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MANY CHINESE (AND JAPANESE) JUST CAN’T SAY THE “R” WITHOUT HAVING IT COME OUT AS AN “L”.
In the 1960s, Miss Japan was asked for her favourite food. “I love lice,” she replied. The audience laughed but she was forgiven because she was so lovely and sweet.
Not so easily forgiven were many of my teachers who spoke of James Bond as “cheelo cheelo seven” (007) instead of “zero zero seven”.
I must confess that I have to work very hard to make sure I say the “r” properly, and if the word is “Astro”, I must make an effort to say the “stro” so as to avoid pronouncing it as “Ass-hole”.
When you next watch the Chinese channels on Astro, listen carefully and you will hear the Chinese woman telling you about Ass-hole! 🙂
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#Argentina‘s President slammed for Twitter gaffe over Chinese pronunciation during China visit http://bit.ly/1zbgaED
BEIJING (AFP) – Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner was assailed at home and abroad on Thursday after an undiplomatic tweet during a state visit to China, in which she seemingly poked fun at Asian difficulties pronouncing the letters L and R.
Ms Kirchner, on a mission to China to expand trade and political ties, tweeted in Spanish on the number of people attending one of her events in Beijing, asking: “Are they all with La Campola?”
She was referring to La Campora, her party’s youth organisation, led by her son. “Or, are they only there for the lice (rice) and petloleum (petroleum)?” she added. It was a play on a political joke from home: Ms Kirchner’s detractors say that her supporters only attend party events so they can get a free sandwich and a soda.
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IndyPeople Argentinian president Cristina Kirchner mocks Chinese accent http://ind.pn/1yHZg1n
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weehingthong 