(Untitled)

[liukaiqin]

I finished it! WHOOP! Now I know all about the trials facing kids who leave China to study, and their parents, and I can get stuck into the novel. One thing: please will someone explain the term 'AA制'?

Later: Chinese Wiki says AA制是源於大中華地區的詞彙，意思是各人平均分擔所需費用，通常用於飲食聚會及旅遊等場合。AA制這個詞彙的起源尚未有確定查證，但可能是來自藥劑學的人士，因為英語“aa”或“ana”用於藥物處方的釋義可以為'各以等量', but I don't

Comments

[goreism]

I b'lieve it has to do with sharing the cost of something equally, "going dutch."

It's probably closer to the front of that dictionary.

[goreism]

It says the origin of the term hasn't been definitely verified, but that it might come from people in the pharmaceutical industry, because in English "aa" or "ana" are used on medicine prescriptions to denote "equal quantities of each [of the preceding medications are to be taken]."

[liukaiqin]

What a weird origin. Thank you! I got as far as 'hasn't been verified, something medicinal,' and then I was like, argh, fantizi and bits of English.

[rwillmsen]

While you're at it, what's Chinese for Aardvark?

Re: *giggles*

[liukaiqin]

We eat à la AA! Ha ha! I dunno, that explanation sounds too scientific to be true, but presumably pharmacists are more influential than we ever knew, eh what? Wow, I rhyme. And I like people who say 'whence' with no redundant 'from', that rocks. /end pedantry. AA... weird.

[anonymous]

from Derek in Dalian (well Dublin at the mo)

I was talking to a Chinese student here in Dublin, asking her about differences between Ireland an China and she did menton the AA system, which halso bermused meI was talking to a Chinese student here in Dublin, asking her about differences between Ireland and China and she did mention the AA system, which also bemused me! She later explained that it means to pay separately. I don’t know about this “go Dutch” expression either. I have rarely heard native English speakers using it.

[liukaiqin]

Hiya ... 'going dutch' seems to be Amerikansk. AA, though - I'm like, is it break-down trucks? Alcoholics? Hope you're enjoying your break 国外!

[goreism]

Yeah, OED says it's "orig. US" but the usage examples have the Economist using it more than once... probably in an effort to maintain their vaunted mid-Atlantic English, bless their greedy capitalist little hearts.