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Posts: 2531

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Q: Have you ever noticed Chinese can ONLY focus on one thing at a time?

My woman has annoyed me for many years because when I try to speak to her while she does anything... like texting on her phone, moving a paper around, sweeping or pretty much anything... she basically can't even hear me. It is one of the most hilarious things I have ever seen. And I thought it was only her that she was a bad listener (most Chinese are)... until...

 

Just recently, my friend and his Chinese girl friend went to a restaurant and a staff member there was saying a few things to her at the same time I asked her a question. She can speak English very well, so it had nothing to do with not understanding... 

 

My friend was like "Don't worry, she can't do anything more than one thing as a time." "We can talk about her right in front of her right now and even though she speaks English, she won't hear a word." "I was like that's just weird, my wife does that too... what's up with this... I thought women were suppose to be good at multitasking."

 

After we talked about her, RIGHT in front of her for like 60 seconds lol, loud enough for her to hear... she turned to us and you could tell she was refocused and acted as if nothing had happened at all. 

 

Have you ever encountered this? Where a Chinese person has totally tuned out... or can ONLY focus on one thing at a time? It's one of the weirdest things I have ever seen... didn't even hear a word. 

 

I think most people can generally read and listen to a conversation and pick up the general idea of both... or two conversations in different languages... but to Chinese it seems impossible. 

9 years 38 weeks ago in  Culture - China

 
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you might want to factor one thing into your sociological studies. Chinese cannot hear "English" if someone is speaking in Chinese at the same time !

Robk:

Yeah, but it is not JUST with the speaking two different languages. 

 

But that is usually the brunt of it. It's like they have to create an entirely different psyche to speak English lol. 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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andy74rc:

Factor also that many do not understand Chinese when a foreigner speaks their language to them, regardless how fluently.

Luckily not everybody...

9 years 38 weeks ago
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RobertZimmerman:

Please dont use the L word

 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Nessquick:

Rob, that's very exactly right. I find out that too. many of Chinese, they campletly switch to different persona between chinese and english time. funny :)

9 years 38 weeks ago
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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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I've noticed many can't handle 2 or more topics of conversation at the same time. Or have problems with more than 1 question at a time.

 

Certainly, 'or' statements get answered as inclusive, not exclusive... "are you going shopping or staying home today?" - "yes".

Scandinavian:

this is something I've given a lot of thought. Maybe it in part can be attributed to how the language works.

You don't ask "Would you like a cup of water?" you ask "like, don't like a cup of water?" Now, I know these are the same, but in the plain English, you need to come up with the alternative to wanting water yourself, whereas in the Chinese, all the options are handed to you. Of all the Western (Roman/Germanic) languages I know (English + 7 if I am really flexible in using the word "know") all of them share the same basic way of asking questions as English, grammar varies, but essentially the same. 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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xinyuren:

I was going to give a comment very similar to Scandi. the "like, don't like" thing only requires either a positve or negative answer. By saying yes in English, she means she is going shopping. It's the structure of their language that they carry over to English.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

Sorry - I disagree.

 

While that's true for merely 1 thing you're asking about, it's not the same for 2 different options.

你要茶还是咖啡? Simple either/or question.... in Chinese, in Chinese grammar.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

Yeah yeah, but no one ever offers anything but tea, so that is a very hypothetical sentence there. ! I always hear the "yao bu yao"

9 years 38 weeks ago
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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Multi-tasking in Chinese OS..

maybe in the next version...

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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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I encounter this daily.  It's maddening.  I showed my wife this post and it made her happy, since she can now dismiss it as "cultural."  Worse yet, she talks about getting a driver's license when we move back to my country.  I don't think she could even manage to have the radio on while driving!

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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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this stuff makes me scared to step into my carpool... they don't even know about handsfree sets here. Drivers will take OFF my seatbelt, offended by the suggestion they'd be in an accident. Pretty sure this is a culturally-induced phenomenon, though. Human brain chemistry is a tiny bit different across races, but nothing that could bring about this kind of impairment.

Robk:

Haha... yeah the seatbelt thing... 

 

They get mad at you because you are insinuating they will crash... when obviously you are just worried about your safety and let's be honest... most taxis drive like total crap. "I am sorry taxi dude, but you drive like a drunken NASCAR enthusiast and I would much rather live than care that I insulted you."

 

Bus drives and taxi drivers are by far the worst around here.

 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

I would not be in that carpool. I would not even sit in a car if the persons around me are not wearing seatbelts, it's not because I care about people, it's because I care about me !

9 years 38 weeks ago
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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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I encounter this alot. Except the difference is my wife knows she cant focus so she just ignores me. Drives me crazy. Ill be in the middle of saying something and of course chinese have no problem interupting so someone will just start talking to her and shell straight up ignore my ass and focus on the rude asshole. I get so mad. I just start speaking chinese really loudly. " WELL IF SHE CAN BE RUDE AND INTERUPT ME I CAN TOO! " then everyone gets akward and im not mad anymore. My wife is.

Robk:

Hahaha.... I have encountered that like 100000 times. 

 

Yeah, I usually just start shouting and repeat the same word over and over like a spoiled child (because that tends to work)... or I just walk away... 

 

She is like "why were you so rude and just walk away..." Chinese are mentally handicap when it starts crossing over in that area. 

 

Have you ever seen them when they all talk at once? It's hilarious. They will have a conversation where three people are talking but NOBODY is listening... I always wondered why their listening skills were so poor until I saw that a few times. 

 

I find it amusing how they think of foreigners like children, they they can't even read/listenat the same time and they can't wait their turns to speak. I just laugh at them and start doing baby talk like they are 3 years old... because that's what it reminds me of... 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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mike695ca:

OMG it drives me insane when they do that! Mike why are you being rude???? Umm woman youve spent the last hour ignoring me and now im rude? It seems like chinese are incapable of self reflection. Its like when a guy will cut you off so bad you very nearly died but hes legit mad you fingered him. Chinese are truly incaple of understanding what they could have possibly done. Like goldfish sometimes. Cant remember ten seconds ago and no brain power to understand consequenses.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Robk:

Yup and that reminds me of a story. A very satisfying one. 

 

A foreigner I know was riding his motorcycle and was hit on a rural road. It was 100% the Chinese guy's fault, and my friend got scraped really bad. My foreign friend just wanted to go and forget about making a mess EVEN THOUGH the Chinese guy caused it. 

 

You know Chinese... the Chinese guy instantly took it as the foreigner was trying to get away from the situation and therefore automatically at fault and demanded compensation. The Chinese dude whipped out his phone and called the police. My foreign buddy whipped out his phone and called his Triad buddies from the next town over lol. 

 

They got there in 5 minutes, black car came to an abrupt halt and 4 guys get out. My friend was going to explain the situation while they just move past him and proceed to beat the Chinese driver and his buddies in the car. 

 

The police arrive, see the beat up guys and are told to get lost that the situation is handled by the Triad guys. Then they ask my friend "Which one was driving?" They take him and my buddy to the hospital and demand compensation. The Chinese driver hands them 200 RMB and they punch him in the face and he ends up giving them like 3000 RMB. 

 

Funny because the foreigner initially just wanted to let it be bygones even though they caused the accident. And ended up instead getting beaten to a pulp, embarrassed, shelling out 3000 RMB and ending up on the Triad's shit list. 

 

Good stuff. 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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mike695ca:

This story man me infinitely happy.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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royceH:

Yes, I register infinitely happy too!

Fukm!

 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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coineineagh:

where can i make triad friends!

9 years 38 weeks ago
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Lord_hanson:

I feel a lot happier knowing it is not just my wife. I have been getting angry recently because of this. Especially when you are already talking and someone interrupts.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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My wife has no problem multitasking. She even answers questions I think she didn't catch, because others are talking so loudly.

Robk:

I think you got one of those rare ones. Sounds like you got an exception to the rule. She's a keeper lol.

9 years 38 weeks ago
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royceH:

Sometimes I can't be sure if my girl understands me or not.  And then....she'll confirm that she does....without any inquiry from me.

The whole thing is so cool.

 

 

 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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9 years 38 weeks ago
 
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I thought it was just my gf.

Robk:

That's what I thought initially too.. until I saw my buddy's GF do it. And she is a very polite girl and nice to others (other than my buddy lol). But then I realized she wasn't ignoring cause she was rude... she just couldn't focus on two things at once.. 

 

That's when it hit me... MAYBE this is a pattern with Chinese... and looks like it is... 

9 years 38 weeks ago
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xunliang:

Sorry I missed that, I was on my phone. What did you type?

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Multitasking?

 

No chance.

 

Tonight I told my wife to sit down and shut up !!!!!!!

wagon:

So what did she do, sit down or shut up?

9 years 36 weeks ago
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ScotsAlan:

neither

9 years 36 weeks ago
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I think they suffer short term memory loss. When I'm talking about my GF with a friend, he continually asks ''who?''. When I use a translation on my phone, people reply by writting on their phone. I say I can't read or speak Chinese, I use phone translator. Send me a text and I will translate. They do, I translate, I reply and we do it over and over and over,,, ' I can't read or speak .............'   No one ever remembers for even a minute. It really drives me so very crazy.

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Yes, and it's the task at hand.  And the task at hand is of no consequence.  Because   all business in China is a rock show.  Performance / ability is of no consequence.  And no one is accountable for the  inefficiency.

In fact,  the country is something of a joke.  But not really ....most of us know that already.

 

 

 

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