"Old Beijing" accented Mandarin
Feb 27, 2012 | 6:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,554
"Old Beijing" accented Mandarin
The "Old Beijing" (老北京） guy's Mandarin can be really strong and hard to understand, though i do enjoy listening to the accent.
Had one old dude offer to take me on a tour of the hutong, which i was semi-interested in, but had to decline since i could hardly understand what he was saying!
He probably mixed in some Beijing dialect words with the Mandarin that he was speaking.
The women tend to be easier to understand as their local accent isnt so strong.
Had one old dude offer to take me on a tour of the hutong, which i was semi-interested in, but had to decline since i could hardly understand what he was saying!
He probably mixed in some Beijing dialect words with the Mandarin that he was speaking.
The women tend to be easier to understand as their local accent isnt so strong.
Feb 27, 2012 | 7:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Singapore
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Modern Beijingers can actually change from their Beijing accent to normal putonghua accent.
Not just the Beijingers in fact, the northerners have a strong accent and they tend to pull their accent upwards towards the end of the sentence.
Southerners don't.
Not just the Beijingers in fact, the northerners have a strong accent and they tend to pull their accent upwards towards the end of the sentence.
Southerners don't.
Feb 27, 2012 | 7:56 pm
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,412
The "Old Beijing" (老北京） guy's Mandarin can be really strong and hard to understand, though i do enjoy listening to the accent.
Had one old dude offer to take me on a tour of the hutong, which i was semi-interested in, but had to decline since i could hardly understand what he was saying!
He probably mixed in some Beijing dialect words with the Mandarin that he was speaking.
The women tend to be easier to understand as their local accent isnt so strong.
Had one old dude offer to take me on a tour of the hutong, which i was semi-interested in, but had to decline since i could hardly understand what he was saying!
He probably mixed in some Beijing dialect words with the Mandarin that he was speaking.
The women tend to be easier to understand as their local accent isnt so strong.
Personally, I think that Mandarin spoken in other parts of China sounds better than Beijing Hua (except for conflating "s" and "sh"; that's just annoying), but I do appreciate the traditions surrounding the Beijing dialect, and the perceived ties with nobility.
Feb 27, 2012 | 8:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bay Area
Programs: BA - Blue
Posts: 4,722
I have a friend from HK, who speaks far better Mandarin than most of us, that came here for the sole purpose of learning Beijing Hua (which she reveres in the same manner that some attribute to the "Queen's English"). In fact, she went through no less than 5 tutors before she found someone with an accent that met her standards.
Personally, I think that Mandarin spoken in other parts of China sounds better than Beijing Hua (except for conflating "s" and "sh"; that's just annoying), but I do appreciate the traditions surrounding the Beijing dialect, and the perceived ties with nobility.
Personally, I think that Mandarin spoken in other parts of China sounds better than Beijing Hua (except for conflating "s" and "sh"; that's just annoying), but I do appreciate the traditions surrounding the Beijing dialect, and the perceived ties with nobility.
tb
Feb 28, 2012 | 1:30 am
#8
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Feb 28, 2012 | 4:23 am
#9
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,263
For me the easiest to understand and best sounding Mandarin is spoken in the capital of the renegade province. They have the best food there too!
I'm always surprised when I return to Beijing hear the rrrrrr at the end of everything. I kinda like it.
I'm always surprised when I return to Beijing hear the rrrrrr at the end of everything. I kinda like it.
Feb 28, 2012 | 4:22 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
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I've found most Chinese from the Harbin area (actually much of Heilongjiang) speak a very nice clear putonghua without the various affectations plaguing other regions including Beijing. Foreign students of Mandarin rate it very highly as a place to study, just for this reason.
Feb 28, 2012 | 8:13 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
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Posts: 2,704
I find it a bit ridiculous that one (meaning a local who can speak 'accented' Mandarin) would try and learn the BJ accent....but that's China.
TW accent is most natural for me, but that's because I learned most of my speaking ability there and had my original exposure there. It sometimes shocks the locals in the Mainland because just about every laowai they meet who can speak Mandarin has a textbook BJ accent.
TW accent is most natural for me, but that's because I learned most of my speaking ability there and had my original exposure there. It sometimes shocks the locals in the Mainland because just about every laowai they meet who can speak Mandarin has a textbook BJ accent.
Feb 28, 2012 | 8:43 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hh Gold, NH*G, SPGP, SQ-CC
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I find it a bit ridiculous that one (meaning a local who can speak 'accented' Mandarin) would try and learn the BJ accent....but that's China.
TW accent is most natural for me, but that's because I learned most of my speaking ability there and had my original exposure there. It sometimes shocks the locals in the Mainland because just about every laowai they meet who can speak Mandarin has a textbook BJ accent.
TW accent is most natural for me, but that's because I learned most of my speaking ability there and had my original exposure there. It sometimes shocks the locals in the Mainland because just about every laowai they meet who can speak Mandarin has a textbook BJ accent.
