[General] tip me the wink

[Silverobama]

Hi.

I was in a local shoe shop with my friend. The place is okay for haggling the price. The own wanted to sell her shoes at 200 yuan while I thought it was still expensive, because I saw it elsewhere at 150 yuan. But I couldn't tell my friend who was a bit moved at that price not to buy, so I tipped him a wink. Is my sentence natural to describe this "I tipped him the wink not to buy at that price".

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi.

Recently, I was in a local shoe shop with [STRIKE]my[/STRIKE] a friend.

[STRIKE]The place is okay for haggling the price[/STRIKE] It's possible to haggle over the prices there.

The owner wanted to sell [STRIKE]her[/STRIKE] a pair of shoes [STRIKE]at[/STRIKE] for 200 yuan [STRIKE]while[/STRIKE] but I thought [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] that was [STRIKE]still[/STRIKE] too expensive, because I [STRIKE]saw it[/STRIKE] had seen them elsewhere [STRIKE]at[/STRIKE] for 150 yuan.

But I couldn't tell my friend who [STRIKE]was a bit moved at that price not to buy[/STRIKE] wasn't keen to buy them at that price, so I tipped him a wink.

Is [STRIKE]my sentence natural to describe this[/STRIKE] "I tipped him the wink not to buy at that price" correct?

Note my corrections above. The sentence starting "But I couldn't tell my friend" doesn't really make sense. If your friend was already reluctant to buy them at that price, why did you need to do anything? If you'd left it alone, he wouldn't have bought them and you could have taken him to another shop to buy them at a lower price.

I assume the whole point of your piece was just to try and use "tip someone the wink". Why were you trying to use the phrase? Do you understand that while you are still not able to write simple sentences without mistakes, it's pointless to waste your time trying to use complicated phrases?

 

[Silverobama]

I was wrong to make up a context for that sentence in my old notebook; I did it because I wanted all of you can better understand my questions. I actually just wanted to ask "Is the italic sentence natural" but I think I must have a context so that everyone can understand my question. Also, this story really took place many times here.

I quit my high school, where I spent three years reading kung fu novels. I wasn't taught to write simple sentences before learning how to use complicated phrases. You are the first one who told me this, emsr2d2. But I'm pretty sure that you will meet many other people who also do this sort of things. Since I consider all of you here my teachers, I'll listen to what you say. I think your last sentence sounds a bit patronizing to me. If I were well-educated, I would have expressed myself better in English. However, if you have a language question in Chinese, I will always try to stand in your shoes before I say anything that might sound patronizing to you. I'm not feeding the troll, but I'm not that happy to see you saying that. :-( I know it's good and necessary to learn simple things first, and that's what I'm doing here.

If your friend was already reluctant to buy them at that price, why did you need to do anything? If you'd left it alone, he wouldn't have bought them and you could have taken him to another shop to buy them at a lower price.

It was true that he was reluctant, but I think being reluctant means someone changes his mind easily, especially when the situation changes. My friend didn't know the pair of shoes was selling at 150 yuan elsewhere; I didn't tell him beforehand. Maybe the owner would say "Okay, let's make it at 160 yuan" to lure him. Or perhaps my friend would say "How about 180 yuan"? These are all possible scenarios. I said there are many places for haggling over the prices and that was one of it.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't understand why you couldn't just say to your friend "Don't buy them here. I know where you can get them for 150 yuan".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In the US, we wouldn't say "I tipped him a wink."

We'd say, "I gave him a wink" or "I winked at him."

 

[Silverobama]

I don't understand why you couldn't just say to your friend "Don't buy them here. I know where you can get them for 150 yuan".

Some Chinese people are not as well-educated as the British people, emsr2d2. In that situation I mentioned above, the only possible thing I did say to my friends was "Let's go and have a look at other shops". I won't mention the price because I'm not sorry if the shop owner will get back at me, you know. We were not in a shopping mall or something. A shopping mall is not okay for price haggling.

 

[Rover_KE]

Click here for examples of how the expression is used in real-life situations.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't understand why you couldn't just say to your friend "Don't buy them here. I know where you can get them for 150 yuan".

Some Chinese people are not as well-educated as [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] British people, emsr2d2. In [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] the situation I [STRIKE]mentioned[/STRIKE] described above, the only [STRIKE]possible[/STRIKE] thing I [STRIKE]did say[/STRIKE] could have said to my [STRIKE]friends[/STRIKE] friend was "Let's go and have a look at other shops". I [STRIKE]won't[/STRIKE] wouldn't mention the price because I'm not [STRIKE]sorry[/STRIKE] sure if the shop owner [STRIKE]will[/STRIKE] would get back at me. [STRIKE], you know.[/STRIKE] We were not in a shopping mall or something. A shopping mall is not [STRIKE]okay[/STRIKE] suitable for [STRIKE]price[/STRIKE] haggling.

Education has nothing to do with it!

The fact that you weren't in a shopping mall is equally irrelevant. You already said that it's possible to haggle over the price in the shop you were in. If an owner is open to haggling, the price should be exactly the thing that customers talk about.