Although e-mail may be the preferred method of communication these days, you can’t duplicate hearing your loved one’s shvngy.n (shung yeen; voice) on the other end of the line or reaching just the right person you need to begin discussing a merger over the computer. All the more reason to know how to use the telephone in addition to surfing the Net.
The art of making a phone call in another language, and even in another country, is just that — an art. To master it, you have to feel comfortable with such basics as using the dianhua (dyan hwah; telephone) in the first place. Be sure to check out a few things beforehand, like what diq. haoma (dee chyew how mah; area code) to b. (baw; dial) first. What do you actually say when someone picks up on the other end? This chapter helps you navigate the communication terrain, whether you’re in Idaho or China.
