Offense taken due to Chinese phrases?

POSTED BY: Forrestwolf
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 10:56
VIEWED: 21032
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FORRESTWOLF

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 2:23 AM

I'm about to run another Firefly Neverwinter Nights game, and one of the players brought up an issue that had never occured to me:

She says she speaks Chinese (not sure if it's Mandarin) as a second language, and would probably not be comfortable roleplaying with the sort of rather vulgar phrases used in Firefly. Keep in mind - she's yet to SEE the show (I'm hoping she might after she plays the game!).

My question is twofold: Have people who speak Chinese found Firefly offensive in general, and how best should I approach this player's reluctance to use Chinese in the game? My guess on the latter is just accept it and encourage general Fireflyisms instead ('Verse, Core, shiny, etc.).

Suggestions?

INARA78

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 12:22 PM

Considering that chinese comic books are quite "ripe" by western standards you shouldn't have a problem with chinese folk themselves.

As I understand it they appreciate an inventive curse.

Your problem would be getting fresh and original curses as repitition wouldn't be appreciated.

Perhaps if you stuck to standard phrases like "shea shea" (thank you ver much) "do shea" (thanks) "dung ma?" (understand/comprehend?) you'd be OK.

PURPLEBELLY

Wednesday, May 19, 2004 1:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Forrestwolf:

She says she speaks Chinese (not sure if it's Mandarin) as a second language, and would probably not be comfortable roleplaying with the sort of rather vulgar phrases used in Firefly. Keep in mind - she's yet to SEE the show (I'm hoping she might after she plays the game!).

Suggestions?

My understanding, from a monoglot POV, is that the mandarin used in Firefly is not colloquial, but direct translation from english phrasing. My experience of expletives in english is that literal meaning is not paramount. Perhaps your friend could supply placeholders in mandarin that are not offensive, but could carry weight when expressed with conviction?

JABULA

Saturday, June 19, 2004 8:26 PM

Lurker here, and sorry, I know this is a late response but I felt like commenting

Quote:
Originally posted by Forrestwolf:
My question is twofold: Have people who speak Chinese found Firefly offensive in general, and how best should I approach this player's reluctance to use Chinese in the game? My guess on the latter is just accept it and encourage general Fireflyisms instead ('Verse, Core, shiny, etc.).

Suggestions?

I speak Chinese, and truth be told. I've never found Firefly offensive. In fact, I'm often tickled pink by their inventive use of the Chinese language. Of course, half the time, I actually left wondering what they're actually saying in Chinese

Personally however, I get a kick out of non Chinese speakers trying out the language on me. I think that you should just use simple phrases like 'xie-xie' (thank you), to gauge her reaction first. If she likes it, move on to the harder stuff. If not, oh well, at least you've tried.

Quote:
Originally posted by inara78:
As I understand it they appreciate an inventive curse.

That is true. My personal favourite which is usually used in reply to comment about someone I can't stand, when loosely translated means, "She/he's is worth less than the split end on the hair on my leg"

I'll hush up now.

FORRESTWOLF

Saturday, June 19, 2004 8:32 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions! She actually DROPPED OUT of the game beforehand - nothing to do with the Chinese.

But I'm taking note for when I run again, no matter who's playing. Just ran a game today that was quite shiny!

- Forrestwolf
Firefly NWN

SIGMANUNKI

Saturday, June 19, 2004 10:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Forrestwolf:
...and how best should I approach this player's reluctance to use Chinese in the game? My guess on the latter is just accept it and encourage general Fireflyisms instead ('Verse, Core, shiny, etc.).

I once played Shadowrun with a bunch of buds and of course the game had its own little "sayings" and such. The GameMaster gave us a sheet with these "sayings" on them and encouraged us to use them.

As encouragement he offered more "experience points" to those that did and after awhile he started to dock those who didn't.

I think that that's the way to do it. After all Jayne even spoke Chinese from time to time and he isn't exactly an intellectual power.

----
"Canada being mad at you is like Mr. Rogers throwing a brick through your window." -Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

FORRESTWOLF

Saturday, June 19, 2004 10:57 PM

I've used that before in exchange for people bringing in special touches to the roleplaying in fantasy RPG's - I'll likely use it for Chinese in Firefly. Great idea! Thanks.

GETCH

Thursday, June 24, 2004 5:01 AM

Hey there folks, just found this site and glad to see there is a movie version comming out. Can't wait. RE: the chinese in the show. Some fairly crude language, at times, but common. Some sayings like "ta ma de" literally motherf'er can be border line and not polite conversation, but often heard. The actors speak so badly, most Chinese would not understand it anyway. I speak Chinese as a second language, lived in china for many years. It's fun however to try and sort out what they are a trying to say.... ge wei, wan an. To all a peaceful evening.

CYNDAMINTHIA

Friday, July 30, 2004 12:08 AM

First post here folks! I speak mandarin almost as fluently as english, and I took no offense in any eps - as a matter of fact, I thought it was awesome that Joss Whedon incorporated Chinese into the show. Seriously, there's worse stuff in actual Mandarin TV dramas and talk shows...

*poof*

MADOKA

Friday, July 30, 2004 2:31 AM

mandarin chinese is my first language (lived in taiwan until i was 12), and i found the chinese used on the show absolutely hilarious. i often had to rewind several times in order to figure out what they were saying. :) the short curses and snippets (like 'doan ma?') are pretty easy to understand, but a few sentences were completely unintelligible. i was surprised that the curses were genuine, as in i've heard them used, some quite common. i wouldn't have said they were literal translations from english equivalents, though some are similar.

personally i was very amused and not in the least offended. and the fact that english translations were never given made it that much funnier. some of my friends were literally floored (with laughter) when i told them what some of the expletives meant. :)

--madoka

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