Today's topic is a simple solution to a complicated problem. The complicated problem is how to estimate "pitch range" in recordings of human speakers. As for the simple solution — wait and see. You might think that the many differences between the perceptual variable of pitch and the physical variable of fundamental frequency ("f0") arise […]
Lately, since Xi Jinping made himself President for Life of the People's Republic of China, wags and wits have taken to calling the country over which he rules "Xina". It turns out that this is the Catalan word for "China". Curious to know how Xina is pronounced in Catalan, I looked it up on Wiktionary: […]
A highly educated Chinese colleague sent me the following note: More Chinese phrases with Latin alphabet, such as C位, diss, etc. have become quite popular. Even one of my friends who is so intoxicated by the beauty of the Chinese classic language used "diss" in her WeChat post. She could have used any of the […]
Sign in a restroom at the Taipei Public Library: biàn hòu suíshǒu chōng chūnní liǎo wú hén 便後隨手沖 春泥了無痕 After relieving yourself, don't forget to flush, So there will be nary a trace of "spring mud".
What was it? Instead of writing "Xí Jìnpíng xīn shídài Zhōngguó tèsè shèhuì zhǔyì sīxiǎng 习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想" ("Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”), two Shaanxi Daily editors wrote "Xí Jìnpíng zǒng shūjì xīn shídài Zhōngguó tèsè shèhuì zhǔyì sīxiǎng 习近平总书记新时代中国特色社会主义思想 ("General Secretary Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics […]
What's going on? Lately everywhere you turn, especially in China, people are getting insulted — big league: "‘Ask the Chinese people’: China calls for understanding in Dolce & Gabbana insult row" Fashion house suffers high-profile resignations after ‘country of s***t’ storm D&G attempts damage control as Communist Party weighs in to row Zhuang Pinghui, SCMP […]
Why China still needs one, and Chairman Xi keeps calling for a profound transformation of toilet etiquette:
Article in ABC News (Australia) today (11/20/18): "'Arsehole' geese become internet sensations as farmer writes honest for-sale post" All Leslie Du Preez wanted was to add a little tranquillity to her small southern Queensland farm. "We got these beautiful geese and thought they'd be a wonderful addition to our beautiful zen-like property," she said. It […]
What group differences look like vs. how people talk and think about them. pic.twitter.com/4ROSCN9f4Y — Stephen Vaisey (@vaiseys) November 15, 2018
So argues Anders Corr in the Journal of Political Risk, 7.11 (November, 2018): "Boycott the Chinese Language: Standard Mandarin is the Medium of Chinese Communist Party Expansion" What? Are my eyes deceiving me? Did he really say that? Starting right from the first paragraph, we can see that the author is serious: China is one […]
Monique Friedlander, "'It's a nightmare and not something anyone wants to happen!' Roxy Jacenko reveals the fatal error which forced her to scrap new book", Daily Mail 11/18/2018: Roxy Jacenko's fourth literary work, Roxy's Little Black Book of Tips & Tricks is set to hit shelves in less than two weeks. But the 38-year-old suffered […]