Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: Acts of Terrorism megathre...

Last post by DGuller - Today at 04:42:39 PM

Were they staying in an all-inclusive resort, or did they venture out?

#22

Off the Record / Re: Reported Coup Attempt in D...

Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 04:39:02 PM

Obviously not a CIA sponsored operation.

#23

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by viper37 - Today at 04:30:37 PM

Khan's behavior shows his first allegiance is to his Islamist compeers, certainly not to the law, the norms of how the ICC operates, and sure as fuck not to Britain.

And obviously, you are he one deciding on his allegiance.

The verdict is set.  All that is left to do is for you to render the sentence.  Death?

#24

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by viper37 - Today at 04:29:44 PM

It does seem more than a coincidence if he is a Muslim, especially if he indeed lied to the US as Israel as it is claimed.

Lindsey Graham is a reliable source now?

And since when does the court negotiate in advance with war criminals to be judged by a court they control?  Would we allow the Hamas leadership to be judged in Palestine?

#25

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Tamas - Today at 04:18:05 PM

It does seem more than a coincidence if he is a Muslim, especially if he indeed lied to the US as Israel as it is claimed.

#26

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by OttoVonBismarck - Today at 03:41:51 PM

Khan's behavior shows his first allegiance is to his Islamist compeers, certainly not to the law, the norms of how the ICC operates, and sure as fuck not to Britain.

#27

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 03:28:36 PM

How is Hsi suppose to sound?

Not unlike Xi

According to what I saw it's a softer sh. Apparently try to pronounce sh but with your tongue below your lower front teeth that's x or hs.

#28

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Grey Fox - Today at 03:25:18 PM

How is Hsi suppose to sound?

#29

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by HVC - Today at 03:12:23 PM

Funny aside, Xixi is piss in portuguese.

#30

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Jacob - Today at 03:02:13 PM

It sounds like shi to me.

Well that settles it 

The Chinese apparently have another subtly different shi...
But does that really matter when writing phonetically in English?

Pinyin is not "writing Chinese phonetically in English". Pinyin is a method for using the roman alphabet to express Mandarin Chinese (developed in China). And Mandarin Chinese distinguishes between "shi" and "xi".

For some reason the style guides of most English language publications use Pinyin* rather than inventing the own transliteration scheme. I don't know if there'll be much demand for a "Chinese to English as it sounds to the average punter" transliteration scheme, but I guess you never know...

*and before that Wade-Giles which - as Sheilbh pointed out - distinguishes betweeen the two sounds as "shih" and "hsi".