{"id":3560,"date":"2023-06-12T18:57:08","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T01:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/?p=3560"},"modified":"2024-09-22T13:23:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-22T20:23:16","slug":"cier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/2023\/06\/12\/cier\/","title":{"rendered":"c\u00ec\u2019\u011br"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\t\t\tc\u00ec\u2019\u011br<\/span>\n(c\u00ec\u2019\u00b7\u011br\n{stabs; pricks \u2192 [irritates; pierces]} \u00b7 ear \u2192<\/span> [grating on the ear; jarring; ear-piercing]<\/span>\n\u523a\u8033)<\/span>\n\n \u2190 Tap\/click to show\/hide the \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n\n

I have long especially liked 1 Corinthians 13<\/a>. It contains counsel on what really does and doesn\u2019t matter in life, an extensive description and definition of the most important kind of love, and a sublime discussion about the need to become complete, mature, as a person. As these apply to life in general, so too do they apply to our lives as Mandarin field language learners.<\/p>\n

As Mandarin field language learners, it can benefit us greatly to consider what we can learn from 1 Corinthians 13, and along the way, we can also consider some of the Mandarin expressions used in that chapter<\/a> in the current version of the Mandarin New World Translation<\/i> Bible (nwtsty).<\/p>\n

\u201cClashing\u201d<\/h4>\n

This week\u2019s MEotW, \u201cc\u00ec\u2019\u011br<\/i><\/span>\n(c\u00ec\u2019\u00b7\u011br\n{stabs; pricks \u2192 [irritates; pierces]} \u00b7 ear \u2192<\/span> [grating on the ear; jarring; ear-piercing]<\/span>\n\u523a\u8033)<\/span>\u201d<\/i>, occurs in verse 1 (WOL<\/a>, P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus<\/a>) of 1 Corinthians 13:<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

(Dark mode for the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (WOL) website, as shown in the above image, can be enabled in the Safari web browser by using the Noir<\/a> Safari extension.)<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u00ec\u2019\u011br<\/i><\/span>\n(C\u00ec\u2019\u00b7\u011br\n{stabs; pricks \u2192 [irritates; pierces]} \u00b7 ear \u2192<\/span> [grating on the ear; jarring; ear-piercing]<\/span>\n\u523a\u8033)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> literally means \u201cstabs ear\u201d, and is used in the Mandarin New World Translation<\/i> Bible\u2019s rendering of 1 Corinthians 13:1<\/a> to translate the \u201cclashing\u201d in \u201cclashing cymbal\u201d. In this context, \u201cc\u00ec\u2019\u011br<\/i><\/span>\n(c\u00ec\u2019\u00b7\u011br\n{stabs; pricks \u2192 [irritates; pierces]} \u00b7 ear \u2192<\/span> [grating on the ear; jarring; ear-piercing]<\/span>\n\u523a\u8033)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> effectively means \u201cgrating on the ear; jarring; ear-piercing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mandarin Field Need-Greater? Or Ear-Grater \ud83d\ude2c?<\/h4>\n

First, let me establish that of course Jehovah and we who are in the Mandarin field deeply appreciate those who have been moved by love to come and try to learn Mandarin and help out in the Mandarin field. Given that, sometimes things do happen that can literally and figuratively grate on the ears of those who truly serve in this field out of love, and who have become acquainted with what good Mandarin sounds like.<\/p>\n

The Tone Beast\u2026<\/h4>\n

One time, a brother I know whose mother tongue is English gave a Mandarin talk during which so many of his tones were off that at times I was genuinely having trouble making out what words he was saying, even when I was listening closely. After that meeting, when I tried to kindly advise him that this was the case, he jokingly quipped something like \u2018Well, at least I made you listen closely!\u2019<\/p>\n

Maybe this brother really did try his best, and maybe his reply was just an attempt to lighten the mood with some humour. He may also have felt safe using some humour because we know each other and generally get along fairly well. However, his words in this case might<\/em> also be taken to show that he took his responsibility to give a good Mandarin talk a bit lightly. If so, things said with such a flippant attitude could<\/em> grate on the ears of someone who views with appropriate seriousness the God-honouring and life-saving work that needs to be done in the Mandarin field.<\/p>\n

It is true that especially for those whose mother tongue is, say, English, the tones can be one of the most difficult aspects of Mandarin for them to master, since that way of using pitch<\/a> (how high or low a \u201cnote\u201d is) is so different from how they use pitch in English. The sincere efforts of Mandarin field language learners in this regard are much appreciated!<\/p>\n

\u2026And How to Tame It<\/h4>\n

For those of us who are trying to learn Mandarin for the Mandarin field, it should help if we keep the following points in mind regarding Mandarin tones:<\/p>\n