ABSTRACT
Formal speech and writing are characterized by the use of structures and features not commonly used in conversational Mandarin. One feature is the use of four-character phrases. Composed of four characters/syllables, these phrases sometimes have their origins in a famous story or text. We have introduced a number of four-character expressions in previous lessons, noting those with literary origins as proverbs or fixed expressions. As is appropriate in a formal speech in Chinese, Dawei uses many four-character phrases, including 遠道而來 come from afar, guAngyCn sìjiàn time flies, 嚴 gé 要 qiú strict demands, 熱心照顧 warmhearted guidance, 討價還價 negotiate prices, and 點菜訂餐 order food. Read through his speech again and find additional examples. The four-character phrase 點菜訂餐 illustrates a feature of many four-character phrases: they are formed with two two-syllable phrases with identical meaning. In the phrase 點菜訂餐, 點菜 and 訂餐 each mean order food. Redundancy of this kind is characteristic of many four-character phrases in Chinese.
