More Mangled Mandarin

This afternoon I politely and hopefully asked my housekeeper to cook dinner for 7 people tomorrow night. Truth be told, I accidentally asked her to cook the dinner for this evening. When I saw her horrified expression and she told me she did not buy enough food, I slowly realized my error and then quickly changed “jintian” (today) to “mingtian” (tomorrow)! Oops!

Ma Ayi teaches Lucas how to make dumplings!

In an effort to combat my inner Scarlett O’Hara, I also apologized and acknowledged that a dinner party was a lot of work: xing ku! I also encouraged Ma Ayi to go home early today to compensate for the extra work tomorrow. She refused and then said something like this: “Wo xiang gongzuo xing qi liu.”

Despite my eternal studying, I was not quite sure what she meant. This I do know:

wo = I

gongzuo = work or job

I also know that xing qi liu (after some quick arithmetic in my head) means Saturday.

It was the “xiang” that gave me some trouble.

I am positive that all of you have heard that the tones in Chinese make a huge difference when communicating. Well, you don’t even know the extent!!

Not only are the tones difficult to hear and reproduce easily, but when I am focused on the letters of the word in order to recognize the word itself, the tones just fall by the way side. Plus, every word has a gazillion meanings!

In addition, the Chinese sentence structure and thought process is so unusual to Americans that I am never sure what is going on!

As a result, after ayi’s sentence, this is what went through my personal brain translator (as I stood there silently and moronically) :

• I elephant job on Saturday.
• Hmmm… could this be right? Does she have a big job on Saturday? Is this sort of like the Chinese equivalent of gi-normous? Better check out my other options.

• I banana job on Saturday.
• Probably not right. I believe banana has a second syllable. I cannot remember it! Maybe jiao? Bad translation. Move on.

• I smell fragrant at my job on Saturday.
• Possibly. She does shower here. Could she work at a perfume counter? Is she asking if she can shower here on the weekends, too? AH! I just don't know! What else could it mean?

• I look like a job on Saturday.
• I don’t think so, BUT again, is it an expression? Sort of like: I work so hard for you that I look like a wreck on Saturday. I do know the word for look for, so that is not it. (Xiang can be translated as look like/appear/resemble.) Still…seems weird.

• I camera a job on Saturday.
• Who knew? An artistic ayi! She is a photographer, too?! Nah. Camera has another syllable as well. Maybe ji? Feeling frustrated....

• I enjoy a job on Saturday.
• Definitely not. Who would enjoy working 6 days a week?

• I would like a job on Saturday.
• Oh, crap. This must be it. She needs more work! I guess she doesn’t mind an impromptu dinner party for 7 after all! It’s a steady job!

If you are interested in the 300 other translations of xiang (or just want to have sympathy for me!) check out: http://www.clearchinese.com/chinese-english-dictionary.htm

I guarantee you will see why I need a housekeeper and driver here in China. I'll NEVER master the language! Yet hope springs eternal...back to the books!