tihan4yi4
Dialogue - dui4hua4
Scene - mu4
Shot - pian4duan4
Edit - jian3ji2
Story - gu4shi
Situation - qing2kuang4
Director - dao3yan3
Actor - yan3yuan2
Script - dian4ying3ju4ben3
Screenwriter - dian4ying3ju4ben3zuo4zhe3
Acting - yan3ji4
Assume - jia3se4 (se - spelling?)
The end - jie2ju2
Main character - zhu2jiao3
Atmosphere - qi4fen4

Grammar Vocab
Grammar - wen2fa3
Sentence - ju4zi
Subject - zhu3ci2
Object - shou4ci2
Parts of Speech - ge4zhong3ci2lei4
Verb - dong4ci2
Main Verb - zhu3dong4ci2
Auxiliary Verb - zhu4dong4ci2
Be Verb - be dong4ci2
Simple Form of the Verb - yuen2xing2 dong4ci2
Noun - ming2ci2
Adjective - xing2rong2ci2
Adverb - fu4ci2
Preposition - jie4xi4ci2
Statement - chen2shu4ju4
Yes/No Question - dui4bu2dui4/shi4bu2shi4 wen4ti2
Or question - huo4shi4 yi2wen4ju4
Information Question - xun4xi2yi2wen4ju4
Information Question Words - yi2wen4ci2
Answer - hui2da2
Short answer - duan3 de hui2da2
Simple Present - xian4zai4shi2
Simple Past - guo4qu4shi2
Simple Future - wei4lai2shi2
Present Progressive - xian4zai4jin4xing2shi4
Past Progressive - guo4qu4jin4xing2shi4
Present Perfect - xian4zai4wan2chun2shi4
Present Perfect Progressive - xian4zai4wan2chun2jin4xing2shi4
Form - xing2shi4
Verb Tense - dong4ci2shi2tai4
Active - zhu3dong4
Passive - bei4dong4
Negative Answer/ sentence/ question - Fou3ding4 de hui2da2/ ju4zi/
yi2wen4ju4
Transitive Verb - ji2wu4 dong4ci2
Intransitive Verb - bu4ji2wu4 dong4ci2
Contraction - suo1xie3
Phrase - ci2zu3
Clause - zi3ju4


Pronunciation Vocab
Pronunciation - fa1yin1
Alphabet - zi4mu4
Letter - zi4mu4
Vowel - mu3yin1
Consonant - zi3yin1
Stress - zhong4yin1
Stressed - zhong4yin1 de
Unstressed - fei1 zhong4yin1 de
Rhyme - ya1yun4
Syllable - yin1jie2
Alphabet - zi4mu4
Letter -zi4mu4

dependant origination and the nature of evil

bob - In the Dalai Lama's "Ethics For the New Millenium" (his second best book IMHO) there is a chapter entitled "Dependant Origination and the Nature of Reality" in which he explains that nothing exists independantly of other things, and so the only thing that exists, in fact, is a complex web of relationships. The "self" that we tend to be so proud of, as if it was something we created "ourselves" for example turns out to be the product of a vast array of influences: genetic, societal, historical, chemical.... The harder we look the more difficult it becomes to find any independant "self" at all. To some extent it is simply illogical to hate an individual when that individual is in fact only a product. Words like evil lose much of their meaning because what most of us mean by that word has something or other to do with free will, and while free will is something we experience, it is not something that stands up very well to scrutiny. So far so good. Lets call it a draw. A paradox.

I think it was in the Art of Happiness that he talks at some length about the human tendancy to view any given phenomenon in terms of it's effect on us personally. The tit on the motorcycle for example becomes just that, some tit on a motorcycle, when his exhaust fills my lungs and his riding style jepordizes my safety. I forget that TOM (tit on motorcycle) is also a human being like myself who has needs and desires, who was born of a woman, will someday die and who is perhaps very much afraid of that. He probably possess many admirable qualities. Perhaps he takes good care of his family for example or is a trustworthy friend to somebody. Given my extremely narrow perspective however it isn't likely that I will approach TOM, should that ever become necessary, with much of the respect, good humor or compassion that he very likely deserves. This is a mistake on my part. It is always wiser to take the larger perspective, except I would argue with people like Hitler, Stalin or Sadam Husein despite whatever charm, asthetic sense or love of Mommy they might have possessed. At some point the damage you cause cancels out the positives. At this point that the world is justified in labeling you "evil" and owes you no compassion beyond a painless death. It is perhaps open to debate whether or not George Bush has crossed that line.

plato

Plato's theory of justice amounts to "each receiving from the community, all of the support, training and resources necessary to fulfill their particular potential, minus what the community requires in return in order to see others fulfill their particular potential."

rape

From what I've seen of sex amongst other mammals something akin to rape seems to be more or less the norm. Foreplay, delayed ejaculation, clitoral stimulation etc. seem to mean not a thing to the horny dogs in my neighbourhood. Of course the human animal is another kettle of fish entirely, possessed as it is with imaginative faculties and an ethical sense, and exposed as it is to various social influences from playgirl to "no means no" crusades. Yes, indeed, it can all become pretty complicated, so best to stick with the simple notion that while some women might "fantasize" about being erotically dominated by a real hunk of a man it isn't likely that any really want to be "raped" by you. It's a lingusitics problem as much as anything else.

court reports

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of biting their lip to stay calm while these exchanges were taking place.

Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
___________________________________________________________

Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?
_____________________________________________________________

Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
___________________________________________________________

Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up that
morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the
occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he does
know about it until the next morning?
A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: So the date of conception of the baby was August 8th?
A: Yes.
Q: And what were you doing at that time?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition which I
sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK?
A: Yes.
Q: What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
_____________________________________________________________
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the
autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive, practicing law
somewhere.

too windy

bob - Time for another let rip with whatever comes to mind first thread and look back at where we been where we at and where wanna be in san fransico one of the world's most deirable cities and nothing like Taipei where it rains constantly and so far this too windy thread isn't amounting to much so you wonder if you've lost it even before you had it and is this all there is and you can tell your wife resents your lazy ass but won't say anything and you feel so godammed tired all the time and you just want what other people want to experience life to wake up enthused to be happy and with no commas or exclamation point or indeed any punctuation marks whatsoever this too windy style may seem rather confusing to the uninitiated but we inititates to the too windy style request that you sit back relax let your mind soar and type the next thing that comes to mind free of self and that you do so free of monitoring behaviours of any kind as it really is too windy and thursday and there ain't a goddam thing else to do.....

Ironman - bob wrote: wake up enthused to be happy and with no commas or exclamation point or indeed any punctuation marks whatsoever .

It's really tiring not having any exclamation marks. Now I know why God invented them.

roach wrote - bob wrote: Time for another let rip with whatever comes to mind first thread and look back at where we been where we at and where wanna be in san fransico one of the world's most deirable cities and nothing like Taipei where it rains constantly and so far this too windy thread isn't amounting to much so you wonder if you've lost it even before you had it and is this all there is and you can tell your wife resents your lazy ass but won't say anything and you feel so godammed tired all the time and you just want what other people want to experience life to wake up enthused to be happy and with no commas or exclamation point or indeed any punctuation marks whatsoever this too windy style may seem rather confusing to the uninitiated but we inititates to the too windy style request that you sit back relax let your mind soar and type the next thing that comes to mind free of self and that you do so free of monitoring behaviours of any kind as it really is too windy and thursday and there ain't a goddam thing else to do.....


Wow! One sentence... Try saying it out load in one breath. Can you do it?

bob - I know what you mean! I mean those exclamation marks really do it for me too! and if I had a canoe I'd be canoeing right now and no I am not jealous! not much and do you even remember what it's like floating down stream with the smell of cotton woods all around and a sky so blue and then as night falls so pinky purple and that chill in the air is just enough to get the juices flowing for one more and goddam that water is cold...

bob - Roach wrote: Can you do it?

And by god ain't that what it all comes down to can you do it can YOU do it can you DO it CAN you do it do it I knew it I can do it but what it can I do and you too what it can you DO what CAN you do what CAN you do what can YOU do...

bob - OK so nobody knows what in fuck you are on about now and that last one with all the can YOU do it and can you DO its really makes it looks like ya blew a gasket but what in the world difference does it make cuz these too windy free for alls really are a riot and tremendously liberating as was discussed at some length last too windy thread but then most likely everybody already for got all about that one already what with wresting mania and carnegies and the vroom vroom I'm a race car driver forum it isn't long before the great rushing whoosh of human experience whooshes us all forward cinematically and with a profound irrelevance forward to that great black night filled with stars and you are walking Ida home from the movie again and it's like fifteen kilometers or something and about five bellow zero but you could care less and you hope she doesn't notice the hard on you had all the way or else you hope she does and later when she phones you and tries to suggest you forced your self on her it is with considerable relish that you point out that she was on TOP the whole time and you wonder what ever happened to her or to yoko or natalie or godam it is to sad to even think about now...

Elegua - Take up a new sport - sailing, windsurfing or kiting -then Taiwan becomes paradise (sort of)

bob - a new sport sport is perhaps just what I need a bit o the old adrenelin to make me feel alive again and ain't that just the ticket but at forty some odd six and disc a herniated sports are kinds bumpy generally and it is only on rather too windy a night out like this when the writing lets loose this ways and if only you all would try it you'd see what I mean just type anything the next thing and submit it without reading it and read it real fast latter in one go don't stop just go don't stop and read forward like and see if there isn't some rhythm that others notice cuz what the heck it's just the flounder forum anywho...

bob - Aqua ball massage?

the life aquatic

...with steve zissou. for those of you who ever wanted to join the crew of Jaques Cousteau, shoot a movie, reconnect with a long lost son, embark upon one last adventure, or sing a song with david bowie