Abstract
Crosstalk (相声) is a very popular folk performing art in China. Its popularity with the people derives from its frequent use of puns and humorous monologues or dialogues through cleverly crafted plots and choice of words. Thus, performing and writing crosstalk afford ample opportunities to learn and refine Chinese language skills. It is therefore small wonder that crosstalk as a form of co-curricular activity has been quite popular in Singapore schools, usually organized by the Chinese Language teachers for their students.
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References
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Appendix
1.1 Tiger Teacher (for Primary Students).
A: Hello, brother!
B: How do you call me brother? Are you older than me?
A: So, man, hello!
B: Call me buddy? I am uncomfortable all over, and I may not be much older than you.
A: Then, Lao Wang, hello!
B: The more you listen, the more it is tasteless. My surname is Wang and my name is
Xiaoming. Why are brothers and me all old!
A: It's all wrong? Well, I'll change. Hello, little brother!
B: How? Call me little brother? How old are you?
A: Hello, brother?
B: Brother? Is there such a name?
A: Hello, Xiao Wang!
B: This is a bit more pleasing.
A: Hello, little overlord!
B: What!
A: I'm sorry, I slipped my lips, but in fact, you are kind of an overlord. Calling you “old” you don't like it and calling you “little” you are also unhappy. Really domineering!
B: Who told you to get all mixed up!
A: It's not that I am messy, but you know how to use them.?
B: Tell me, how do you use this “old” word?
A: Whether you call you “old brother” or “little brother”, both are intimate usages. I have known you for so many years, is the relationship close enough?
B: That said, I am not used to it. So, why did you change and I became “small” again?
A: “Small” also means intimate. I call you “Xiao (Little) Wang”, and I call you “Lao (old) Wang”
B: It's strange, old and young are the same!
A: This is grammatically called “prefix”. For example, “old” as the beginning of a word has several meanings. Look, boss (laoban), teacher (laoshi), mouse (laoshu), three “olds”(lao’s), three meanings.
B: What does the boss's “old” mean?
A: This “old” refers to the ranking of the family. I am the boss, and there are two and three children in my family.
B: What about the “old” teacher?
A: Teacher, old man, old senior, these “old” are honorific titles.
B: So, should the mouse be a “respected mouse”?
A: Mouse, why do you respect him?
B: There is also an “old” in front!
A: The “old” rats, tigers, and eagles have no special meaning.
B: Isn't it older?
A: No matter how young they are, they are still rats, tigers and eagles. They are always “old”.
B: Not respect, nor intimacy?
A: If you call tiger Oh Tiger affectionately, it will eat you!
B: So, I understand now. In fact, the teacher's “old” does not mean respect.
A: Why not?
B: I respectfully call “teacher, teacher”, he still scolds me!
A: Hi!
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Laoda, H. (2021). The Role of Crosstalk in Enhancing Chinese Language Learning. In: Kay Cheng, S. (eds) Teaching Chinese Language in Singapore. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7066-4_8
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