Hi,

I am trying to add these couple of words. Even when I get the "does not exist in our database. Luckily, you can add it!" box it wont accept it. The words are:

荷兰 - Hélán - Netherland
荷兰语 - Hélányǔ - Dutch
南非 荷兰语 - Nánfēi hélányǔ - Afrikaans (a language in South Africa)

How could I overcome this?

I also struggle to add:

哪里 - nǎlǐ - No (a polite expression used to humbly denying a compliment)

The list editor automatically converts it to 哪里: nǎli - where?

As for the first ones, go to http://www.skritter.com/vocab/queue

and copy and paste this in
荷兰
荷兰语
南非荷兰语

(your one had a space which meant Skritter saw 南非荷兰语 as 南非）。

If you click validate then enter, they'll add fine. I've added your definitions there for those missing.

As for 哪里, since this has already be defined as 'where' in Skritter's system, you can't change the meaning. I think they're planning on letting you use your own definitions at one point.

Don't worry about 哪里's meaning to much. Better to think of it as "where, where?" feigning modesty instead of no anyway.

Incidentally, MDBG gives 南非语 as Afrikaans, not 南非荷兰语.

Thanks! I added them to my list now. All is working (Except for the difference in 哪里)

The list I am setting up is the vocabulary of my university handbook. So I just copy and paste them to the list editor (luckily for me I manage to get an electronic copy of the book).

When I got to countries I got: 南非

Which made sense. South + Africa

Then I got to languages and I got:

荷兰语 for Dutch but 南非荷兰语 for Afrikaans

Which translate to: South + Africa + Netherlands + Language. Even though Afrikaans and Dutch are very close to each other it didn't made sens to write 南非荷兰语 instead of 南非语 for Afrikaans. Will have to take it up with my lecturer :D

Actually, not entirely true what I said. If there's a word with a wrong or partial meaning etc, you can hit the feedback button on the practice page and ask for a correction. Slipped my mind.

@aharlekyn is there a shorter Chinese phrase for Afrikaans? Yellowbridge lists 公用荷兰语, which also contains 荷兰语:

http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/wordsearch.php?searchMode=E&word=afrikaans&select=anywhere&search=Search

I would think they could add a note to the definition of 那里, since the use you mentioned is so idiomatic.

James

I can add a note to that definition. How often is 哪里 used by itself in response to a compliment, as opposed to saying 哪里哪里?

I've heard only foreigners say 哪里哪里 (at least I think that is what I remember hearing in a random chinesepod lesson).

When looking for authoritative sources I found this interesting article, which builds on Ben's blog post about humility:

http://khoaanh.net/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=1018

James

Is CCTV authoritative enough? http://www.cctv.com/english/special/chinese/20090814/109561.shtml

James

That's aimed at learners, but written with them in mind... It includes "马马虎虎", which the Chinese will tell you it's something foreigners learn and they never say..

Another source for 哪里哪里, a joke about a foreigner learning Chinese who says a bride is beautiful and after she says 哪里哪里 he replies eye brows, nose, eyes, etc. Still foreigners learning Chinese though, although it does say that this is something all Chinese know and use often.

http://edu.sina.com.cn/en/2008-09-03/095043918.shtml

I can't find the actual place I heard it, but this is kinda getting at it:

http://blogs.chinesepod.com/integrated-chinese/?cat=18

"Next I’d like to take on the the classic Chinese reply to a compliment: “哪里，哪里” (see your IC textbook, page 169). Literally, it means, “where, where?” as if you can’t “find” or see the positive traits in yourself that are being pointed out to you. It’s a form of modesty. What I’d like to tell you is that although this response is very common and Chinese people might even expect you to use it, Chinese people themselves don’t actually use it among themselves very much! Shocking, but true. Another more oft-used option is 过奖了 (guòjiǎng le), which means “you have overpraised me.” "

When I heard it in one of the lessons, the gist seemed to be that only foreigners tend to say it twice, native speakers only saying it once. But I have no actual knowledge to contribute.

I have to wonder if it is like "hello". It gets taught as common English, and it might be written, but it is only rarely actually said. (rather then hey, howdy, etc.)

Those just have 哪里哪里, not 哪里, as that response. Still haven't really seen an example of one 哪里 by itself not just meaning "where", although I'm probably overlooking.

Huh, good to know. I tell all my friends who are learning English that only foreigners say "my friend" as a greeting (e.g. "How are you, my friend?" - bonus not-from-here points for rolling the r's). But so many foreigners say it that there must be a book or two that teaches it.

A language exchange partner from China showed me the book he was learning to study English, which he said was one of the most popular books used in China, and it was HORRIBLE. I started correcting it and stopped after three pages because it was riddled with errors. It was clearly not written or reviewed by a native speaker.

James

All the 哪里哪里’s spoken in that CCTV video are spoken with a neutral tone. So, don’t mark the 里 with a 3rd tone.

I asked my friend from Beijing about 过奖了 and 那里 as responses to something like "你说得很好". He writes:

"The best way is 谢谢，你过奖了, 还在学习中, meaning thanks for your compliments, I am still working on it.

"说的不好，您多指教 means I am still working on it, please teach me."

James

http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q91994090.htm

Chinese person asking whether anybody says 哪里哪里. One person says yes, in formal situations only though. One says no it sounds a bit wordy. One says being modest is virtuous.

Asked a teacher today and was told that 哪里哪里 sounds a bit old-fashioned nowadays, but you might use it if an older person (长辈) complimented you. She said if you do use it, you need to repeat it, can't just use 哪里 on its own.

Every Chinese person I have asked about it has said that you usually say it twice in a row. I have to admit that I have never heard it said by a Chinese person, though. As for me, if I am in the mood to do that whole bit I usually say 说得过去吧. After traveling through the south and hearing 哪里 for where, it felt awkward to say for modesty. Though I have been told that you can also say 哪儿哪儿 as well.

Must be a regional thing.

My fiancee uses them both, 哪里 and 哪里哪里, plus 没有没有, and has no idea why a Chinese person would find these strange to say. She's 28 years old, from Chengdu.

It's also an common expression (or the equivalent is, rather) in 四川话.