Rudy to Colin: Okay, now we need Yao to cut up from the low block and take a feed at the high post. He turns and looks for a cutter or hits his jumpshot. Colin to Yao (in translation): Then they yearn for you to chop stuff up on a chopping block, and then feed people at the post office. When you turn and look for a knife, you will find a jumpsuit instead. Yao:
I am a native Chinese speaker. I think Collin Pine did a decent job in translating Yao's words. I notice that Yao did use some mainland cliche like "hou4 dun4" and he couldnt get it. But that's ok. Can you find another white dude speaking as good chinese as he is, assuming this where Eric Zhang start off with. Anyways, he is OK. Some thoughts on the debate whether mainland or taiwan Chinese more authentic. I wonder where Lil got this impression that taiwan's Chinese is more authentic. Simple chanllenge, speak with me and see who spit out first non-Chinese word.
Can you imagine that the game is in the last minute of the forth quarter, Rudy giving the huddle the final play, and... Colin Pine is screaming the Mandarin interpretation of said play into the ear of a crouching Ming? Methinks, Ming won't be the focus of too many final shots at the beginning of the season.
Pine got an awsome jop! $80,000 ecxpenses paid hang with ming and rockets all day watch all the games courtside! lucky man! Food, sports (rockets, bills, mariners), 1 year old boy, beautiful gf... my life is complete- Cancerman
I love it B-Bob, great stuff. Whoever said, "I hope Pine translates better during the Finals" or something along those lines couldn't have said it any better. The Rockets Dynasty will start in '04 if not '03 and will go on for at least a good 5 seasons. Rockets are #1!
The real issue: choosing a white guy vs. choosing an asian dude. My first reaction to the selection of Colin Pine was that of disbelief and rage...and disappointment cause like many of you, I also had a cousin that was going for the job. But then I put myself in Eric Zhang's shoes and realize that a white guy is definitely the way to go. Reason 1: Colin Pine by speaking average chinese will force Yao to try to speak english in order to get his point across thus enabling Yao to excel in English as soon as possible. A chinese translator will just let Yao speak chinese all the time, which definitely will not give Yao a chance to improve his english Reason 2: A chinese translator will most likely have so many more distractions than Colin. Why? Chinese translator= shameless chinese relatives and friends. How do I now this? I would have been one if my cousin got the job. Reason 3: Chinese people overall just are more likely to have an ulterior motive for helping Yao, aka promote him to his cousin's restaurants...etc etc. Eric Zhang definitely don't want that. So I guess in the end Eric Zhang did what's best for Yao but not for the Chinese community.
