Question About Vietnamese Language / Culture

She must be hot and single. Only reason to want to impress her so badly.

These go to eleven.

Posts: 12605 | Location: Westminster, MA | Registered: November 14, 2006

Ignored post by frayedends posted

אַרְיֵה

posted

quote:
Originally posted by PR64:

I’m curious why you don’t think she’s a regular American and speaks English?

I'm not sure how you arrived at that conclusion; maybe I was not clear, in my original post. I'm sure that she does speak fluent English, but I'm willing to bet that English was not her first language, and maybe not her second.

I always though that it was a sign of respect to greet others in their native language. I probably got that habit from my mother, who was fluent in a bunch of central and Eastern European languages. She (my mother) was the first in her blood line to be born in the U.S., and she did not learn English until she started school, when she was maybe five or six years old. I wish that more of her linguistic ability had rubbed off on me, but I do try to stumble along in a couple of other languages.

הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

Posts: 31930 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010

Ignored post by V-Tail posted

SIGnified

Fire begets Fire
Picture of SIGnified

posted

I have learned little sayings in Vietnamese. It is my favorite cuisine by far, and I live in a fairly Asiatic community with Vietnamese making up some significant part of the population. Likewise I can speak a little bit of Chinese, Japanese and Thai.

Like any human culture, they tend to be very pleased that you try to speak to them natively. Often enriches the experience so much more.

IME, culturally they are very hard workers, much like the Cubans used to be.

"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty." ~Robert A. Heinlein

Posts: 26758 | Location: dughouse | Registered: February 04, 2003

Ignored post by SIGnified posted

12131

Oriental Redneck
Picture of 12131

posted

quote:
Originally posted by Aeteocles:
To address a female in your parent's peer group, you would use Cô. Roughly translated, it means "Auntie."

"Cô" has a wide range of usage, anywhere from young lady to auntie. For V-Tail's case, it's perfectly appropriate for him to use it when greeting her.

Posts: 28755 | Location: TEXAS | Registered: September 04, 2008

Ignored post by 12131 posted

David Lee

7.62mm Crusader

posted

V-Tail, try yeu toi lau roi..

Posts: 18065 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008

Ignored post by David Lee posted

Butch 2340

Hold Fast

posted

quote:
Originally posted by Aeteocles:
To address a female in your peer group, you would use "Chị". Roughly translated, it means "Respected Sister." To pronounce it, the "i" has a "gutteral stop" in the same way the i in "Chick" causes tension and an abrupt stop of diaphram and throat.

To address a female in your parent's peer group, you would use Cô. Roughly translated, it means "Auntie." To pronounce it, use a hard C and a long O, as in the *second* half of Cocoa.

There are two more female pronouns that are used in specific cases. Bác for someone who would be in your parent's peer group, but you are certain is older than your parents. Roughly, "Elder Auntie". Bà for someone who would be in your grandparents peer group. Roughly, "Madam".

To address a letter: Kính gửi Chị Mai,

Chào would be informal - "Hi" or "Hey". Xin Chao would be "Hello", where the extra "xin" would be roughly, "I ask leave to greet you"... Vietnamese language is full of flourishes like this that makes speaking fluently a pain in the ass. If you were to just listen to direct translations, everyone's a fucking poet--"I beg leave to make your greetings with you today respected Madam, for I wish to take depart for home with this fish I have purchased upon myself."

This

******************************************************************************
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet . . .

Posts: 7691 | Location: Georgia | Registered: May 16, 2002

Ignored post by Butch 2340 posted

אַרְיֵה

posted

Everything is settled. The young lady showed up today, I'm guessing that the driver was her husband. We had a brief conversation, she thanked me for finding her wallet and tracking her down (a police detective in her town did the legwork). Very pleasant young lady, a nursing student.

All's well that ends well.

This is the third wallet that I have found on the ground at strip malls near here and returned to the owners.

הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

Posts: 31930 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010

Ignored post by V-Tail posted

Edmond

I Am The Walrus

posted

I first read that as 3rd wallet you have found at strip clubs…

_____________

Posts: 13400 | Registered: March 12, 2005

Ignored post by Edmond posted

אַרְיֵה

posted

quote:
Originally posted by Edmond:

I first read that as 3rd wallet you have found at strip clubs…

No, I have found a lot more than three, at strip clubs.

הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

Posts: 31930 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010

Ignored post by V-Tail posted

saigonsmuggler

Member

posted

quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
No, I have found a lot more than three, at strip clubs.

Did you also go to same great length to return those to their male owners?

Posts: 1826 | Location: Austin TX | Registered: October 30, 2003

Ignored post by saigonsmuggler posted

אַרְיֵה

posted

quote:
Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:

No, I have found a lot more than three, at strip clubs.
Did you also go to same great length to return those to their male owners?

Might be more fun to return the wallet to the owner's wife, and tell her where it was found.

הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

Posts: 31930 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010

Ignored post by V-Tail posted

recoatlift

Member

posted

Devious, I like it V!

Posts: 5775 | Location: west 'by god' virginia | Registered: May 30, 2009

Ignored post by recoatlift posted

Lefty Sig

Left-Handed,
NOT Left-Winged!

posted

I can attest to Vietnamese women being very impressed when a westerner can greet them properly and use a few words of Vietnamese. It also helps if you can pronounce a name like Nhung Nguyen properly.

Posts: 5055 | Location: Indiana | Registered: December 28, 2004

Ignored post by Lefty Sig posted

Mars_Attacks

Raptorman

posted

Today is Lunar New Year and I produce posters off the equipment for their celebration at work.

I will be crammed so full of egg rolls, rice noodle cake and bun thit noung, I won't eat again for a week. These little ladies treat me like a king. LOL

My coworkers appreciate it when we participate in their celebrations.

____________________________

Eeewwww, don't touch it!
Here, poke at it with this stick.

Posts: 34731 | Location: North, GA | Registered: October 09, 2002

Ignored post by Mars_Attacks posted