Amanda
asked
Lisa See:
I'm reading Lady Tan, and I'd assumed the characters were using Mandarin. The main character indicates that she uses "he" to refer to a baby in the womb and this subtlety wasn't lost on her listner. However, in spoken Mandarin there is no difference in "he" and "she"; they are both "ta." The difference is only in the written character. I'm curious: is this is an oversight/mistake? And if not, how did she say "he"?
Lisa See
Such as astute question, but I think you've answered it yourself. In conversation the word would be "ta," as you point out. That's what I was thinking when I wrote that scene. However, you're right in the sense that this distinction isn't conveyed in English in the text. While I didn't explain this in this book, I know that I have in a couple of my other novels. Sometimes I don't want to slow the reader down with too much detail. Interestingly, in the novel I'm writing now, just yesterday I had a scene in which I was comparing written characters about men and women. Wife -- woman with a broom, and so on.
More Answered Questions
Donna
asked
Lisa See:
Lisa that quote u wrote about sisters as u know also have a unique relationship. This is the person who knows u your entire life, who should love u and stand by u no matter what and yet it's your sister who knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt you the most. I have a baby sister exactly like that. For over a year I have been trying to get her to love me as a sister and friend like we were last year. nothing?
Shannon N. Durant
asked
Lisa See:
Absolutely! There were so many coincidences in the book. This confirms that nothing just happens. Everything is orchestrated. We call this syncrodestiny, which you so beautifully captured throughout the book. Thank you for sharing your story with the world. You are a blessed woman!?
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