definite and indefinite articles in Beijinghua?

Here’s a post from John Sinosplice about an article he read in his studies which alleges è¿™, with a neutral tone instead of the regular fourth tone, is taking on the role of a definite article, and that 一, in the second tone from 北京è¯?’s 一个, is taking on the role of an indefinite article. I haven’t noticed this myself, but then again, I don’t get out much these days, being a lazy bastard who’s quite content to sit around wasting time online, and I’m not a real linguist, just a language learner.

About the Author

wangbo

A Kiwi teaching English to oil workers in Beijing, studying Chinese in my spare time, married to a beautiful Beijing lass, consuming vast quantities of green tea (usually Xihu Longjing/西湖龙井, if that means anything to you), eating good food (except for when I cook), missing good Kiwi ale, breathing smog, generally living as best I can outside Godzone and having a good time of it.

You may also like these