Movies to learn recent Chinese slang

[devi9]

Can anyone recommend some good movies to learn recent Chinese slang and colloquialisms?

[Jive Turkey]

Movies and TV are actually not so great for learning recent slang. This is partly because by the time slang makes it into a TV show or movie, it is no longer so slangy, or it is no longer in use. Also, the mainland being what it is, the use of slang in movies and TV is frowned upon by the state and editors. Taiwan being freerer, you will hear a good bit more slang in TV programs, but such slang is often only used in Taiwan.

Having said the above, TV can be a good source of lasting colloquialisms. I think picking up widely used, long lasting colloquialisms is a more appropriate learning goal than picking up recent slang.

[devi9]

Thanks Jive Turkey! I will look for popular Taiwanese TV shows. Can you recommend any specifically? I am writing a slang dictionary so more than anything I need slang, but colloquialisms might find their way into it eventually. As far as the dialects are concerned, that counts too, because sometimes they are widely popular.

[wai ming]

As for popular Taiwanese TV shows, there's one called "I Guess" ("我猜我猜我猜"). It's quite amusing to watch sometimes, and you can pick up some colloquialisms/slang. It's subtitled too, which is helpful when some of the people appearing on the show speak Taiwanese.

In fact, I have a hunch there are quite a few "guess"-type shows around, not sure what their exact names are though.

[devi9]

thanks wai ming! I'll look for it on the net...