Wednesday, November 06, 2013

台灣劇 :: 新加坡片

The partner and I have got fairly different accents when conversing in Mandarin, not just in terms of pronunciation, but in rhythm and phrasing. Through the long conversations and exchanges with various people, they were most intrigued by our contradistinctive accents because we're from such a small island that there shouldn't be such a thing as a differentiation of accents.

They mentioned that Singapore TCS8 television dramas were popular in Taiwan. Didn't voice out the giant huh in my mind. Why would it be so? Aren't their own actors better? They then went on to mention some of the Singapore drama series, which completely flew over my head. I don't watch free-to-air tv that way! I might recognize some actors, but often, I can't match the faces to their names.

Oddly, I'm aware of some of the Taiwanese television series, at least the titles. No way I know the actors' names. Mostly because my dear old folks keep mentioning and at some point, I had to sit through a few episodes with them to understand their interests, mad search on Wikipedia, and memorize enough of the plot to carry on a conversation. The partner who works with the elderly too, has to do the same. So she knows these few television series too. Say, 《台湾龍捲風》、夜市人生》, etc. Actually, those are all I know. Heeeeee.

Although it's been days of conversing in Mandarin, it feels unnautural, despite the 12-year academic drill in it, effectively defining it as my second language. Somehow, I feel strange speaking it, unlike Cantonese, of which I learnt very much later as an adult. As easy as it is to navigate in Taipei, I somehow prefer Hong Kong, which seems (to me) to exude a warmer and a more exciting vibe.  Perhaps I need to return to Taiwan on another trip that doesn't focus on tea. Maybe about trekking, its hills and quietude in the smaller towns. Just so that I might gain a better impression of its food.

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