Ep. V: V (Yeah) Yē 耶
(想聽2021年10月22日的廣播節目可以點開上面音符圖案的檔案 If you'd like to listen to the original 10/22/2021 radio episode, please click on the above music note to play the file)
When traveling to other countries, we often prepare by learning key words or phrases in the language of the country we're traveling to. But I think that we often forget about how much body language is tied to culture too. In fact, just thinking about sign language, there are over 300 official sign languages around the world. So of course, there are thousands and thousands of unofficial special cultural gestures that are unique to some cultures and not used at all in others. When I came to Taiwan, this became obvious to me very quickly. Besides the V sign for pictures, can you think of any other special hand signs that Taiwanese use to communicate? The ones I learned first (even before I started learning Chinese), are the hand gestures for the numbers 1-10. They look very different here than they do in the US! Depending on how you're counting, one to five can look familiar, with one pointing out your pointer finger, etc. However, there's another way to do it here, where one starts with the thumb, then add the pointer finger for two, then the middle finger for 3, the ring finger for four, and the pinkie finger for five (this is an open hand). But six is where it starts to get interesting. Six in Taiwan is your thumb and your pinkie finger out, like the surfer "hang loose" gesture in the US. For seven, you stick out your thumb and your pointer finger (like making an 'L' or a gun), and point the pointer finger to the side. Eight and three look very similar, nine and four also look similar, and then ten is the pointer fingers of your two hands crossing each other.
After I had learned all these signs and made them part of my everyday body language, I really thought I was set for the Chinese-speaking world. But when I finally started traveling to other Chinese-speaking places, I realized, they're not all the same! In fact, many Chinese provinces have a very different hand gesture for nine, which is a fist with your pointer finger up but bent at the first knuckle. This gesture looks very similar to a Taiwanese gesture used to show someone or something has died!
So just remember, when you're trying to learn a new language, don't just try learning the words, because sometimes learning how people talk with their hands will help you even more than the words you say! (Remember to look at the bottom of the post for the song chords!)
去其他國家旅行時，我們常常會先學一些目的旅行國家語言的關鍵詞或短語做準備．但我覺得我們常常也會忘記身體語言和文化之間的親密關係．其實，光是聊手語，全世界就有超過三百種官方手語．所以當然會有成千上萬種非官方的特殊文化手勢，有些是某些文化獨有的，而在其他文化中根本沒有在用．當我來到台灣時，這對我來說很快就很明顯知道了．除了拍照時用V手勢之外，你還能想到台灣人用來溝通的的特別手勢嗎？我最先學會的（甚至在我開始學中文之前學的）是數字1-10的手勢．它們在這裡看起來跟美國很不一樣呢！取決於一般人的計數方式，一到五應該看起來很熟悉，比一的話就伸起你的食指，等等．但是在這裡還有另一種比法，一從伸起大拇指開始、然後加上伸起食指就是二、再來伸起中指就是三、加無名指為四、加上小指為五（就是整個手掌張開的意思）．但數到六的時候事情就變得有趣多了．在台灣，六是你的拇指和小指伸出，就像美國衝浪者hang loose (放鬆)的手勢一樣．對於七，伸出大拇指和食指（就像做'L'或者槍的手勢）並將食指指向側面．八跟三很像（大拇指、食指、中指），九跟四也很像（大拇指、食指、中指、無名指），然後十是兩隻手的食指交叉．
在我學會了這些手勢並將它們做為我日常肢體語言的一部份之後，我真的以為我已經準備好進入中文世界了．但是當我終於開始去其他講中文的地方旅行時，我才發現，這些手勢並不完全一樣！事實上，中國很多省份對九的手勢跟台灣的非常不一樣，即握拳，食指朝上，但在食指的第一個指關節處彎曲．這個手勢看起來像台灣人用來表示某人或某物已經死亡的手勢！差太多了吧！
所以要記住，當你嘗試學習一門新語言時，不要只嘗試學習單詞，因為有時學習人家如何用手說話，比你說的單詞更能幫助你！（記得看網頁最下面的地方就可以找到歌曲的和絃囉！）
V (Yeah)
Song Lyrics歌詞
*Yeah, he he he!* *耶！嘿嘿嘿！*
*Oh! You want me to be quiet?* *哦！你要我安靜一點？*
*No, look! Yeah!* *不是，你看！耶！*
*Ah, I see, you won! It's a victory! Congratulations!* *啊，我懂了，你贏了！是一場勝利！恭喜！*
*What? Victory? No, silly, look! Yeah!* *甚麼？勝利？不是啦，傻瓜，你看！耶！*
*Um, let's make peace?* *嗯，我們要和平嗎？*
*Oh boy, listen* *哎呀，好好聽著*
People all around the world 世界各地的人
Use their hands for talking 都用手溝通
Different signs mean different words 不同手勢代表不同詞
And V is no exception 而V也不例外
*Ah! I get it, yes!* *啊！我了解了，好！*
In some places V can mean 在某些地方V可能意味著
Peace, or let's be quiet 和平，或者讓我們安靜
Or it's V for victory 又或者它是勝利（victory）的V
But not in Taiwan 但在台灣就不是這樣
*What??* *甚麼？？*
In Taiwan when you make a V 在台灣當你比V時
It's not for quiet or victory 它不是為了要安靜或者勝利
You make a fist, 2 fingers up 你握拳，兩根手指向上
Yeah! Take a picture 耶！拍照．
*Wait, wait, wait, wait. Take a picture?!* *等等等，拍照？！*
*Um, yeah! Here let me show you how to do it* *嗯，是的！來，我做給你看怎麼做*
Make the V and smile big 逼出V然後大微笑
Looking at the camera 看著相機
Make a pose then yī, èr, sān (一，二，三) 擺個姿勢然後一二三
Yeah! Take a picture 耶！拍照
*Ummm...* *嗯．．．*
How can V be so silly V怎麼可以這麼愚蠢
It's quiet, peace or victory 它明明是安靜，和平或勝利的意思
In East Asia we agree it's 在東亞我們都同意它
Meant to be cutesy 應該表示可愛
In Taiwan when you make a V 在台灣當你比V時
It's not for quiet or victory 它不是為了要安靜或者勝利
You make a fist, 2 fingers up 你握拳，兩根手指向上
Yeah! Take a picture 耶！拍照．
*Ok, so um...* *好，所以嗯．．．*
You make a fist, 2 fingers up 你握拳，兩根手指向上
*Mm hmm* *嗯嗯*
Yeah! Take a picture. 耶！拍照．
*You got it!* *你抓到了！*
*Ok, yeah, that's pretty fun!* *好吧，是的，這樣確實滿好玩！*
