Zheng Yuanjie's Secret to Raising Children: A Conversation Record Between Zheng and His Son

Author: Zheng Yuanjie, Zheng Yaqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
Zheng Yuanjie: Driving is a skilled profession.
Zheng Yaqi: Typing on a computer is also a skilled profession. I think you're too tired of holding a pen and writing every day.
Zheng Yuanjie: Typing on a computer is even more tiring, "a bit of a hassle."
Zheng Yaqi: Typing on a computer can add fun to writing. I think you're inherently interested in STEM fields, like how you really enjoy repairing airplanes. When you write on a computer, you'll feel like an engineer. Were you really bad at pinyin when you were young?
Zheng Yuanjie: Who said that? I learned Chinese pinyin very solidly in school.
Zheng Yaqi: I don't believe it.
Zheng Yuanjie: Don't believe me? Take a test on the computer. I'll ask the questions, and you type the letters on the keyboard. First, type "diàn" for "diànnǎo."
Zheng Yuanjie: Since you're typing, you might as well type something meaningful. I'll type "fēnshù bù zhòngyào" (Scores don't matter).
Zheng Yaqi: No, that's cheating. That's your catchphrase—you must have memorized its pinyin long ago.
Zheng Yuanjie: Then fine, I'll type "diànnǎo."
Zheng Yaqi: "Diàn yí àn diàn," but where's the "dé"?
Zheng Yaqi: Here.
Zheng Yuanjie: And where's the "yí"? How was it designed? Why is it so far apart? "àn" is troublesome, it has to be typed by both husband and wife. I said it's impossible to write on a computer. Just one "diàn," and it took half a day. "Nènǎo."
Zheng Yaqi: Your pinyin is really good!
Zheng Yuanjie: Of course, when I was learning pinyin, Teacher Zhao always praised me.
Zheng Yaqi: Try typing "Pipi Lu" again.
Zheng Yuanjie: "Pò yí pí." Hey, why doesn't Pipi Lu need to be selected—it just pops up on its own?