## Unit 2

### Introduction

#### Topics covered in this unit

1. Where people are staying (houses).

2. Where people are working.

3. Addresses.

4. The marker de

5. The marker ba,

6. The prepositional verb zài

#### Material you will need

1. The C-l and P-l tapes9 the Reference List and Reference Notes.

2. The C-2 and P-2 tapes, the Workbook.

3. The 2D-1 tape.

### References

#### Reference List

1. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài Guóbīn Dàfàndiàn. | 我住在国宾大饭店： | I'm staying at the Ambassador Hotel.
2. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài zhèli. | 我住在这理。 | I'm staying here.
| A: | Tā ne? | 他呢？ | How about him?
| B: | Tā zhù　zài nàli. | 他住在那理。 | He is staying there.
3. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài péngyou jiā. | 我住在朋友家。 | I'm staying at a friend's home.
4. | A: | Nǐ péngyou jiā zài náli? | 你朋友家在哪理？ | Where is your friend's house?
| B: | Tā jiā zài Dàlǐ Jiē. | 他家在大力街。 | His house is on Dàlǐ Street.
5. | A: | Nǐ péngyoude dìzhǐ shì ...? | 你朋友的地质是。。。？ | What is your friend's address?
| B: | Tā　de dìzhǐ shì jiē Sìshièrhào. | 他的地质是大力街四十二号。 | His address is № 42 Dàlǐ Street.
6.[a] | A: | Nǐ shì Wèi Shàoxiào ba? | 你是Wèi少校吧？ | You are Major Weiss, aren't you?
| B: | Shìde. | 是的。 | Yes.
7.[b] | A: | Nà shì Guóbīn Dàfàndiàn ba? | 那是国宾大饭店吧？ | That is Ambassador Hotel, isn't it?
| B: | Shìde. | 是的。 | Yes.
8. | A: | Nǐ péngyou xiànzài zài náli gōngzuò? | 你朋友现在在哪里工作？ | Where does your friend work now?
| B: | Tā zài Táinán gōngzuò. | 他在台南工作。 | He works in Táinán.
9.[c] | A: | Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? | 你在哪里工作？ | Where do you work?
| B: | Wǒ zài Wǔguānchù gōngzuò. | 我在武官处工作。 | I work at the Defense Attache's Office.
10.[d] | A: | Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? | 你在哪里工作？ | Where do you work?
| B: | Wǒ zài yínháng gōngzuò. | 我在银行工作。 | I work at a bank.
11.[e] | A: | Nǐ péngyou zài Táiběi gōngzuò ma? | 你朋友在台北工作吗？ | Does your friend work in Taipei?
| B: | Tā bú zài Táiběi gōngzuò. Tā zài Táizhōng gōngzuò. | 他不在台北工作。他在台中工作。 | He doesn't work in Taipei; he works in Taichung.
[a] This exchange occurs on the C-1 tape only [b] This exchange occurs on the P-1 tape only [c] This exchange occurs on the C-1 tape only [d] This exchange occurs on the P-1 tape only [e] This exchange occurs on the C-1 tape only

#### Vocabulary

ba | 吧 | question marker expressing supposition of what answer will be
dàfàndiàn | 大饭店 | hotel
-de | 的 | possessive marker
dìzhǐ | 地址 | address
gōngzuò | 工作 | to work
Guóbīn Dàfàndiàn | 国宾大饭店 | Ambassador Hotel
-hào | —号 | number (in address)
jiā | 家 | home, house
jiē | 街 | street
lù | 路 | road
nà- | 那— | that
nàge | 那 | that (one)
náli | 哪里 | where
nàli | 那里 | there
péngyou | 朋友 | friend
shàoxiào | 少校 | major( military title)
Shìde | 是的 | Yes, that's so.
Wǔguānchù | 武官处 | defense attache office
yínháng | 银行 | bank
zài | 在 | to be in/at/on (prepositional verb)
zhè- | 这 | this
zhège | 这个 | this (one)
zhèli | 这里 | here
Dìyī Dàfàndiàn | 第一大饭店 | First Hotel
Měiguó Guójì Jiāoliú Zǒngshǔ | 美国国际Jiāoliú Zǒngshǔ | U.S. International Communications Agency
Měiguó Yínháng | 美国银行 | Bank of America
Táiwān Yínháng | 台湾银行 | Bank of Taiwan
Yóuzhèngjǘ | 邮政局 | post office

#### Reference Notes

##### Notes on №1-2

1. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài Guóbīn Dàfàndiàn. | 我住在国宾大饭店： | I'm staying at the Ambassador Hotel.
2. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài zhèli. | 我住在这理。 | I'm staying here.
| A: | Tā ne? | 他呢？ | How about him?
| B: | Tā zhù　zài nàli. | 他住在那理。 | He is staying there.

The word guóbǐn actually refers to any official state guest, not just an ambassador. (The word for "ambassador" is dàshǐ) The translation "Ambassador Hotel" has been used for years by that hotel and, although inaccurate, has been retained in this text.

Dàfàndiàn means "great hotel" or "grand hotel." It is commonly used in the names of Taiwan and Hong Kong hotels.

Náli, nàli, and zhèli are common variants of nǎr, nàr, and zhèr in non-Peking dialects of Standard Chinese. The forms with r are Peking dialect forms.

Compare:

Peking | Other |
--- | --- | ---
nǎr | náli | where
nàr | nàli | there
zhèr | zhèli | here

Notice the difference in tone "between nǎr and náli. This is because -li has a basic Low tone, and the first of two adjoining Low-tone syllables changes to a Rising tone: nǎ + -lǐ = náli.

##### Notes on №3-4

3. | A: | Nǐ zhù zài náli? | 你住在哪理？ | Where are you staying?
| B: | Wǒ zhù zài péngyou jiā. | 我住在朋友家。 | I'm staying at a friend's home.
4. | A: | Nǐ péngyou jiā zài náli? | 你朋友家在哪理？ | Where is your friend's house?
| B: | Tā jiā zài Dàlǐ Jiē. | 他家在大力街。 | His house is on Dàlǐ Street.

The possessive relationships in péngyou jiā, "friend's house," nǐ péngyou jiā, "your friend’s house," and tā jiā, "his house," are unmarked, while the English must include -'s or the possessive form of the pronoun ("your," "his".) In Chinese, possessive relationships may be expressed by simply putting the possessor in front of the possessed when the relationship between the two is particularly close, like the relationship between a person and his home, family, or friends.

##### Notes on №5

5. | A: | Nǐ péngyoude dìzhǐ shì ...? | 你朋友的地质是。。。？ | What is your friend's address?
| B: | Tā　de dìzhǐ shì jiē Sìshièrhào. | 他的地质是大力街四十二号。 | His address is № 42 Dàlǐ street.

Péngyoude dìzhǐ: "The marker -de in this phrase is Just like the English possessive ending -'s. With the exception of close relationships, this is the usual way to form the possessive in Chinese.

nǐ péngyǒu | -de | dìzhǐ
your friend | 's | address

Unlike the English -'s ending, -de is also added to pronouns.

wǒde | my
nǐde | your
tāde | his/her

You are learning possessive phrases in which the marker -de is used (tāde dìzhǐ) and some possessive phrases which do not contain -de (nǐ péngyou jiā). There are certain reasons for the inclusion or omission of -de. If a close relationship exists between the possessor and the possessed, the marker -de might not be used. If a phrase is long and complex, as Lǐ Xiānsheng péngyoude tàitai , the marker -de is used to separate the possessor from the possessed.

short or simple | long or complex
--- | ---
nǐ | jiā | Hú Měilíng | -de lǎojiā
wǒ | péngyou | nǐ péngyou | -de dìzhǐ
|  | Lǐ Xiānsheng péngyou | -de tàitai

But these are not hard and fast rules. The use or omission of -de is not determined solely by the number of syllables in a phrase or by the closeness between the possessor and the possessed, although both of these considerations do play a Mg part in the decision.

While some common nouns are usually used without -de "before them, most nouns are more likely to be preceded by -de, and many even require it. Dìzhǐ, "address," is the only noun you have learned which REQUIRES the possessive marker -de added to the possessor. But other nouns such as jiā are not always preceded by -de. This is also the case with nouns indicating personal relationships, like fùmǔ, "father," and tàitai "wife." Péngyou, "friend,"xuésheng," student and lǎoshī "student are commonly used without -de, but may also be used with the marker.

You might expect the question Nǐ péngyoude dìzhǐ...? to "be completed with a word such as shénme?, what. However, the incomplete form given in this exchange, with the voice trailing off, inviting completion, is also commonly used.

Addresses: The order in which addresses are given in Chinese is the reverse of that used in English. In Chinese, the order is from the general to the specific: country, province or state, city, street name, street number.

-hào: A street number is always given with the bound word -hào, "number," after it. [2]

##### Notes on №6-7

6. | A: | Nǐ shì Wèi Shàoxiào ba? | 你是Wèi少校吧？ | You are Major Weiss, aren't you?
| B: | Shìde. | 是的。 | Yes.
7. | A: | Nà shì Guóbīn Dàfàndiàn ba? | 那是国宾大饭店吧？ | That is Ambassador Hotel, isn't it?
| B: | Shìde. | 是的。 | Yes.

Ba is a marker for a question which expresses the speaker's supposition as to what the answer will be. It is the type of question which asks for a confirmation from the listener.

There are three ways to translate the two questions in exchanges 6 and 7 into English:

Nǐ shi Wèi Shàoxiào ba? | Aren't you Major Weiss? You are Major Weiss, aren't you? You must be Major Weiss.
Nǐ shi Guóbǐn Dàfàndiàn ba? | Isn't that the Ambassador Hotel? That is the Ambassador Hotel, isn't it? That must be the Ambassador Hotel.

Each translation reflects a different degree of certainty on the part of the speaker. (While the differences in certainty are expressed in English by variation in wording, they can be expressed in Chinese by intonation.) You will probably find that the "isn’t it", "aren't you" translation fits most situations.

The short answer shìde is an expanded form of the short answer shì, with the same meaning: "Yes, that's so." Shìde is also the word used for the "yes" in the military "Yes, sir."

Nà(nèi): In the subject position, nà (nèi), "that," and zhè (zhèi), "this," may be used either as free words or as bound words, with -ge following.

Compare:

Nà |  | shì Guóbǐn Dàfàndiàn.
That |  | is the Ambassador Hotel.
Nà | -ge | shì Guóbǐn Dàfàndiàn.
That | one | is the Ambassador Hotel.

However, the question form nǎ- (něi-) is a bound word.

Nǎge (fàndiàn) shì Guóbǐn Dàfàndiàn? | Which one is the Ambassador Hotel?

##### Notes on №8-11

8. | A: | Nǐ péngyou xiànzài zài náli gōngzuò? | 你朋友现在在哪里工作？ | Where does your friend work now?
| B: | Tā zài Táinán gōngzuò. | 他在台南工作。 | He works in Táinán.
9. | A: | Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? | 你在哪里工作？ | Where do you work?
| B: | Wǒ zài Wǔguānchù gōngzuò. | 我在武官处工作。 | I work at the Defense Attache's Office.
10. | A: | Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? | 你在哪里工作？ | Where do you work?
| B: | Wǒ zài yínháng gōngzuò. | 我在银行工作。 | I work at a bank.
11. | A: | Nǐ péngyou zài Táiběi gōngzuò ma? | 你朋友在台北工作吗？ | Does your friend work in Taipei?
| B: | Tā bú zài Táiběi gōngzuò. Tā zài Táizhōng gōngzuò. | 他不在台北工作。他在台中工作。 | He doesn't work in Taipei; he works in Taichung.

Wǔguānchù, "defense attache’s office," literally means "military attache's office."

Zài gōngzuò: Compare these two sentences:

Tā | zài | Táinán. |
He | is in | Tainan. |
Tā | zài | Táinán | gōngzuò.
He | in | Tainan | works.

The sentence Tā zài Táinán gōngzuò seems to have two verbs: zài, "to be in/at/on," and gōngzuò," to work." But there is only one verb in the translation: "He works in Tainan." The translation reflects the fact that zài loses its full verb status in this sentence and plays a role like that of the English preposition "in" The zài phrase in Chinese, like the "in" phrase in English, gives more information about the main verb gōngzuò; that is, it tells where the action takes place. "He works," and the work takes place "in Tainan." In sentences like this, the word zài is a prepositional verb. Most relationships expressed by prepositions in English are expressed by prepositional verbs in Chinese.

You have also seen zài used as a prepositional verb in the sentence nǐ zhù zài náli? "Where do you live?" --literally, "You live at where?" Notice that in this sentence the prepositional verb phrase zài náli comes after the main verb zhù. In the sentence Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? the prepositional verb phrase zài náli conies before the main verb gōngzuò. Many things, such as stress, contrast, and other objects in the sentence, can influence the order of the prepositional verb phrase and the main verb.

In some cases, either order may be used, as in Nǐ zài náli zhù? or Nǐ zhù zài náli?. In other cases, the word order is fixed, as in Nǐ zài náli gōngzuò? For text examples, it will be pointed out whether or not the word order may be changed, and the reasons will be given.

Tā bú zài Táiběi gōngzuò, "He doesn't work in Taipei": In this sentence, the negative adverb bù comes before the prepositional verb zài (which starts the complete predicate zài Táiběi gōngzuò, not before the main verb gōngzuò. This makes sense, for you are not saying "He does NOT WORK," but you are saying "He does NOT work IN TAIPEI."

Tā |  |  | gōngzuò.
Tā | bù |  | gōngzuò.
Tā |  | zài Táiběi | gōngzuò.
Tā | bù | zài Táiběi | gōngzuò.

### Drills

[2] The word dì- is sometimes translated "number," as in dìyī, "number one" (See resource module on Numbers, tape 4.)