chinese is a notoriously difficult language to learn

courtesy of a white guy from B

Staring into the camera, Carlos Vidal mimics the distinctive whine of certain high maintenance Chinese girls: "Hurry up and replica designer handbags buy things for me! I want Louis Vuitton and Gucci!"

Switching smoothly between Cantonese and English, Mr. Vidal uses the stereotype to explain the Chinese term for "princess syndrome."

In another YouTube segment, featuring Mr. Vidal and Chinese American rapper MC Jin, he coaches viewers on the diverse uses of " cheap louis vuitton bags from china ai yah," an exclamation particularly popular with Chinese mothers.

Story continues below advertisement

He may be an unlikely aaa replica designer handbags cultural ambassador, but Mr. Vidal's online lessons in Cantonese slang have been viewed almost four million times since last year and turned him into a minor celebrity both in Canada and in Hong Kong, where he recently met with fans (mostly teenagers), signed autographs and guest starred in a pop music video.

"Some Caucasian guy speaking a completely foreign language" is how Mr. Vidal, 25, explains the appeal of high quality replica handbags china his cheeky videos. "I don't [intend]it as a serious way to learn Chinese just learn some trendy words, replica louis vuitton bags have some fake louis bag fun and make friends laugh."

And although his video antics often involve exaggerated characterizations, he says they aren't meant to offend. "There is a line between being offensively racist or rude toward a culture, and being able to laugh together about funny aspects within that culture."

It's that inside joke aspect of Mr. Vidal's lessons that resonates with fans like Otto Wong, a Toronto Web designer: "When he's explaining [a term, I say] oh yeah I get where that's coming from."

Mr. has become an online sensation.

Mr. Vidal learned Cantonese relatively recently: In 2005, he travelled to Hong Kong as part of a 1:1 replica handbags mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. For the replica louis vuitton handbags next two years, he immersed himself in the Cantonese dialect using books and audio tapes.

"I would try to study for an hour or so every day; just try to memorize vocabulary," he says. "When I was on the bus, or asked for directions, or buying food, I would always practise my Chinese."

Story continues below advertisement

fake louis bag His proficiency has impressed Chinese speakers, including Duanduan Li, director of the Chinese language program at the University of British Columbia. Chinese is a notoriously difficult language to learn because every sound has a specific tone, Prof. Li says. "And even the same sound replica louis vuitton has so many different tones.

"I think people are very amazed by his gift in learning the language in just two years."

While Mr. Vidal's videos won't replace bona fide language classes, they're a good way to enhance them, she says. It doesn't hurt that Mr. Vidal is a born performer.

At a Chinese New Year banquet in Vancouver earlier this year, he captured the attention of hundreds of diners with his presentation of chok yeung a term referring Discount Replica Louis Vuitton Bags to the Designer Louis Vuitton Replica Handbags overposed gaze popular in photos posted to Facebook. Unafraid to ham it up, Mr. Vidal struck pose after pose to the crowd's delight.

In Canada, Mr. Vidal strikes a chord with Canadian born Chinese. "CBCs" know some Chinese usually to communicate with family or to order in a restaurant but aren't up to date with the latest slang.

Many share childhood memories of tedious Cantonese classes taught by humourless instructors. "Our teachers were so old school. If you talked, then you had to write dictation 30 times, like copy a story out, as your punishment," recalls Briar Gorton, whose parents enrolled her in Chinese classes to maintain her mother's culture. "Could the learning experience have been more fun? Definitely."

Story continues below advertisementWelcome to The Globe and Mail's comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter.

Log in Subscribe to comment Why do I need to subscribe?

Welcome to The Globe and Mail's comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter.

I'm a print subscriber, link to my account Subscribe to comment Why do I need to subscribe?

Welcome to The Globe and Mail's comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff.

We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. That means:

Treat others as you wish to be treated Criticize ideas, not people Stay on topic Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language Flag bad behaviour If you do not see your comment posted immediately, it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly, generally within an hour.