I just don’t get the humor. I’ve always been a minority and a bit nerdy so I’m no stranger to teasing and have a pretty thick skin. But, my goodness…
What’s with the people, especially the kids, holding their noses like it just got hit with a baseball. They do this in front of me. Then they say… pointlessly covering their mouth with hand to their friend… “he has a big nose” “I would say in pretty understandable Chinese. What’s wrong with your nose?” They’d sometimes freeze then smile and say… “You’re/He’s talking in Chinese”. I’d reply… Chinese? No, don’t know it. I’m talking in English.
Like the episode of the Simpsons where Bart introduces grounds keep to his Jordanian friend in a sarcastic way… The grounds keeper said… “It that all you can say to make fun of me”. He then listed some more creative aspects about himself that would be worth ridiculing.
Is that the extent of Taiwan humor and ridicule? Can’t they do better? It really just reminds me of Sponge Bob or Patrick hitting himself, saying ouch, laughing and doing it again.
When I break through the Chinese/English barier and watch TV, am I going to say… is that all there is?
Please, share some Chinese wit or sarcasm. Is there any good old New York rudeness here? Or are they a country of Patricks.
I want to hear “Your father was a hamster and your mother smelt of Elderberries” or You’re mom is so fat… How fat is she… kind of thing…
Oh, how would they respond if I were to have a conversation with a friend in Chinese similar their conversion about my nose, covering an other bit of Chinese anatomy.
It wouldn’t work, since my companion or friend is Chinese. But if I were with other foreigners, how would they feel. What would I pick on (eyes, mouth, butt). How would they react? Would they say I’m insensitive to the feelings of the Chinese people?
Some of these people are so “Goober” as to start talking about my nose sitting next to my wife and I at a long hot pot table. My wife chose to ignore though she was embarrassed, and me… I just listened smiled and gave them a look like I understand everything you are saying… but went back to my meal. And yes, how I eat Hot pot is infinitely more funnier than my nose.
Rant on<<
You guys surely must have realized by now that some of the people here are just not as smart as we originally thought. I mean, they study like fuck to pass all the school exams that really teaches very little, but for memorization. Once you get into university, no problems mate, go through the motions and you’ll get your degree. Like the wife says, “It’s difficult to get in, but once you’re in, it’s easy because you will pass”.
Now also remember, that many people were never told by their parents or teachers that it’s rude to talk about or stare it people. It’s not in the syllabus, so no need to know it.
I mean, ask a question which you and I consider simple and see the answer you get, e.g. Q “How much to paint the room?” A “More than ten thousand.” Q “Can you perhaps give me a more accurate figure?” A “Less than twenty thousand.” Q “OK, so how about you give me a quote?” A “We don’t use quotes in Taiwan. We trust.”
Rant off<<
With the exception of a few million retards, the people here are lovely really.
Edit: Don’t take the above too seriously. I’m just having a bad day.
I’ve never heard of Taiwanese kids saying anyone has a big nose, so I can only conclude that you have gargantuan proboscis.
I’m wondering: When you stop to smell the flowers, do they tremble in fear? You know, the bible says the Lord giveth, and evidently when it came to your nose, he just kept on giving didn’t he? But seriously folks, sometimes it’s important to wake up and smell the coffee. And in Taiwan_Student’s case, smell the coffee in Guatemala.
/Thank you very much
//Don’t forget to try your waitress
///And tip the veal
[quote=“Chaon”]I’ve never heard of Taiwanese kids saying anyone has a big nose, so I can only conclude that you have gargantuan proboscis.
[/quote]
Then dear Chaon, I must conclude that you have not been here long enough. Hang out with high class who shelter you from the local culture or wear rose colored glasses.
[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]
If your friend is foreign, call him Adogah[/quote]
The term “Adogah” literally means “Big Nose”. It’s the accepted term for foreigner in Taiwanese.
I don’t mind them talking about the nose. But recently they’ve been holding their nose as if someone hit it. That’s annoying.
By the way… it seems that Taiwanese accept their bad nicknames like “Fatty” or what not. I just want to be treated the same. I want to learn society’s rules and abide by them.
now lets say just for the sake of argument, that the accepted term for Asians in the West is ‘slant eyes.’ Which is basically THE EXACT SAME on the ignorance scale. I am sure the local Asian community would nonchalantly brush it off and say: ‘Oh those silly Americans, that is just their word for us.’
I don’t think so. So now one is left with a decision. Treat Taiwanese with the same respect you would treat anyone else and condemn this word for being ignorant.
Or treat them ‘special’ and let it slide. This option is in the long run being more ignorant to the Taiwanese as you are basically saying ‘they just don’t get it.’
That depends upon how they treat each other. I watch a lot of Hong Kong movies with the subtitles. They have all sorts of nick names in those junior high school/ high school comedies.
Also… Taiwanese wives affectionally call thier husbands… stinky… the term escapes me now… .
But, Duce, your’re right there… I would like to sit in a restaurant with foreign friends talking about the locals (in Chinese or Taiwanese) the same way they talk about us whiteys and see what would happen. Probably get beat up.
From time to time, some of us foreigners go bonkers in China land and do stupid things. Wasn’t there the case of a foreigner in China who listed all his gripes about his treatment on a T-shirt, in Chinese. If I recall the shirt only stated the truth… staring, silly questions…
I think he got arrested and made to appologize publicly and post a fine…
But I want in to the Chinese Sarcasm and Humor… That’s what I want to learn about.
