NonStick World
Wednesday May 07, 2008
Cha-er
All Chinese-Americans know what Chinglish is. I never really thought about it growing up, but we used it a lot in my family. It was, sometimes, the only way to communicate with our parents, and they with us.But my kid is speaking now, a lot. In fact, she won't shut up. It's after hearing her Chinglish that I realized there are two kinds. English Chinglish and Chinese Chinglish. English Chinglish is where you speak English and throw in Chinese terms (what we siblings use with each other and my daughter with me). Chinese Chinglish is where you speak Chinese and throw in English terms (what we used with our parents).
So, I thought I would share my daughter's Chinglish because a) people may identify and 2) it's just damn funny.
Today's word?
cha-er
-noun
person who applies in a thin layer or coating
"I'll be the cha-er for the cupcakes. You be the sprinkler."
Posted at 07:23AM May 07, 2008 by nonstick in Chinglish | Comments[2]
Never thought about the many kinds of Chinglish but you're right! My kids say "Don't shuo me" which means "don't scold me." I asked them yesterday how to say "shuo" in English and they said, "American people don't really do it that much." I thought that was pretty funny. And probably true. And not necessarily good, I dunno...
Posted by melanie gao on May 07, 2008 at 11:01 PM MST #
Melanie,
It's funny that your kids think the grass is greener on this side of Pacific. Scolding exists in ALL cultures.
Posted by pam on May 08, 2008 at 07:52 AM MST #