Blog to Watch: Beijing Sounds – 北京声儿

Via Danwei I just found this blog by a Beijing dialect-obsessed part time language student who calls himself syz. He makes recordings of interesting snippets of conversation and is very honest about the process of learning Mandarin in Beijing.

As a student of the language myself, I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on this site.  I’m including here a piece of his transcribed conversation with some people who keep birds. Check the post for audio. Keep up with the blog here.

Friend:
zhèi zhǒng — shìbushì zhǐshì zhèizhǒng niǎo — háiyǒu biéde niǎo [unclear]
这种–是不是只是这种鸟–还有别的鸟
This kind — is it only this kind of bird — are there other birds

Trainer:
hǎo duō zhǒng dōu néng wánr
好多种都能玩儿
Lots of kinds of birds can play this

jiǎn chēng jiù shì là zuǐ
简称就是蜡嘴
The abbreviated name is là zuǐ            (là zuǐ lit. means “candle beak” — not sure what this is in English).

Friend:
ā jiǎn chēng là zuǐ, jiǎn chēng là zuǐ.
啊, 简称蜡嘴, 简称蜡嘴
Oh, the abbreviated name is là zuǐ, the abbreviated name is là zuǐ.