As there are more and more foreigners show great interest in learning Chinese language, many of them choose to learn Chinese in China. At the same time, many materials and books are published for the purpose of teaching Chinese language to foreigners. As we all know, different teaching materials will cause various learning results. The improper textbooks for Chinese teaching will lead many jokes in speaking Chinese.
Here is a real example. One friend of mine ever taught a foreigner named John who is a British engineer intended to work in China. He decided to seriously practice his Chinese before he left. The textbook he appointed to learn Mandarin in a Chinese books published by a broadcast company. The advertising commentary is very attractive, claiming it is the elementary level book very suitable for the tourists and businessmen. It says as soon as you read this book, the zero-based people can speak Chinese.
However, when my friend opened the book, he found that there was no one Chinese character in the whole book. It was written by English and Chinese Pinyin. It seems like a teaching book for an illiterate person to learn to speak Chinese. It is said that this book is specially prepared for those who want to give up learning the confusing Chinese characters and just intend to learn a few basic oral Chinese.
It might be helpful for those who want to speak Chinese. But the book has no Chinese character. Therefore, when foreigners study Chinese according to books like that, a series of jokes are produced. As soon as John met the friend, he started to show off his spoken Chinese like “你嚎(好)小姐郭，我恨歌星(很高兴)扔死你(认识你)”, which caused a series of laughter.
Just like other foreign learners who study in China, John cherishes the opportunities to talk to Chinese people very much. But the jokes just won’t stop. For example, he ever said: “我的媳妇(西服)在皮包里” and “今天早上担心马路太忙，我七点就 ‘出家’ 了”.
There are also some other jokes provided to those who learn Chinese language in China. One of John’s Chinese friends went back to China, so he often say “一个火人(好人), 飞去了(回去了)”. Every time when they walk to the stairs, the typical gentle man John always bows and says “请小心裸体(楼梯)，下流、下流，一起下流(下楼)吧”.
About the reason why some foreigners learn Mandarin in China in this way, teachers may tell you that the four tones in Chinese language are the most difficult for the western learners. The beginners to learn Chinese language may pronounce “包子” into “报纸” in the restaurant, thus causing the waiters explain carefully that “马路对面卖报纸，日报、晚报一应俱全”.
This kind of jokes often happen because the learners fail to pronounce the Chinese characters properly when they learn at Chinese school in China. Therefore, this should be the important teaching point. Otherwise, more jokes will be made. In the restaurant, if foreigners want to say “饺子” but pronounce it as “轿子”, some troubles will be caused.
That’s no big deal if the words learners say just confusing. But it is not a good thing to cause big embarrassment. During the process of learning Mandarin Chinese, if foreigners speak “红烧排骨” as “红烧屁股”, the waitress may feel embarrassing and not willing to serve for you. At that time, you’d better show her in the menu.
The teachers who teach Chinese culture might also tell you that treating other people dinner is a well-known normal habit for Chinese people. When your Chinese friend treat you, he may said to you “为你准备了一餐便饭”. As soon as you see the delicious food, you may be so excited to say “如果说这是一餐便饭，那可真正是一餐‘大便饭’了”. That’s really a big funny joke.
From all jokes mentioned above, we can learn that the biggest problem for foreigners to speak Chinese language is the incorrectly pronounced Chinese characters. It demands teachers put it into important point in Chinese teaching.