OT Re: Question about updates

[Goh Lip]

On 27/08/11 23:17, AV3 wrote:
> I'm surprised you ask. Just like Chinese, other languages divide their
> words up into classes. Over the history of a language, the
> classification seems more and more arbitrary. In German, the noun
> classification has nothing to do with sex but rather with the pronoun
> that substitutes for a given noun (er, sie, es, der, die, das, etc.) As
> I understand it, Mandarin Chinese classifies according to appearance,
> usage, etc. Some languages don't classify, like English. As an
> originally Germanic language, English evolved away from classification.

I think you're confusing Chinese with Japanese. Japanese has levels of 
'politeness' that intimidate foreigners to use the right 'politeness' 
level terms otherwise it may appear either condescending or rude. Not so 
in Chinese.

But yes, understand the German class classification. And also good to 
hear the increased usage of 'egalitarian' 'Du'.

Regards - Goh Lip