Last Updated on September 3, 2017
Do you want to learn online Chinese slang and vocab that Chinese people actually use online? A book called China Online Netspeak and Wordplay Use by Over 700 Million Internet Users does just that, and this article is a review of that book.
Basic Author And Book Information
China Online
Netspeak and Wordplay Use by Over 700 Million Internet Users
By Veronique Michel
157 pages. Tuttle Publishing ISBN 978-0-8048-4463-9
A Review Of The Book
In this book, author Veronique Michel covers numerous modern-day sociological topics about China and Chinese culture. Michel also dedicates a lot of time to Chinese neologisms and online Chinese culture. First, the author goes in depth about different archetypes of people in China or “tribes” (as she calls them).
With great wit, Michel educates the readers on numerous online topics while never being dry in the process. Michel devotes much of the time in the book to describing in depth numerous archetypes of men and women with regards to love. She also devotes time to describing various archetypes of couples, different ideas about the ideal husband or wife, and the topic of marriage and family life in China.
The final section of the book is about Chinese word play. As Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, it abounds with homophones. Michel demonstrates her vast knowledge of Chinese homophones, puns, and idioms, giving numerous modern and interesting examples.
Sprinkling bits of Ancient Chinese history and Chinese legends with knowledge of modern-day Chinese culture, she gives the reader a great overview for understanding many aspects of modern Chinese culture.
This book is a very interesting, easy, and informative read. China Online can be read by anyone, even people with no knowledge of Mandarin Chinese. She always translates any Chinese that she uses, and transcribes it to Pinyin.
I personally learned quite a lot about Chinese culture and the Chinese language by reading this book. At times reading parts of the book was fascinating, while at other times reading parts was hilarious.
If you are interested in learning about Chinese online culture, learning about matters of love in China or looking to impress your friends with your knowledge of Chinese puns, this is the book for you
You can buy a copy of this book from amazon here
or from the publisher here
By J.P.R. Barry, owner of mandarinportal.com. Sunday 19 April 2015