Should chengyu be used in general conversation?

[darkphoenix]

Oh hahah i see, yeah since they use traditional i guess thats why on exams they have both traditional and simplified to try and incorporate the two.

[Gloamglozer]

Actually i think Canto uses traditional characters. Or TT may be right, just pronunciation is different, because canto is more spoken, hence why only mandarin can be studied.

Only in Hong Kong do they use traditional (I think).  Places like Guang Dong, which speak Canto do write simplified.  So Canto doesn't actually have a written language per se, it's just the difference between pronunciation that makes Canto and Mandarin different.

While we're on the note of talking about traditional and simplified, in the exams, make sure you choose one and stick to it.  That is, don't switch half way through an essay or else... 

[physics]

I LIKE HONG KONG YAY (bosco wong and raymond lam live there!) and canto sounds (no offence) not as aggressive as mando i think so i like canto (i'm bias cause i'm canto)

but i find canto dramas hard to understand like for 'wife' in canto there is 'ashes person' and there is 'old grandma' and like the first term translated in canto sounds formal and hard to understand and well poijnt being traditonal chinese is so hard to understand and there are simple words that they can use but they choose to use hard words....or maybe its just because i'm crap at chinese XD
at home my mum talks chinese and i reply half chinese half english... =__________= i fail

[TrueTears]

Mandarin is the official Chinese language, this is why Cantonese tend to start studying chinese now =)

Ahhh... Chinese is the hardest language ever. Who agrees with me???

every language is hard, to say chinese is the hardest language ever is too much of an overstatement.

[TrueTears]

ok.

[IntoTheNewWorld]

and I find Asian languages easier...? The characters are too cool.

[darkphoenix]

But the point is, chinese is less connected to english than say, French.

Yeah thats true.

But for the case of every language, it will always become easier with time and practice.

[the.watchman]

But the point is, chinese is less connected to english than say, French.

Yeah thats true.
But for the case of every language, it will always become easier with time and practice.

Yeah, but I'm just saying that it's harder than most european languages

It's harder to transition from English to an Asian language like Chinese
European languages definitely have links with English, so they're probably easier for most people
But in the end, it's personal preference

EDIT: Oh btw, congrats AzureBlue, you're now a 'respected VN member'

[polky]

Taiwanese Mandarin is also written in traditional script.

[the.watchman]

But the point is, chinese is less connected to english than say, French.

Yeah thats true.
But for the case of every language, it will always become easier with time and practice.

Yeah, but I'm just saying that it's harder than most european languages

It's harder to transition from English to an Asian language like Chinese
European languages definitely have links with English, so they're probably easier for most people
But in the end, it's personal preference

EDIT: Oh btw, congrats AzureBlue, you're now a 'respected VN member'

Horray

LOL did you delete a post to stay on 200 o.0

[TrueTears]

i remember when /0 stayed on 999 for like 2 month until decem 14 arrived xD