Comments on: “You Speak Very Good Chinese,” NDRC Chairman Tells Female Australian Reporter [UPDATE]

By: Who is Andrea Yu » CHIMERICA NEWS

Who is Andrea Yu » CHIMERICA NEWS — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 03:51:37 +0000

[...] reporter Andrea Yu became a minor internet sensation when she stood up at an 18th Party Congress press conference and asked a question in (relatively) [...]

By: Joseph Lemien

Joseph Lemien — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:17:10 +0000

I am amazed that she has become an internet sensation for “good Chinese.” Her pausing seemed to divide her sentences into neatly separated words. All of her “uh”s certainly didn’t make it seem very fluent to me. It seemed like she was reading from a prepared script (which she obviously was) without having practiced it much (which she damn well should have for such an important event) and without being completely comfortable with the content/language of the question (which she should be).

By: » Stephen McDonnell Gave Andrea Yu, Star Bilingual “Reporter,” A Firsthand Lesson In Journalism, And It’s Not Pretty Beijing Cream

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:59:53 +0000

[...] Yesterday, while writing about an Australian reporter who had become somewhat of a Chinese Internet star because of her Mandarin-speaking ability, I was most struck by something she said in English. At a press conference inside the Great Hall of the People, she mentioned she was representing “Global CAMG Media International.” I googled that phrase and found no results on the first page. The closest match was “CAMH,” which is completely different. That should’ve sent up a red flag, instead of a yellow one. But this was still the early stages of the story, and the news seemed to be the question itself, not the identity of the questioner, so I went ahead with the post. [...]

By: King Baeksu

King Baeksu — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:52:03 +0000

Lol, that’s what happens when a fake reporter runs up against a real one. I’ve seen my share of kangaroo roadkill in the Outback, but nothing like this. Not that the plebs in China will know any different.

Wonder if she’ll still have a job when she gets back home? Of course, she’d fit right in with the Washington Press corps, should she need new employment.

What’s up with the white face and that surname, anyway? Doesn’t sound Greek to me!

By: Tom H

Tom H — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:07:15 +0000

The speaker Andrea Yu works for a Chinese state-owned media organisation in Australia. She is confronted about it in this interview: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2012/s3632894.htm

By: Boooooooooya

Boooooooooya — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 04:21:02 +0000

In my experience Chinese people judge foreigners’ Chinese almost entirely by their pronunciation of the tones. She does well on that front. Plus… the comic is true, and it’s at least partly because the number of foreigners who speak good Chinese is still very low.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:07:32 +0000

Are you implying that all Chinese women are prostitutes? Interesting point of view from a white man.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:06:41 +0000

No. It’s because of white worship.

By: slim

slim — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:31:27 +0000

Isn’t there a better blog post here on the fake journalism, with CCTV-style softball questions, this lady is committing? Chinese state media have no choice, but why on earth should foreigners follow that pathetic course?

By: bert

bert — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:14:59 +0000

It is nice of both or them. For her to learn Chinese and for him to praise her. Happy!

By: Chinese Netizen

Chinese Netizen — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 05:25:08 +0000

I’ll bet she knows how to use chopsticks and give happy endings, too…

By: Double Standards?

Double Standards? — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 02:49:30 +0000

Re. comics … that situation happens all over the world though, people are just surprised by what’s not expected.

Also, ever wondered why Chinese people praise foreigners’ Chinese even if its shit? Maybe because they think it’s great that foreigners are making the effort to learn Chinese and its their way of showing encouragement? How would you feel if you’re learning a foreign language (let’s say French for now) and the French person says, “oh my, why are you so bad at French?”

By: King Baeksu

King Baeksu — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 02:27:54 +0000

I think the Chinese translator was slightly off. “I understood everything” actually means, “This Aussie Bettie Page has a great rack!”

BTW, does reading from a prepared script and umming and ahhing a lot really constitute good Chinese? What was his answer anyway?