Polyglot Reacts to John Cena’s Mandarin

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  • Опубликовано: 3 авг 2024
  • In this video I'm nitpicking John Cena’s Mandarin Chinese. He legitimately speaks this language fluently to the point that I’m genuinely impressed. This video isn’t to throw shade on the guy - as I emphasize in the video, his Chinese has improved a LOT over the years and it’s gotten extremely good. But today we’re doing a deep dive to find out what problems, if any, there are with his Chinese!
    0:00 Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
    4:50 John Cena's viral video in China
    6:00 John Cena in China as WWE spokesperson
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Комментарии • 2 тыс.

  • @glennextics
    @glennextics 2 года назад +5513

    I totally agree your thoughts. He often "code-switches" his Chinese into an English syntax. However, most native speakers understand his thoughts. This is very common for most learners of Chinese.

    • @zeBorat420
      @zeBorat420 2 года назад +119

      Syntax is tricky. It happens a lot with Spanish too

    • @connorbrown2194
      @connorbrown2194 2 года назад +10

      @@zeBorat420 that’s been my main obstacle with learning spanish

    • @FlipflopB
      @FlipflopB 2 года назад +27

      @@connorbrown2194 same here. Simple things like “no me gusta” would be like “no I like” in English. But really the no is making the statement negative to “I don’t like”. But that’s simple stuff and the syntax gets very messy to an English speaker later on

    • @dodgeplow
      @dodgeplow 2 года назад +5

      @@FlipflopB "no to me like" would be more direct. Not a criticism, just pointing out the syntax.

    • @FlipflopB
      @FlipflopB 2 года назад +1

      @@amp776 which is exactly why it’s hard for us to learn those other syntaxes. Ours is so complex and there’s are simpler, so code switching makes no sense lol

  • @PricefieldPunk
    @PricefieldPunk 2 года назад +6392

    Cena learning Mandarin at his age and being so good at it is seriously impressive

    • @bsg111987
      @bsg111987 2 года назад +203

      He is actively working with the Chinese government. This is incredibly dangerous and we should demand his arrest and prosecution.

    • @LancesArmorStriking
      @LancesArmorStriking 2 года назад +205

      @@bsg111987
      On what charges?

    • @bsg111987
      @bsg111987 2 года назад

      @@LancesArmorStriking Failure to disclose collaboration with a foreign government is a federal crime if he does not register as an event of China. He should surrender his passport and face severe penalties.

    • @LancesArmorStriking
      @LancesArmorStriking 2 года назад +48

      @@bsg111987
      "Event of China"?
      I'll also need a source for that law.
      Last I checked, only academic researchers are required to disclose collaborations and funding by foreign governments (at universities that receive government funding).

    • @LuckyNeffy
      @LuckyNeffy 2 года назад

      @@bsg111987 So like everyone who works in China that does taxes on income tax is funding the Chinese government which funds the Chinese economy should all be arrested? And any expats, economic relations, should all cease?

  • @aaron-bieber
    @aaron-bieber 2 года назад +1317

    We obviously need to see Xiaoma and John Cena walk around Chinatown together speaking to people in Mandarin, so, how do we make that happen?

    • @Poshriel
      @Poshriel 2 года назад +24

      That would be awesome.

    • @mfirnot4164
      @mfirnot4164 2 года назад +1

      @@Poshriel to

    • @10000roman
      @10000roman 2 года назад +5

      Petition

    • @patrickbatemanfromohio
      @patrickbatemanfromohio 2 года назад +3

      They should come to Pakistan and speak Chinese in china town

    • @sct4040
      @sct4040 Год назад +1

      If they walk by and speak to me, I wouldn’t understand a word. My mandarin is minimal, I am American Chinese. 😊

  • @llamasugar5478
    @llamasugar5478 2 года назад +776

    When my sister interviewed at Mazda (US), her interviewer apologized for his English. She replied, “That’s okay, my Japanese isn’t very good, either.” In Japanese.
    She got the job.

    • @OGDweeb
      @OGDweeb 2 года назад +42

      Nice. I grew up with the daughters of some of the original Mazda execs here near Detroit. Great people.

    • @Julian-qs8xq
      @Julian-qs8xq 2 года назад +17

      @@OGDweeb great cars too

    • @giuliab8484
      @giuliab8484 Год назад +4

      I'm def gonna try this out at a job interview in the future!

    • @manohanged
      @manohanged Год назад

      Raceway Laguna seca?

  • @BFHPTPIRATE
    @BFHPTPIRATE 2 года назад +9389

    BING CHILLING

  • @Ze-Germanzuk
    @Ze-Germanzuk 2 года назад +555

    There's a reason he's now called John Xi-na

    • @ex0duzz
      @ex0duzz 2 года назад

      What's the reason? That most Americans are uncultured, and bad at foreign languages or just racist against Chinese in particular?
      Imagine teasing a Chinese person because they could speak English and calling jackie chan as jackie Bidenchan or something because Jackie can speak some English, same as John can speak some Chinese.
      It's basically a racist meme/joke, and imo it's more racist against Americans than Chinese since it assumes Americans are dumb uncultured and insulated and would have a hard time learning Chinese since its tonal and not a Germanic/Latin based language.

    • @billyjoe8185
      @billyjoe8185 2 года назад +81

      Zhong Xina

    • @obi-wankenobi3790
      @obi-wankenobi3790 2 года назад +27

      Zhong Xina - Social credit score: 9000

    • @JonHop1
      @JonHop1 2 года назад +3

      John Xi Ping to be clear..

  • @marcocisneros5111
    @marcocisneros5111 2 года назад +233

    To be honest if you're learning a language, It doesn't really matter if you trip up, Mistakes are part of the process and you'll learn from them
    As a native spanish speaker learning English I find hard to break free from the fear of speaking english, I know that's holding me back, I guess that if I start speaking more English I'll improve my English real quick

    • @Love_N_Let_Live
      @Love_N_Let_Live 2 года назад +11

      It helps if you have some English speaking friends. Good luck bro! Don't be scared! The worst that will happen is someone is a dick to you, but that will affect you much less than the feeling you'll get once you're comfortable speaking another language.

    • @Harry-et7dc
      @Harry-et7dc 2 года назад +5

      yo im learning spanish, hmu we can learn eachother

    • @SarahNGeti
      @SarahNGeti Год назад +2

      @@Harry-et7dc "Teach each other" or "learn together". But you are doing really well so far, keep up the hard work! Cheers! 💙👍

    • @rue3816
      @rue3816 Год назад

      I think you English is brilliant, coming from a native speaker! I’d say your pretty much fluent :) well done dude!

    • @indradityasarkar
      @indradityasarkar Год назад

      if its hard in real life, try speaking to people in english in discord. Less embarrassment, and honestly people are pretty chill and will help you

  • @MFI-Miami
    @MFI-Miami 2 года назад +90

    I studied Mandarin at University in the late 80s. Unfortunately, I forgot most of it because of a closed head injury in 1994. Your videos have encouraged me to go back and re-learn it. Thank you! Your videos are awesome.

    • @ragnarbluechip8795
      @ragnarbluechip8795 2 года назад +17

      Would be awesome if you could retrieve a lot of what you've learnt. Good luck

  • @Flutterbyby
    @Flutterbyby 2 года назад +2029

    It’s amazing to see his progress. Just be brave and start talk as much as possible (in whatever language you are learning) to move from speaking nervously to super confident. Inspiring for late learners. 😀

    • @RawNRandom
      @RawNRandom 2 года назад +24

      Indeed. He also has the pressure of the spotlight and he's doing great

    • @boppernostopper8598
      @boppernostopper8598 2 года назад

      CCP shill Joh Cena

    • @Natano-v4p
      @Natano-v4p 2 года назад +2

      Yea. He was so brave. 😂

    • @heathhanz842
      @heathhanz842 2 года назад +1

      This is so true! Don't be afraid. You'll learn 10x as fast speaking it. This was my experience. And no one is really judging you that bad. They are usually happy you're trying!

    • @xChiimerax
      @xChiimerax 2 года назад +3

      This is something I use with learning Danish. I try and speak to my friend and even he has noticed that my confidence in speaking and amount of needing to be corrected on it has lessened significantly 😄

  • @Bootsii
    @Bootsii 2 года назад +1410

    Tbf it's not just with Mandarin that foreign speakers use a higher pitched voice. There was a Reddit thread where a bunch of people from Europe chimed in stating that when they attempted to speak English, their voice went higher for some reason. Anecdotally, this has been true for me too when I as a native English speaker try to speak French, German, Japanese, etc. I wonder if low confidence in language skills translates to a higher voice? Interesting thing to think about!

    • @hearts4marzz
      @hearts4marzz 2 года назад +80

      i think so as well. i was born in america and am fluent in english, but my parents native language is actually Serbian. when i speak serbian, my voice does get a little bit higher, or softer.

    • @jamesmcadory1322
      @jamesmcadory1322 2 года назад +50

      Interesting my brother and I have found when learning German and French that our voices get deeper😂 We theorize it’s because most of the audio clips on language learning apps have men speaking in very low registers and we’ve tried to mimic them.

    • @hamsolo474
      @hamsolo474 2 года назад +60

      I remember being told that lots of non Japanese men sound very girly when speaking Japanese because there are significantly more female Japanese teachers than male and they naturally learn the female mannerisms and pitch.

    • @LevyOutMan
      @LevyOutMan 2 года назад +13

      I'm Persian and when i speak English ( 2nd language i learned ) i use a lower pitched voice and when i speak Turkish ( 3rd ) my voice goes even lower compare to English i feel like Turkish is more aggressive sounding language like German but idk why is it happening with English lol

    • @Monahandsom3
      @Monahandsom3 2 года назад +16

      I think it’s a byproduct of having to think strenuously while speaking. When you’re trying to remember and recall something I feel like it’s a common reaction

  • @bobbyzou1293
    @bobbyzou1293 Год назад +22

    I'm Chinese and I have to say that your commentaries are all on point!

  • @Egregious_
    @Egregious_ Год назад +51

    I enjoyed the comparisons in intelligibility between languages. Good touch.

  • @FishAndBits1
    @FishAndBits1 2 года назад +832

    ADVANCED (C1-C2) ENG VOCAB IN THIS VIDEO
    1. To be nitpicky
    2. Preface
    3. Off the Cuff
    4. Patronize
    5. Thought patterns
    6. On-point not Unpointed
    7. Extemporaneously
    8. Honed
    9. Spokesperson (B2+)
    10. Composure
    11. Night and Day (Continual, Steady)
    12. Prosody Not Porosity*
    13. Stack Up (Contrast, Compare)
    14. Paying Attention (Dealing With)
    15. Add Up
    16. Gotcha

    • @mwhite7712
      @mwhite7712 2 года назад +160

      Are you making this list for non-native speakers to better understand/learn and broaden their English vocabulary? If so, this is awesome!!!

    • @Pyrois
      @Pyrois 2 года назад +27

      @@chunkylilpeanut Yep! And #12 should be "prosody", not "porosity".

    • @samuel_saysske1355
      @samuel_saysske1355 2 года назад +3

      Can someone explain 1-13 to me please🥺 Yes I know you will think that I’m bad att english but it’s my second language sooo

    • @mwhite7712
      @mwhite7712 2 года назад +24

      @@samuel_saysske1355 Of course, friend! I'm going to try to keep it very simple.
      1. When someone is overly focused on tiny, unimportant details --- usually when criticizing something.
      2. A basic introduction.
      3. Without practice/preparation.
      4. To speak down to someone in a way that makes them appear stupid or unimportant.
      5. A habit of thinking.
      6. Not pointed, having no point, especially a sharp one. Example: Fences/Gates can be pointed, or unpointed at the top.
      7. Something spoken or done without preparation/practice.
      8. Sharpened, practiced. Example: I am honing my skills at football.
      9. A person who speaks as a representative of another or a group.
      10. A sense of being calm and in control of ones self/actions.
      11. A phrase/figure of speech that means continually/for a long time. Example: I practiced for my exam night and day.
      12. Being full of tiny holes that water and air can get through. Example: a sponge for cleaning.
      13. To measure and compare. Example: How does my football skills stack up against Cristiano Ronaldos?
      If you need further clarification I will do my best to help!

    • @bloloo69
      @bloloo69 2 года назад +1

      had me watching this video like a word search listening for all these

  • @TheRealGuywithoutaMustache
    @TheRealGuywithoutaMustache 2 года назад +1537

    What's crazy is the fact that he has the accent nailed down too, Cena is one impressive person for sure

    • @easa34
      @easa34 2 года назад +4

      hey!

    • @milhouse901
      @milhouse901 2 года назад +59

      he doesn't really but it's alright

    • @lunchNsinners
      @lunchNsinners 2 года назад +10

      He doesn't know what he's saying, he just remembers his script

    • @mannyw_
      @mannyw_ 2 года назад +63

      Did you miss the part where Xiaoma was saying that he “botched” the tones? It’s still very cool that he’s learned as much as he has, but it’s like you didn’t watch this video before making this comment lol

    • @rubenleejohnsen2037
      @rubenleejohnsen2037 2 года назад +13

      @@mannyw_ He probably didn't. This guy is on every video I watch, and always very early too. Kind of annoying.

  • @kerriganunknown
    @kerriganunknown Год назад +17

    For him to be such a beginner and getting on stage in front of all those people, I'm seriously impressed. I'm also impressed he is making time to even learn a language.

  • @fookimoto4914
    @fookimoto4914 2 года назад +62

    That was the HARDEST thing for me learning Russian and Japanese, I kept wanting to raise my pitch for some reason. Idk if I was subconsciously mirroring the pitch of my teacher or what but that was tough hahaha.

    • @RookieMistakeYT
      @RookieMistakeYT Год назад +3

      How long did it take you to feel somewhat confident in your japanese?

    • @marktheshark5733
      @marktheshark5733 4 месяца назад

      Maybe it’s cuz I know some Korean but Japanese was so easy after learning the alphabet. Maybe it’s cuz I had a good professor who made me speak everyday. But yeah the key is constant exposure and attempting to practice it everyday

  • @shneaky45
    @shneaky45 2 года назад +2524

    You should legitimately try to collab with John Cena. It would make for a crazy video if you went out somewhere and spoke Mandarin to the locals with him. Obviously would be hard to pull off with how busy he is, but maybe not impossible

    • @2loaves388
      @2loaves388 2 года назад +35

      Naw why would he collab with someone who actively supports genocide

    • @hearts4marzz
      @hearts4marzz 2 года назад +55

      @@2loaves388 how is that?

    • @OhSnakes
      @OhSnakes 2 года назад

      @@hearts4marzz Cena supports the ccp, google Uyghurs and genocide, Cena also apologized after he called Taiwan a Country (ccp doesn't like that), lul.

    • @skepticalzostrianos9875
      @skepticalzostrianos9875 2 года назад

      @@hearts4marzz Ouighours genocide by China...

    • @jacobl4699
      @jacobl4699 2 года назад +76

      @@hearts4marzz I assuming he's refering to the Uighur muslim genocide in China.

  • @viniolie
    @viniolie 2 года назад +610

    It's really impressive that a busy person like him had the time to learn such hard language

    • @MYERZ08
      @MYERZ08 2 года назад +53

      These guys are not as busy as a normal person working 10hours a day trying to keep a family.

    • @dravenwag
      @dravenwag 2 года назад +18

      I'm pretty sure it was for a lot of his work, I think he's popular in China and his managers probably had him learn it so he could do interviews/commercials/other work there, also it would definitely get a lot of media attention there for him because he's a big buff white guy speaking very good chinese.

    • @plutodakid
      @plutodakid 2 года назад +7

      @@MYERZ08 jealous much? he's More busy than you or any other "normal" person will ever be

    • @Ooooooopsy
      @Ooooooopsy 2 года назад +22

      @@MYERZ08 he genuinely probably works like 16 hours a day or more most days on set last 12-14 hours especially with him being a star in a show like peacemaker then he has to workout everyday for the physical part so

    • @Samuel-xs2yv
      @Samuel-xs2yv 2 года назад +13

      @@MYERZ08 it's not really a competition. People like John Cena and people who work full time plus maintain family lives are all busy people.

  • @BowmanAttak
    @BowmanAttak 2 года назад +15

    This video was really fun to listen to and analyze the breakdown. It was educational from a language breakdown video. I have studied German through school but don't currently practice it, however learning sentence structure of other languages is very fascinating to me. Great video.

  • @ProfessorMichaelWingert
    @ProfessorMichaelWingert 2 года назад +15

    The issue behind Cena's high inflection is that in the early stages of language learning we try to approximate the sounds we receive. Only after the language has processed and internalized do we begin to sound more like "ourselves."

  • @michaelp9061
    @michaelp9061 2 года назад +251

    although he s been ridiculed, no one can deny he is a very competent speaker. I would rate 7-8 of 10.

    • @chongleongchua4059
      @chongleongchua4059 2 года назад +22

      Tonal wise, I would rate him 5-6 out of 10.

    • @screamingwarhog
      @screamingwarhog 2 года назад

      Hes a p.o.s
      He said taiwans not a country and apologized to china lol
      Imigine if someone said that to russia about ukraine.
      I find it hilarious what our woke media gets mad at.

    • @pandaalcolizzato5236
      @pandaalcolizzato5236 2 года назад +27

      He wasn’t ridiculed for speaking mandarin, but because he acted as a Chinese propaganda machine, apologizing profusely just because he once said “Taiwan is a country” or something like that.

    • @dutchdykefinger
      @dutchdykefinger 2 года назад +4

      @@pandaalcolizzato5236 exactly
      But you can always count on bootlickers to strawman arguments

    • @gerryscotti182
      @gerryscotti182 Год назад

      @@dutchdykefinger would you rather the chinese government against you

  • @guscox9651
    @guscox9651 2 года назад +113

    its just so nice to see you relaxed and at home rather than on the go sometimes.

  • @mikeposner8563
    @mikeposner8563 2 года назад +29

    Dude this style of video is soooo interesting just hearing you talk off the cuff about your thoughts on language. The way you express things make them very comprehensible. I've never been fluent in another language before but you do an amazing job of bridging that gap for me, so that I can really understand what it feels like (on a radically reduced level of course) to be able to think in two languages. Thanks for all the great vids, man.

  • @ipod14202
    @ipod14202 2 года назад +9

    the fact that not only are you fluent in mandarin, but as well as how to properly say the vowels is amazing!!! like for a mandarin word that you correct even if its one letter is crazy!! i would of thought i wouldnt really be a bid deal... until you started to say it how it would be said in english im like oh dam yea i wouldnt understand it! love your videos xiomanyc!!! sending good vibes from EL Paso TX

  • @Roflskeeter
    @Roflskeeter 2 года назад +379

    The higher pitch thing might be a relic of his tutor using foreigner speech while teaching him. It is a phenomenon that occurs with all people across the world when speaking to someone they assume will have difficulty understanding them. Otherwise, my best guess is that he did it subconsciously because on some level he knew the audience did not speak the language, or possibly just for comedic effect.

    • @isuapig6705
      @isuapig6705 2 года назад +24

      I do think it was for comedy even tho I don’t speak it

    • @nomanmalik6641
      @nomanmalik6641 2 года назад

      Please don't think negative about me.
      Someone who see my comments I
      Specially request you guys to help me financially for two or three years I want to start my business or want to go abroad for work
      I am not na begger. My father is died
      We are 5 brother and sisters and mom
      Please help me financially .I will return after 2 years or 3 years
      Or
      If some one help me with Visa
      I am a Mig and Mag welder
      I will be very thankful to you guys
      At the end I just say please

    • @ToxicWitness
      @ToxicWitness 2 года назад +6

      I too think it was for emphasis.

  • @ximienlundquist8487
    @ximienlundquist8487 2 года назад +117

    John Cena is a talented dude, I’m impressed with his Chinese and his willingness to speak it

  • @ohitsclemenTIME
    @ohitsclemenTIME 2 года назад +1

    This is so interesting. Thank you for making this!

  • @Dreamsofthemorrow
    @Dreamsofthemorrow 2 года назад +26

    This really makes me want to learn both mandarin and Cantonese. I’m half Chinese and can’t even understand my cousins or even my gf grandma and mom when they’re speaking to me. I rely on my dad or gf lol. I was raised to speak mostly English and Spanish and always wanted to learn.

    • @SRPhantoms
      @SRPhantoms 2 года назад +3

      lmfao I'm half cantonese my dad knows cantonese well but I dont know it at all like at all i only remember 2 words for hurry up and poop so 💀kinda makes me want to learn it i guess

  • @fox9769
    @fox9769 2 года назад +340

    John Cena is so inspiring. If he can wrestle, star in movies, be peacemaker, grant kids wishes in make a wish, and still learn Chinese. I can too.

    • @aveyli
      @aveyli 2 года назад +21

      he has no backbone

    • @judeodomhnaill9711
      @judeodomhnaill9711 2 года назад +14

      Inspiring to who? Xi?

    • @bendover7841
      @bendover7841 2 года назад +6

      @@aveyli you go fight China.

    • @aveyli
      @aveyli 2 года назад +1

      @@bendover7841 yes

    • @Althalus2010
      @Althalus2010 2 года назад +15

      @@bendover7841 Cena didn't need to fight China, he just needed to not roll over like a good boy for them.

  • @nikamak1617
    @nikamak1617 2 года назад +127

    John Cena's Chinese is impressive.

  • @leito2k1
    @leito2k1 2 года назад +13

    Since the Mandarin is so complicated for those who don't speak it, I say after watching this video that we can appreciate the difference between your pronunciation Xiaoman and the rest. Your comparison was very helpful. I can see how many layers are needed from speaking to improving it to sound like a Chinese person would. Loved it

  • @ChipNov1998
    @ChipNov1998 2 года назад +4

    I think you are working hard to be accurate by looking at this from various points of view and commenting honestly from each angle. Good job!

  • @skuzlebut82
    @skuzlebut82 2 года назад +29

    Why was that empty chair on Jimmy Fallon speaking Mandarin?

  • @mradamdavies
    @mradamdavies 2 года назад +142

    Gotta respect him for taking the time to learn though. Mandarin isn't easy to learn and he's such a busy guy. I'm not a fan of wrestling, but they work a LOT. I only got to know him from his appearances on Acquisitions Incorporated (a D&D thing) and he just seems like a nice guy, which is refreshing compared to some of the past wrestlers.

  • @user-3aa6234fh
    @user-3aa6234fh Год назад +6

    It's a hardest language to learn, so respect to those who did it, I personally was too afraid and chose Korean

  • @owl77
    @owl77 Год назад +6

    The way John spoke Chinese reminded me how English speak Chinese in a movie in the 90s.
    Chinese is hard. I'm Chinese (not from China), and my kids just don't like to speak Chinese, although they are taught in school.

  • @kha9867
    @kha9867 2 года назад +183

    Learning a new language is really hard, especially the pronunciation. I've been learning English for the past 30 something years and been avoiding saying 'sheet' (like sheet of paper) at all costs.

    • @Markus-fw4px
      @Markus-fw4px 2 года назад

      Why?

    • @lizz9896
      @lizz9896 2 года назад +37

      haha same in Spanish for me. İ speak it somewhat natively but 'egg' and 'penis' are too similar to the point where I cant really tell it apart. after saying 'i want penis' like 10 years ago, I just say 'eggs' now 😭

    • @kha9867
      @kha9867 2 года назад +6

      @@lizz9896 LOL. I personally know someone who avoids saying 'fax' no matter what.

    • @kha9867
      @kha9867 2 года назад

      @@Markus-fw4px Lizz already explained :-)

    • @christianhansen3292
      @christianhansen3292 2 года назад +3

      @@lizz9896 puerto Rican says bicho mexican says la Verga but eggs is called huevos very confused here.

  • @blakepace
    @blakepace 2 года назад +10

    Thank you! This is absolutely fascinating, watching and hearing the differences as you point them out. Amazing, and, thank you again!

  • @andrewscott8758
    @andrewscott8758 2 года назад

    Love your assessment. Full of encouraging notes.

  • @Mathertron
    @Mathertron 2 года назад

    more technical videos like this pls i love yr channel thnks x
    I one reccomendo would be to do his old stuff first for a little redemption arc thing. good vid.

  • @thomasrobertson2225
    @thomasrobertson2225 2 года назад +215

    My brother studied languages at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in
    California. The pace of study was intense. Students had to master the language course in 36-64 weeks. Psychologically it was very difficult, but fortunately he was helped by Yuriy Ivantsiv's book "Polyglot Notes. Practical tips for learning foreign languages”. The book " Polyglot Notes" became a desk book for my brother, because it has answers to all the problems that any student of a foreign language has to face. Thanks to the author of the channel for this interesting video! Good luck to everyone who studies a foreign language and wants to realize their full potential!

    • @zombieinkhakis6891
      @zombieinkhakis6891 2 года назад +1

      @Digby Dooright thats so cute though! 😀

    • @benjumino
      @benjumino 2 года назад +2

      I’m going to have a look at that book, thanks!

    • @ohlook6222
      @ohlook6222 Год назад +7

      @@benjumino if you haven’t yet don’t. I saw this comment word for word on another video from a different account. They r just trying to get you to buy the book

  • @LearningFast
    @LearningFast 2 года назад +17

    Such a great video. You highlight how difficult it must be for him to learn this while doing everything else that he does. However, you also point out the intricacies of the language. Just a great video all around.

  • @franss7554
    @franss7554 2 года назад +3

    I’m so impressed by and proud of anybody who gets out of their way to learn a second language. It’s not easy and it takes a lot of time!!

  • @billbynon9839
    @billbynon9839 Год назад

    Love this video! First saw your Flushing NY videos. Thinking of trying Mandrin myself.

  • @Narcheeze
    @Narcheeze 2 года назад +170

    Get him to say "Taiwan is not a country". He's perfected that in mandarin quicker than presenting his name.

    • @csebesta84
      @csebesta84 2 года назад +28

      Yeah. That was truly embarrassing.

    • @voidinheritant
      @voidinheritant 2 года назад

      based taiwan is indeed a fake country

    • @ItsameAlex
      @ItsameAlex 2 года назад +2

      he said that somewhere?

    • @Narcheeze
      @Narcheeze 2 года назад +23

      @@ItsameAlex he mistakingly made a comment agreeing to Taiwan being a country and days later made a huge apology video in Mandarin to China. China is a big market for his movies so he has to pander to them to make more money.

    • @mantapdjiwa9768
      @mantapdjiwa9768 2 года назад +6

      Taiwan is not, ask your presiden

  • @WeebsArePathetic
    @WeebsArePathetic 2 года назад +33

    He's purposely making his voice deeper when saying pronouns in English because that's what people notice when they don't understand another language. They'll just hear jibberish and then someone's name in like perfect English which is funny.

  • @elaineoh3984
    @elaineoh3984 2 года назад +7

    I appreciate John Cena trying to incorporate the 4 tones in the Chinese words. It can't be easy.

  • @daniellelearnsstuff
    @daniellelearnsstuff 2 года назад +7

    Props to John. Life long learning is a wonderful thing.

  • @ninjasmurf666
    @ninjasmurf666 2 года назад +15

    Do his apology video, that one was probably perfect.

  • @Muriel32
    @Muriel32 2 года назад +40

    Speaking definitely helps. I learned both of my parents dialects, two different dialects as they where from two different tribes, because I would always engage in a conversation with them in it or other family members. I have also learned their country's language, but that language wasn't as difficult since it's a creole language. If you want to get better and more fluent SPEAK, practice speaking ,don't worry about making mistakes, learn from them and get better. You all can do this!

    • @ItsameAlex
      @ItsameAlex 2 года назад

      what languages and dialects did you learn

  • @zackv3957
    @zackv3957 2 года назад +5

    The speaking the language as much as possible aspect is so key to learning it's insane. I studied and practiced Spanish for two years and couldn't hold a conversation at all. Which is terrible progress for two damn years of work. Just because you know all the words doesn't mean youre fluent. You have to commit to conversation and speaking.

  • @dwaydway1
    @dwaydway1 2 года назад

    great video. Proud of you both

  • @cuibin1636
    @cuibin1636 2 года назад +17

    Once again, no matter how bad you are at speaking a foreign language, as long as you are sincere and brave enough to express yourself, no one will laugh at you! Thank you, Xiaoma! Love you!

  • @lucbian
    @lucbian 2 года назад +57

    I've always said that each language I speak has its own personality and with it my voice changes. I don't do this on purpose, it just happened. But for example, my German speaking voice which is my mother tongue, is quite deep. But I've been raised in a fairly suppressed and cold environment, children don't have a say and just execute like soldiers. As such, when I speak German, I have a really hard time to express my feelings, both good or bad. I can't hold a discussion, I can't complain. I just freeze. My Brazilian Portuguese is something I learned with the family I married into. It is an environment of scholars and a family that discusses issues immediately, each speaking their opinion, each questions the other. Even though my grammar and vocabulary are more limited, it's the language I am most confident in. It's almost like a switch and the shy, introverted me turns into a bubbly person, capable of reasoning, questioning and expressing myself in an educated manner. English is the language I use on a daily basis every day since I was 15 years old and although it isn't my mother tongue I perceive it to be. Still, I don't feel as capable about expressing myself as in Portuguese. I always thought that's a little crazy.

  • @jaycee330
    @jaycee330 2 года назад +9

    The same issue with relative clauses in Japanese, You don't say "The cat, who is near the house, greets me", you say "near-house-cat me greets"

    • @zeus982
      @zeus982 2 года назад +2

      That’s….confusing as hell lol

    • @miruharabae
      @miruharabae 2 года назад

      @@zeus982 Its simpler

  • @kevitamaster-brewkombucha5472
    @kevitamaster-brewkombucha5472 Год назад +3

    You actually give tips and constructive feedback, thank you.

  • @leredditcommander8208
    @leredditcommander8208 2 года назад +11

    Since i watched the munenori kawasaki english interviews, i think it doesnt matter how good your language is but how confident you are. Dude is the absolute madman, he is a saint with a great sense of humor. About cena, well i also admire him, no need to learn a language since he already made it, and still put the effort and time? maximum respect.

  • @thegiftideafinder5419
    @thegiftideafinder5419 2 года назад +4

    Why is Xiaoma reviewing a blank screen?

  • @alyax2026
    @alyax2026 2 года назад

    It's always a pleasure to listen to you Xiaoma! 谢谢

  • @Killermonkey5465
    @Killermonkey5465 2 года назад

    Wow what a cool way to constructivly critique somebody’s mandarin without seeming egotistical! Just became my fav chinese learning channel! 👍🔥

  • @Pheminon1
    @Pheminon1 2 года назад +10

    Oh my god
    I remember when I talked to someone in Chinese at the Asian market and how nervous I was and all I was asking was "Where is the Gochujang?"

    • @ChrisZ901
      @ChrisZ901 2 года назад

      Isn't Gochujang Korean?

  • @thisbridgehascables
    @thisbridgehascables 2 года назад +42

    With any language.. memorizing sentences is good grammar and pronunciation but when you want to speak the language beyond that.. you have to make mistakes and just try forming new sentences.
    Like as an English speaker you can form very deep thoughts and that kinda what you want to achieve over time with another language.. to think in the language.

  • @vivianidelacerda9708
    @vivianidelacerda9708 2 года назад

    Good reaction! Keep them coming!

  • @FreeformThoughts804
    @FreeformThoughts804 2 года назад +1

    Tone is very much key in so many different languages that I've learned! I never understood that until I start having conversations with native speakers!

  • @jacksegel4639
    @jacksegel4639 2 года назад +6

    Love your videos would love to Learn Mandarin

  • @nob0dbeat
    @nob0dbeat 2 года назад +10

    Hes doing it for the comedic bit. Hes saying the names in english in a very monotoned lone voice as if giving off tag lines. His english speaking voice is usually in the same tone he was speaking mandarin

    • @JohnSoh
      @JohnSoh 2 года назад +2

      He might of added "Jimmy Fallon" at the end to make the punch line more perceivable to the audience

  • @brianofmoore
    @brianofmoore 2 года назад +5

    Oh I would definitely think that the way he said his and Jimmy's name was for amusing and dramatic effect. But yeah overall even though he might mess up a few things, super cool that he has an interest in learning Mandarin and is clearly working hard at it.

  • @bensontroy1526
    @bensontroy1526 2 года назад

    So very right about many being afraid to open their mouths because of embarrassment. But getting the tones right is the polish upon the framework. I respect you much for your accomplishments. I only speak six languages and you have far surpassed that.

  • @whyamionplanetearth69
    @whyamionplanetearth69 2 года назад +3

    You both deserve extra social credit points, one's a meme and one's a geography lover and language expert

  • @SelimxBradley
    @SelimxBradley 2 года назад +118

    Lost all respect for John Cena after he bowed down to China.

    • @tootsownhorn5874
      @tootsownhorn5874 2 года назад +53

      Used to be an American icon and now got paid off to make propaganda for ccp

    • @P31B
      @P31B 2 года назад +55

      Begged for Apology for calling Taiwan a country

    • @mr.b3168
      @mr.b3168 2 года назад +2

      lol

    • @llamatarian3913
      @llamatarian3913 2 года назад +1

      Chinese residents are now jumping off buildings to avoid starving to death because of the Communist party lockdowns. Cena is a sell out and a total embarrassment, China can keep him.

    • @cmcsdf
      @cmcsdf 2 года назад +6

      Lol find something real to care about

  • @faerisoul
    @faerisoul 2 года назад +2

    I didn't start getting the hang of ASL until I had a friend tutor me. There's something different about doing assignments for classes versus having a conversation. I'm still in the early stages of learning ASL but it's convinced me to keep trying. Before I just thought I wasn't smart enough to learn a new language, now I realize I wasn't learning in a natural way that suited me.

  • @user-we3eg9vs8z
    @user-we3eg9vs8z 2 года назад

    This is a great breakdown. Thank you.

  • @dylanjohn430
    @dylanjohn430 2 года назад +26

    Hey Xiaoman, I saw your video of south Asian languages showed it to my parents and they loved it especially when you were trying Gujjurati foods. I’m from Kerala it’s a small state on the southern tip of India and we speak a language called Malayalam. I was wondering if you could go to a mallu restaurant as there’s a lot of mallus in New York and New Jersey! I would love to hear you speak and try the food. Thanks!

    • @sktoh4469
      @sktoh4469 2 года назад +2

      Dylan, I have quite a few Malayali friends. Most are either John, Joseph, Matthew, Abraham, George or Thomas!

    • @dinil5566
      @dinil5566 2 года назад

      @@sktoh4469 Well most of the christians in here migrates to NA or Europe. That's why... It's changing though.

  • @amnesiai
    @amnesiai 2 года назад +19

    John Cena called Taiwan a country and his chinese followers got angry at him. John Cena apologized for it. $ellout

  • @gudaran
    @gudaran 2 года назад +1

    eh I think anyone that speaks more than one language is incredible. to be able to swap entire sets of vocabulary is in and of itself amazing... but as you mentioned, there's a whole separate cadence that languages have that come from immersion. so kudos to him and yourself and others out there!

  • @thomaspuerari38
    @thomaspuerari38 2 года назад +1

    I am learning chinese since 2 month thanks to you and i'm french. Cool video 👍
    Xiexie zaijian😎

  • @Benobot99
    @Benobot99 2 года назад +20

    "And his name is John Cena!"
    (Theme song starts)

  • @williss1192
    @williss1192 2 года назад +12

    Are people just going to forget how Cena took his words back on Taiwan became of China?🤔
    Have to admit though his memes never get old..

  • @dominicknesbitt4935
    @dominicknesbitt4935 2 года назад

    Very interesting! I like these types of videos

  • @gatewayarms9519
    @gatewayarms9519 2 года назад +1

    I like how your first comment is his higher pitch. Yet I’ve always noticed you do it too lol

  • @lessefrost
    @lessefrost 2 года назад +11

    Honestly every language I speak has a different center tone when I get in to it. English is the lowest, but Spanish is higher, with the slight Japanese practice landing somewhere in the middle.

  • @MoviesGamesMusic
    @MoviesGamesMusic Год назад +4

    I feel the high tone happens depending on your source for learning. Initially in French my teacher was female and I copied the way she spoke. I also feel if you learn phrases from one person in a high tone and another phrase from someone in a lower tone it can influence how you say it from then on, making you speak sometimes higher and sometimes lower. That’s why I actively tried paying attention to my own voice when learning.

  • @Stuffinround
    @Stuffinround 2 года назад

    I love this new string of videos focusing on celebrity Chinese evaluation

  • @kccarrtheoregonhillbillyhi4803

    Great video thanks for sharing

  • @Knarsen
    @Knarsen 2 года назад +7

    When i speak German, my first language, my tone is totally different to my English or Dutch. I think it kinda depends on how and from whom you learn.

  • @Resseguie
    @Resseguie 2 года назад +30

    How do you balance "sounding fake sing songy" with trying to mimic the sounds of a language. I have trouble finding my "own" voice when speaking a different language. I want to "sound like myself", but speaking another language.

    • @LittleCazzy
      @LittleCazzy 2 года назад +1

      I've found confidence helps. The more you have confidence in speaking (even if you say things wrong) the more naturally you will speak. Having a native speaker to practice with also helps. Even in a hour of what was initially meant to be listening practice with a friend of mine the other day I found myself speaking more comfortably when she got me reading out words and practicing tones. Because while it is natural for your voice to potentially be higher or lower speaking specific languages you need the confidence and the comfort to speak in your own voice

  • @derekgray1633
    @derekgray1633 2 года назад

    Got a shirt! your channel has me learning mandarin I’m having fun I hope to take a vacation to Taiwan and put it to use

  • @zeithammel4473
    @zeithammel4473 2 года назад

    Yesss I knew you’d make a vid on John Cena’s Chinese

  • @chicagosveryown1
    @chicagosveryown1 2 года назад +6

    It would be awesome to see you and John cena make a video and talk Chinese together maybe go surprise ppl the same way you do but with John. Internet let's make it happen 😂

  • @DrPeppa
    @DrPeppa Год назад +3

    5:39 - When I was learning how to speak Spanish, I remember hearing things along the lines of,
    "Before you learn the language, you'll have to make 10,000 mistakes (or some other number), so the more you speak, the quicker you'll get through your 10,000 mistakes, meaning you'll learn the language quicker."
    The point being, don't be scared to talk because you're embarrassed you'll screw it up (because you will, many times lol), it'll only help you learn more quickly 😄

  • @lucaslouch
    @lucaslouch 2 года назад

    Tahnks for your reaction video! a small comment: I think it would have been even better to construct the video by starting by the wwe clip and shows the new clip to show the positive evolution.

  • @Siberius-
    @Siberius- 2 года назад

    I think you communicated the point well in this video. We can see the critical insight from a fluent perspective, but it is also being made clear that John is kicking some ass and improving very nicely. Cool stuff.
    I definitely think the pitch change at the start was primarily him being funny, but yea.

  • @kingclan007
    @kingclan007 2 года назад +3

    My native language called 'poula' is almost same with the Chinese in terms of tones and pronunciation, same words with different pronunciation we have different meanings, and the roles of verbs and clause. So now iam learning Chinese and I find it interesting except abit confused when it comes to writing. And i love watching all this.

  • @karoniesthompson4355
    @karoniesthompson4355 2 года назад +7

    You should look into the Mohawk language. It’s a polysynthetic language and has a lot of things I think you would find interesting.

  • @tashinoyukshin5488
    @tashinoyukshin5488 Год назад +1

    Xiao Ma!!! I respect you. I learned Mandarin for 9 years (and I was obsessive).... and only lived in China for less than one (but I had the experience of immersion with a good friend here in the states before I left). Anyways.... I'm also from NM, and I saw your Navajo video... i'm shook! As much as I wanna be bitter that you're more of a language magnet than I am, I appreciate all of your videos!

  • @TheologicalDissident
    @TheologicalDissident 2 года назад

    Fascinating breakdown!

  • @cath_27
    @cath_27 Год назад +10

    I was raised in South America mostly but still able to speak English and lowkey, I have a higher tone in Spanish lol

  • @hdcordes6299
    @hdcordes6299 2 года назад +6

    I bet he can't say " Taiwan is a country" in Mandarin.

  • @djklepto1996
    @djklepto1996 2 года назад

    Would love to learn a new language. You’re inspiring

  • @blueicer101
    @blueicer101 Год назад +1

    The way you explain tones is really interesting like technically it's wrong and it's a bit awkward but it still works. A better sentence I found out was when my parents who learned tagalog and philippino said the word "ceremony" where it would be like se-re-mo-ni, and said it like this instead se-rem-uni. Which took a little bit to process and figure out what the word was but still understood it.