#inarasays

Inara says hello to an old friend (Ep4, "Shindig" 12:20)

Chinese: 老朋友，你看起来很有精神。 (Lǎo péngyǒu, nǐ kànqǐlái hěn yǒu jīngshén.)

Translation: Dear friend, you look well.

Context: Atherton has invited Inara to be his companion to Persephone's social event of the season. Inara agrees and Atherton is now escorting her through the ballroom. Inara says hello to a number of people including an elderly gentleman.

Usage: Lao literally means old, and though it can indeed refer to someone who's old in age, when used to describe a pengyou (friend) it generally means "dear" or old in the "we go way back" sense. Jingshen is "spirit" or "liveliness," so the sentence is not just a conventional greeting but also a statement that the friend looks physically well--both a statement on how much effort he took to dress for the evening as well as how healthy he looks for his age. 

Execution: It sounds like Chinese, which is half the battle. The rhythm is a bit halting, but overall quite good (especially if we're grading on a curve--a curve that Mal has obliterated with his hilarious ineptness). The tones are actually almost all there too, but the incorrect falling tone of hen throws the second half of the sentence all out of whack. If she nails that tone, I'd have to say this would be one of the most fluent full sentences said on the show to this point. B+

Inara says "Enter" (Ep1, "Serenity" 34:52)

Chinese: 请进 (qǐngjìn)

Translation: Please come in.

Context: Inara is alone in her shuttle. There are gratuitous fan service shots of her taking a sponge bath--rivulets of water stream down her bare back as generic East Asian music serenades us. Then there's a knock at the door. Inara calls out "qingjin." It's Shepherd Book, who is rather embarrassed at chancing upon Inara in her half-dressed state.

Usage: Literally means "please enter" but depending on the context, the qing can be perfunctory and not necessarily add any extra formality. For instance, if you visit a friend's house, he might say "Qingjin, qingjin!" meaning more like "Come on in!" However, spoken in Inara's stately tone, the qing here does carry something extra.

Execution: Inara is solid here. Though the tone on the second syllable is not exactly by the book, the extra lilt she adds does fit the mood. A perfect falling tone might be too harsh, too demanding (like your friend playfully grabbing your arm and dragging you into his house or an emperor commanding his servant to enter). Her tone says, "Yes, you may come in if you'd like."