In Xishuanbanna we attended the great "Dancing and fire party of the Mekong river". I participated as a volunteer from the audience in a dance-play show. As part of my clumsy conversation with the show host, I replied "Wǒ yǒu zhōngguó nǚpéngyǒu. Tā zài zhèlǐ. Tā jiào chényánjié." ("I have a Chinese girlfriend. She is here. Her name is Chen Yanjie"). Or that's what I attempted.
Small errors in Chinese pronunciation make big difference in meaning. It turns out I pronounced Jinlins name so badly that it become something completely different. Something quite funny based on the laughing crowds and the fact that Jinlin was trying to shout (in vain) correction to her name over the noise. Stupid me. When I returned to my seat she wanted to educate me about what her name actually is. I told that I was sorry and I did know what her real name is but I did not apparently remember the right tones. After all, I have been mostly using her nickname Jinlin after the embarrassing mix-up of her family name and given name, so I have not had much practice in pronouncing her real name. And the hosts had been pushing some coconut liquor to me earlier.
I am sorry if I said her name to be "Stinky cow" or something similar. I will practice more.
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