Jul 17, 2008

Hidden Microphone: Printing Shop

I always find real, unscripted speech to be more useful in learning a language than written dialogues.

To this end, I've tried to record some real, easy dialogue for Mandarin Chinese. I recorded myself getting something printed in a real life printing shop in China. Now this might seem a bit unethical since this it was a hidden microphone, but it's all in the name of education. Here's how the dialogue ended up. I fast-forwarded through all the boring bits when nothing happened. Listen here.

Me: 开门。。。打印可不可以?A4黑白。(Hands her an SD card)
Her: 你有卡吗?
Me: 读卡器?没有。

Her: PDF?
Me: 对。

Me: 二到五就可以。
Her: 就这个是吧,二到五?

Her: 八块钱。

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Me: kāimén... dǎyìn kě bùkě yǐ? A4 hēi bái. (Hands her an SD card)
Her: nǐ yǒu kǎ ma?
Me: dú kǎ qì? méiyǒu.

Her: PDF?
Me: duì.

Me: èr dào wǔ jiù kěyǐ.
Her: jiù zhègè shì ba, èr dào wǔ?

Her: bā kuài qián.

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Me: (To myself) Open the door.... can I print something? A4 black & white? (Hands her an SD card)
Her: Do you have a card?
Me: A card reader? No.

Her: PDF?
Me: Yes.

Me: Two to five is fine.
Her: This right, two to five?

Her: Eight kuai.

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Let me know if you have any probs!

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