Want to be like the fellas above? The Global Times has launched a “Tongue Twister Contest for Foreigners,” co-organized by Commercial Press and Chinese Universe. Those of foreign nationality are asked to submit videos of yourself saying Chinese tongue-twisters, which will then be judged from December 1 to 20. The top 20 will be selected for a “final vote,” where “language experts” weigh in. The deadline to submit is November 30.
Prizes include “Certificate + Trophy + VIP Membership + Community Medal,” plus study materials worth up to 6,000 yuan — though shouldn’t these be given to the losers?
More details via GT, with all the accompanying confusion:
Every contestant should practice one compulsory tongue twister and one optional from the five twisters.
True to form, Global Times does not tell us which is the compulsory, nor does it list the five optional tongue twisters.
Contestants should upload their video to youku.com, tudou.com, 56.com and ku6.com (files uploaded to youtube.com will not be accepted) and post the video in the forum for the contest. Contestants should email the video link and their profile to event@globaltimes.com.cn
We think this is the forum. It’s not really explicit. The only comment that’s there so far is from “Guest”: “Good contest!!”
The contest will have NINE awards, including the Top Three, Excellence Award, Most Popular, Most Beautiful Most Handsome, Most Intereting and Best Performance.
Not really sure if that means people will be voting in nine categories, which would seem like overkill. No one really expects netizens to watch 100 videos and then judge them according to nine categories, either.
Also, I think “top three” is three separate awards (???), but I’m going to guess that “Most Beautiful Most Handsome” are the same, unless they’re not (guy wins handsome, girl wins beautiful?). “Most Popular” — redundant, since the whole point of this contest is to figure out which is most popular? No idea.
Among the other things I don’t know, I don’t know why I’m trying to interpret this Global Times contest for you. Maybe I just want to see the next Mike Sui.
Probably not, but I’ve emailed GT for clarification on some of the above, and will update as necessary. Update, 11/9, 11:14 pm: Global Times has replied! Please see comment section.
Well, I know what all my adorable Japanese former classmates from Fudan will be forced into doing during our next bacchanalian meet-up. One is sad to see a startling lack of 施氏食狮史. Too easy?
Are the choices:
a) Enter this contest
or
b)Have testicles slowly removed with a cheese grater?
I used to work with one of those guys in the video, the one with the guitar. He’s a huge douchebag.
Thank you very much, Anthony.I’ve replied your mail.
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Tongue twisters for the contest:
http://community.globaltimes.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6990
You can clearly find compulsory tongue twister and five optional ones.
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We’ve updated the way of uploding video clips, because contestants meet difficulties when upload video clips. Now,contestants can directly send clips to event@globaltimes.com.cn, and we upload them.
http://community.globaltimes.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6989
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The contest will unveil NINE awards, including the First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, Excellence Award, Most Popular contestant , Most Pretty Female Contestant, Most Handsome Male Contestant, Most Humorous and Best Performance., etc.
Don’t worry.There won’t be nine categories.
They’re pretty talented but there also seems to be a simmering douche bag factor. I always cringe a bit when whiteys have that hard Beijing “r” accent too. I dont know what to do with this.