A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers (3 page)

slogan
 
 
n.
a catchword or phrase used in politics or advertising.

slogan

I go in bookshop buy the English version of
Little Red Book
. Not easy read but very useful argue with English using Chairman Mao
slogans
. English version is without translator name on cover. Yes, no second name can be shared on Mao’s work. Chairman Mao

has inherited, defended and developed Marxism-Leninism with genius, creatively and comprehensively, and has brought it to a higher and completely new stage.

The English translators of this book, they are like feather compare with Tai Mountain.

In West, Mao’s words work for me, though they not work in China now. Example, today big confusion in streets. Everywhere people marching to say no to war in Iraq.

“No war for oil!”

“Listen to your people!”

The demon-strators from everywhere in Britain, socialists, Communists, teachers, students, housewifes, labour workers, Muslim womans covered under the scarf with their children…They marching to the Hyde park. I am in march because I not finding way to hostel. So no choice except following. I search Chinese faces in the march team. Very few. Maybe they busy and desperately earning money in those Chinese Takeaways.

People in march seems really happy. Many smiles. They feel happy in sunshine. Like having weekend family picnic. When finish everyone rush drink beers in pubs and ladies gather in tea houses, rub their sore foots.

Can this kind of demon-stration stop war?

From Mao’s little red book, I learning in school:

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence with which one class overthrows another.

Probably Communist love war more than anybody. From Mao’s opinion, war able be “Just” although it is bloody. (But blood happen everyday anyway…) He say:

Oppose unjust war with just war, whenever possible.

So if people here want to against war in Iraq, they needing have civil war with their Tony Blair here, or their Bush. If more people bleeding in native country, then those mens not making war in other place.

weather
 
 
n.
the state of the atmosphere at a place and time in terms of temperature, wind, rain, etc.–
v.
(cause to) be affected by the weather; come safely through.

weather

Carrying meat ball and pork slice from supermarket, now I am in place calling
Ye Olde English Tea Shop
. What is this “Ye”? Why “Olde” not “Old”? Wrong spelling.

Tea house like Qing dynasty old style building waiting for being demolish. Everything looking really old here, especial wood stick beam in middle of house, supporting roof. Old carpet under the foot is very complication flower pattern, like something from emperor mother house.

“Where would you like to sit?”, “What can I get you?”, “A table for one person?”, “Are you alone?”. Smiling waiter ask so many questions. He making me feel bit lonely. In China I not have loneliness concept. Always we with family or crowd. But England, always alone, and even waiter always remind you you are alone…

Everybody listening the weather at this moment in tea house. All time in London, I hearing weather report from radios. It tells weather situation like emergency typhoon coming. But no emergency coming here. I checking
Concise Chinese–English Dictionary
. It saying all English
under the weather
, and all English is
weather beaten
, means uncomfortable. Is reasonable, of course. England everybody beaten by the weather. Always doubt or choice about weather. Weather it rain or weather it sunshine, you just not know.

Weather report also very difficult understand. The weather man not saying “rain” or “sunny” because they speaking in complication and big drama way. He reporting weather like reporting big war: “Unfortunately…Hopefully…”. I listen two hours radio I meet twice weather report. Do they think British Empire as big China that it need to report at any time? Or clouds in this country changing every single minute? Yes, look at the clouds now, they are so suspicious! Not like my home town, often several weeks without one piece cloud in sky and weather man has nothing more to say. Some days he just saying “It is Yin,” which mean weather is negative.

confuse
 
 
v.
mix up; perplex, disconcert; make unclear.

confusion
 
 
n.
1.
the state of being confused;
2.
a situation of panic or disorder;
3.
the mistaking of one person or thing for another.

confusion

English food very confusing. They eating and drinking strange things. I think even Confucius have great confusion if he studying English.

It is already afternoon about 3 o’clock and I so hungry. What can I eat, I asking waiter. He offering “Afternoon Tea.” What? Eat afternoon tea?

So he showing me blackboard, where is a menu:

Ye Olde English Tea

2 scones, jam, whipped cream, pot of tea £3.75

Whatever, I must to eat whatever they have or I faint. Three minutes later my thing arrives: “scones” hot and thick and dry, cream is unbelieveable, butter is greasy, and jam are three kinds: raspberry, cramberry and strawberry. A white tea pot with a white tea cup.

I confusing again when I look at “whipped cream” on little blackboard. What is that mean? How people whip the cream? I see a poster somewhere near Chinatown. On poster naked woman only wears leather boots and leather pants, and she whipping naked man kneeling down under legs. So a English chef also whipping in kitchen?

I put scones into mouth, and drink tea like horse. Next door me, I hearing somebody wanting “frothy coffee.”

A lady with a young man. She say: “Can I have a frothy coffee, please? And my friend will have a black coffee, with skimmed milk.”

It must be big work making something “skimmed,” and “frothy,” and “whipped.” Why drinking become so complicating and need so much work?

And water are even more complicating here. Maybe raining everyday here and too much water so English making lots kind water.

I thirsty from eating dry scones.

Waiter asks me: “What would you like? Tap water or filthy water?”

“What? Filthy water?” I am shocked.

“OK, filthy water.” He leave and fetch bottle of water.

I so curious about strange water. I opening bottle. I drinking it. Taste bitter, very filthy, not natural at all, like poison.

homesick
 
 
adj.
sad because missing one’s home or family.

homesick

In my language school, Mrs. Margaret ask me:

“Would you like some tea?”

“No,” I say.

She looking at me, her face suddenly frozen. Then she asking me again:

“Would you like some coffee then?”

“No. I don’t want.”

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?”

“No. I don’t want anything wet,” I saying loudly, precisely.

Mrs. Margaret looking very upset.

But why she asking me again and again? I already answer her from first time.

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Margaret sigh heavy. Then she standing up, and starting make her own tea. She drink it in very thirsty way, like angry camel in the desert. I am confusing. Am I make tea for her before she asking me? But how do I know she thirsty if she not telling me directly? All this
manners
very complication. China not have
politeness
in same way.

And how to learn be
polite
if I not getting chance talk people? I am always alone, talking in my notebook, or wandering here and there like invisible ghost. Nobody speak to me and I not dare open my mouth first because when I start talking, I asking the rude questions.

“Excuse me, you know there are some red spots on your face?”

“Are you a bit fatter than me?”

“I don’t believe we same age. You look much older than me.”

“I think you are a very normal person. Not a special person.”

“The food you cook is disgusting. Why nobody tell you?”

I already have very famous reputation in my language school. They say: “You know that Chinese girl…” “Which one?” “That rude one of course!” I hear it several times. Maybe I need get trained from ‘“Manners International Etiquette Workshop,” which is advertisement I read on Chinese newspaper. It say:

Manners International custom tailors each etiquette program to the specific requirements of each individual, business/corporation, organization, school, Girl Scout Troop, or family.

I think I am exactly that “individual” needing to be taught there, if fee is not too expensive. Re-education is always important.

Mrs. Margaret look at me in sad way. “You must be very
homesick
,” she says.

Actually not missing family at all, and not missing boring little hometown also. I happy I not needing think about stinking shoes with anyhow the same style on showroom shelfs in parent factory. I glad I not having go work every day at work unit. Only thing I missing is food. Roasted ducks, fresh cut lamb meat in boiling hot pot, and red chilli spicy fish…When thinking of food, I feel I make big mistake by leaving China.

This country to me, this a new world. I not having past in this country. No memory being builded here so far, no sadness or happiness so far, only information, hundreds and thousands of information, which confuse me everyday.

Except my English class every morning, I so bored of being alone. I always alone, and talking to myself. When sky become dark, I want grab something warm in this cold country. I want find friend teach me about this strange country. Maybe I want find man can love me. A man in this country save me, take me, adopt me, be my family, be my home. Every night, when I write diary, I feeling troubled. Am I writing in Chinese or in English? I trying express me, but confusing—I see other little me try expressing me in other language.

Maybe I not need feeling lonely, because I always can talk to other “me.” Is like seeing my two pieces of lips speaking in two languages at same time. Yes, I not lonely, because I with another me. Like Austin Power with his Mini Me.