Have we scared our Chinese friends away?

dlowan wrote:

I didn't know they invented chess?????

The origins of chess is one of the most controversial areas of board gaming history. Countries which, at one time or the other, have been associated with invention of chess include India, China, Persia, Egypt, Assyria, Arabia, Greece, Ireland and Uzbekistan.

Many countries claim to have invented the chess game in some incipient form. The most commonly held view is that chess originated in India. As a matter of fact, the Arabic, Persian, Greek and Spanish words for chess, are all derived from the Sanskrit Chaturanga. The present version of chess played throughout the world is ultimately based on a version of Chaturanga that was played in India around the 6th century AD. It is also believed that the Persians created a more modern version of the game after the Indians, called Chatrang (Shatranj).

The earliest literature reference to chess is found in the Middle Persian book Karnamak-i Artaxshir-i Papakan, which was written in the between 3rd to 6th century AD. This ancient Persian text refers to Shah Ardashir I, who ruled from 224-241 CE, as a master of the game. However this text is full of fables and legends, so this proves only that Shatranj was already quite popular at the time Karnamak was written.

Another theory exists that chess arose from the similar game of Xiangqi (Chinese chess), or at least a predecessor, thereof, existing in China since the 2nd century BC. Scholars who have favored this theory include Joseph Needham and David H. Li.

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I suppose we should splain to P'dog.

So I'll try.

One day, not so long ago, people checked in at a2k in their usual way, smartly typing at work or blind from drink and drugs, or while sleepwalking, and found many questions with titles like HELP. Many many titles, help me, under many categories, mostly unrelated to whatever the question turned out to be.

As it happened, apparently an Australian in China assigned his or her computer class the task of asking twenty questions online. It seems they all landed here. We have been, as a group, figuring all this out with the help of the most conversant of the Chinese student posters. We've wanted to help but communication is hard, they have little computer time individually. Me, I'd like to wring the teacher's neck for not communicating him or herself, as we could learn from them, and they could sure learn from us.
But none of us, as far as I know, has been able to communicate with the teacher.

Frustratingly, just as they disappear, ^JB^ is back on a2k. He is one sharp guy. He might, if he saw their posts and had the time and inclination, have been able to say a quick word or two to help them all to get the most out of a2k, but the timing has been wrong.
So we've all had this bath of a seeming thousand posts of HELP ME with english usage questions, primarily about breakfast.

The more patient of us have gotten furthest - now there are some pleasant conversations going, good for them and for us re learning.

OK, ok, please correct all that for grammar and content.

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that's a relief.

i thought maybe there had been a violent occupation.

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Some of them had knives.

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knives

at best slighty sharpened chopsticks

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Surely they invented Chinese checkers, but no, they didn't.

Chinese checkers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chinese checkersChinese checkers is a board game that can be played by two to six people. The object of the main game is to place one's pieces in the corner opposite their starting position by moving them through jumps over other pieces. The game does not actually originate from China (nor is it a variation on checkers or Chinese chess), but was given that name in the United States to make it sound more exotic. When it was first released in Germany, it was called Stern-Halma, as it is similar to the older game of Halma except that the board is star (stern) shaped. The Chinese checkers board is laid out in a six-pointed star. The game pieces are usually six sets of colored marbles, ten of each color. The ten marbles are arranged as a triangle in the starting position in one of the corners of the star.

Two different variations can be played on the game set, "hop across" and "capture". Each of the games has an original and a fast-paced variant.

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ossobuco wrote:

I suppose we should splain to P'dog.

So I'll try.

One day, not so long ago, people checked in at a2k in their usual way, smartly typing at work or blind from drink and drugs, or while sleepwalking, and found many questions with titles like HELP. Many many titles, help me, under many categories, mostly unrelated to whatever the question turned out to be.

As it happened, apparently an Australian in China assigned his or her computer class the task of asking twenty questions online. It seems they all landed here. We have been, as a group, figuring all this out with the help of the most conversant of the Chinese student posters. We've wanted to help but communication is hard, they have little computer time individually. Me, I'd like to wring the teacher's neck for not communicating him or herself, as we could learn from them, and they could sure learn from us.
But none of us, as far as I know, has been able to communicate with the teacher.

Frustratingly, just as they disappear, ^JB^ is back on a2k. He is one sharp guy. He might, if he saw their posts and had the time and inclination, have been able to say a quick word or two to help them all to get the most out of a2k, but the timing has been wrong.
So we've all had this bath of a seeming thousand posts of HELP ME with english usage questions, primarily about breakfast.

The more patient of us have gotten furthest - now there are some pleasant conversations going, good for them and for us re learning.

OK, ok, please correct all that for grammar and content.

Hey! Who the hell said it was an Australian teacher?

djjd62 wrote:

dlowan wrote:
I didn't know they invented chess?????

The origins of chess is one of the most controversial areas of board gaming history. Countries which, at one time or the other, have been associated with invention of chess include India, China, Persia, Egypt, Assyria, Arabia, Greece, Ireland and Uzbekistan.

Many countries claim to have invented the chess game in some incipient form. The most commonly held view is that chess originated in India. As a matter of fact, the Arabic, Persian, Greek and Spanish words for chess, are all derived from the Sanskrit Chaturanga. The present version of chess played throughout the world is ultimately based on a version of Chaturanga that was played in India around the 6th century AD. It is also believed that the Persians created a more modern version of the game after the Indians, called Chatrang (Shatranj).

The earliest literature reference to chess is found in the Middle Persian book Karnamak-i Artaxshir-i Papakan, which was written in the between 3rd to 6th century AD. This ancient Persian text refers to Shah Ardashir I, who ruled from 224-241 CE, as a master of the game. However this text is full of fables and legends, so this proves only that Shatranj was already quite popular at the time Karnamak was written.

Another theory exists that chess arose from the similar game of Xiangqi (Chinese chess), or at least a predecessor, thereof, existing in China since the 2nd century BC. Scholars who have favored this theory include Joseph Needham and David H. Li.

Fascinating, thank you!

The denial of chinese checkers is just cruel.

C'mon guys!

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gustavratzenhofer wrote:

dlowan, I was thinking about you today on the golf course.

I knew it was time I left this place.

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dlowan wrote:

Hey! Who the hell said it was an Australian teacher?

At least one of the students ...

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It was Jacqueline that I recall.

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((sniff)) and my description of lunch would have brought tears to their eyes...

I really feel bad about my first coupla posts to these kids. I was kind of flippant and was talking about breakfast of roadkill and food groups that contain lots of fat and flavor. I got chastened by shpendi and still feel some remorse. Theres this class over ther somehwere that thinks at least a few of us eat weasels off the roads and lotsa bacon and lard smothered waffles.

Weve actually had that under control for quite a few years now.

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ossobuco wrote:

One day, not so long ago, people checked in at a2k in their usual way, smartly typing at work or blind from drink and drugs, or while sleepwalking, and found many questions with titles like HELP.

Just wanna go on record here - I don't sleepwalk.

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Quote:

Theres this class over ther somehwere that thinks at least a few of us eat weasels off the roads and lotsa bacon and lard smothered waffles.

Weve actually had that under control for quite a few years now.

Maybe in Pennsylvania, but out here by the greater great lakes...

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Ah, yes...the breakfast I seldom eat now feels so worthless because unexamined......

Hmmmm...I wonder if I know that teacher.......

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dlowan wrote:

gustavratzenhofer wrote:
dlowan, I was thinking about you today on the golf course.

I knew it was time I left this place.

Let me explain. I had a hundred dollars on the round and as I teed up on the 18th hole I was behind by one stroke. I knew I had to have a powerful drive in order to assure myself of potential victory.

I approached the ball and knew I needed the drive of my life.

"Breathe deeply, Gus.", I said as I positioned myself.

But, I realized that Rob, the guy I had bet against, was a much stronger driver and I had to come up with the drive of my life.

That is when I thought of you, Dlowan.

I pulled my club back and envisioned your face firmly implanted on the ball. You had that typical Aussie smirk and beckoned me to release every fiber of energy in my core.

I swung. The force of my swing was so great as to propel the ball three hundred and fifty yards through the crisp summer air and land softly on the green, sixteen inches beyond the flag.

The backspin was sufficient enough to cause the ball to lazily careen into the hole.

Rob stared at me and said, "I had no idea you had such a shot in you, Gus."

I pulled my tee from the ground, casually placed it in my pocket, and said, "You can thank, Dlowan for that shot."

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Dlowan, I admit I've considered that there may be some association, all well-meaning.

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dlowan wrote:

Ah, yes...the breakfast I seldom eat now feels so worthless because unexamined......

Hmmmm...I wonder if I know that teacher.......

He comes from somewhere near Canberra possibly Queenbeyan or goulbourne/yass area. Thats as much as i could get.

I would have thought it a simple matter to set up an internet exchange with (say) several class/school groups over here. Both sides could have benefited. Our kids would have learned much by having to research and think about how/why we use language the way we do and the chinese by getting the answers they need.

Homework for today is Answer 5 HELPMEcumt questions.

One reccomendation i have if it happens again is dont try humour. It just went right over their heads.

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dadpad wrote:

dlowan wrote:
Ah, yes...the breakfast I seldom eat now feels so worthless because unexamined......

Hmmmm...I wonder if I know that teacher.......

He comes from somewhere near Canberra possibly Queenbeyan or goulbourne/yass area. Thats as much as i could get.

I would have thought it a simple matter to set up an internet exchange with (say) several class/school groups over here. Both sides could have benefited. Our kids would have learned much by having to research and think about how/why we use language the way we do and the chinese by getting the answers they need.

Homework for today is Answer 5 HELPMEcumt questions.

One reccomendation i have if it happens again is dont try humour. It just went right over their heads.

Under their feet...they all walk around upside down.

Why do you hate America...I mean me....Gus?

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dadpad wrote:

dlowan wrote:
Ah, yes...the breakfast I seldom eat now feels so worthless because unexamined......

Hmmmm...I wonder if I know that teacher.......

He comes from somewhere near Canberra possibly Queenbeyan or goulbourne/yass area. Thats as much as i could get.

I would have thought it a simple matter to set up an internet exchange with (say) several class/school groups over here. Both sides could have benefited. Our kids would have learned much by having to research and think about how/why we use language the way we do and the chinese by getting the answers they need.

Homework for today is Answer 5 HELPMEcumt questions.

One reccomendation i have if it happens again is dont try humour. It just went right over their heads.

Under their feet...they all walk around upside down.

Why do you hate America...I mean me....Gus?

Have we scared our Chinese friends away?

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