Getting a food order wrong (Lesson 384)
In 36-37 pages, the author misunderstand “er liang” about the food measurement. Question is simple. In this chinese reataurant, er liang is used of means dry flour measure. The author is a Australian. Firstly, he don’t know what is the measure of er liang, secondly, he think the er liang means the dumplings cooked weight, and he think the dumplings not very much. So he ordered about 2 pound dumplings for themshelf finally. It’s ten times that of “er liang”. At that time, he feel good, because he thought he know best. Until about 20 plates jiaozi piled high in front of the author. Autually, dry flour is light. It’s so many for two people, even two Australian.The result is unexpected.

The author deeply feel the importance of the contest from this example. Commnucate is a adventure that talk to real people in the real environment. Like the author, the thing of ordering the dumplings in the local restaurant is a adventure. In fact, he could ask the advice from the waiters. For example, “how many pieces of the dumplings on a plate normally?” “what size is the dumplings, small, medium, big?” Then he will know about the general situation of the dumplings. And avoid the above problem.

How important is the environment of the language. Beacause of the language is a tool of the other people communicate, the person society and culture are changeable, sometimes the words&phrases’s meaning also changeable. And sometimes the meaning of the words just the local person are used. The learner have to immersed the real environment, talk with the real person.

Both I and my friends alway order food on my mobile phone in my city. It usually has the food name, picture, weight on it. So i don’t have some experience about getting a food order wrong. But today, I will introduce a Chinese snack–Goubuli steamed bun. The name also requires understanding of the environment.

The meaning of “Goubuli” is even the dogs ignored them. At this time, do you think the steamed bun is a bad-tasting food? It’s sooo deliciouse. In fact, the origin of the name is the cook maked the steamed bun was so concentrate on it that ignore the dogs. Goubuli steamed bun means the most delicious bun in China. How interesting! This is a completely different meaning.

So,as the author said, really learn, perceiving the language world. We would know the different way of thinking and interacting.