Poetry and Music
At the last English Corner at my college, Wes and I decided to not only teach the attendees a tradional American song but also some limericks. We explained and demonstrated the format of a limerick for half an hour or more, with these gems we came up with ourselves:
I know this young man from Dongbei
When he walks down the street his hips sway
The meinus, they surround him
One girl thought she'd found him
Cause she didn't know he was gay.
(By Wes)
Vocab key: "Dongbei" means "The Northeast" (which is where we both teach). A "meinu" is "pretty girl."
There was an old man from Changchun
Who wanted to eat with a spoon
He ate malatang
And he was a Dong
Bei Ren, like you find in Changchun
(Mine)
Vocab key: "Dongbeiren" is "Person from the Northeast." "Malatang" is, "Malatang." Maybe some call it "Hot and Sore/Sour Soup." I've seen this translation on menus here but I've forgotten what it's called in the states.
After we thought we had illustrated the tempo of a limerick by stomping on the stage long enough, we put them into groups and let them write their own. Here's a sampling of the ones that were coherent enough for me to remember word for word:
I once met a man who was from the state of New York
Who would never wash his hand
He had the most nasty feet
(end of limerick)
I knew a a pretty girl from LaoYuan
Who liked very much when she sang
Her face was the best
but her voice was the worst
She make all the Changchun boys yawn
I met a man who was from America river
He was walking beside a river
(end of limerick, but I get the feeling that the following lines if written would all end with "river.")
This is my first time to come to English Corner
There are many things we can do
To talk with foreigners
This is a great opportunity for China
(end of limerick)
I met two American on Thursday afternoon
I could understand what they said so soon
They taught us songs about beer
This hobby is not our career
I hope their weekends make them swoon
(end of the best limerick, from one of my old students of course)
Chinese people love to sing, especially if they're tone deaf. Here's video from our English Corner singalong. I am told that at peak hours you cannot view this video or hear it (sound is important in order to identify/enjoy the song), so just get up at 4am and download the thing. http://www.zippyvideos.com/8503018171726776/for_a_song/*iragerobbins
Enjoy my disheveled boheimian garb and hairstyle by "Winds of the Neighboring Gobi Desert" salon in selfsame video. Corny attitude by nature.
I know this young man from Dongbei
When he walks down the street his hips sway
The meinus, they surround him
One girl thought she'd found him
Cause she didn't know he was gay.
(By Wes)
Vocab key: "Dongbei" means "The Northeast" (which is where we both teach). A "meinu" is "pretty girl."
There was an old man from Changchun
Who wanted to eat with a spoon
He ate malatang
And he was a Dong
Bei Ren, like you find in Changchun
(Mine)
Vocab key: "Dongbeiren" is "Person from the Northeast." "Malatang" is, "Malatang." Maybe some call it "Hot and Sore/Sour Soup." I've seen this translation on menus here but I've forgotten what it's called in the states.
After we thought we had illustrated the tempo of a limerick by stomping on the stage long enough, we put them into groups and let them write their own. Here's a sampling of the ones that were coherent enough for me to remember word for word:
I once met a man who was from the state of New York
Who would never wash his hand
He had the most nasty feet
(end of limerick)
I knew a a pretty girl from LaoYuan
Who liked very much when she sang
Her face was the best
but her voice was the worst
She make all the Changchun boys yawn
I met a man who was from America river
He was walking beside a river
(end of limerick, but I get the feeling that the following lines if written would all end with "river.")
This is my first time to come to English Corner
There are many things we can do
To talk with foreigners
This is a great opportunity for China
(end of limerick)
I met two American on Thursday afternoon
I could understand what they said so soon
They taught us songs about beer
This hobby is not our career
I hope their weekends make them swoon
(end of the best limerick, from one of my old students of course)
Chinese people love to sing, especially if they're tone deaf. Here's video from our English Corner singalong. I am told that at peak hours you cannot view this video or hear it (sound is important in order to identify/enjoy the song), so just get up at 4am and download the thing. http://www.zippyvideos.com/8503018171726776/for_a_song/*iragerobbins
Enjoy my disheveled boheimian garb and hairstyle by "Winds of the Neighboring Gobi Desert" salon in selfsame video. Corny attitude by nature.