Koneko Posted February 11, 2007 at 04:44 PM Report Posted February 11, 2007 at 04:44 PM Saturday's pub quiz:- 杨乃文 Listen to her singing Who does she remind you of? Hints: A famous female singer from Aberbeen, Scotland [scroll down for answer] DJ K. Answer: Annie Lennoxx!! Quote
HashiriKata Posted February 11, 2007 at 07:37 PM Report Posted February 11, 2007 at 07:37 PM Answer: Annie Lennoxx!! No, it's Annie Lennox (just 1 x !)NB: This post's sole purpose is to pull you out of the "Unanswered Posts". Don't you think I'm nice? Quote
Koneko Posted February 11, 2007 at 09:07 PM Author Report Posted February 11, 2007 at 09:07 PM NB: This post's sole purpose is to pull you out of the "Unanswered Posts". Don't you think I'm nice? Ha ha... Bingo! Not only am I schizophrenic; I am also an attention seeker! Welcome to my world - narcissism! K. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:04 AM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:04 AM Just listened to this song again (again, a nice song!) but couldn't work out what 要不 in "我给的爱要不回来" means. Could someone please translate "我给的爱要不回来" for me? Have a look at the lyrics below for the context of the sentence: 我给的爱 词曲:张震岳 深夜的风冷冷无情 觉得夜昏暗 脚边烟蒂散落一地 像是我的心 被风吹起吹到那里 我在那里没有目的 我给的爱要不回来 你说过的话我不曾忘记 你却离开 我给的爱我给的爱不回来 我给的爱我给的我给的我给的爱 我给的爱我给的爱 Thanks, Quote
skylee Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:21 AM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:21 AM cannot get back the love I gave Quote
Koneko Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:27 AM Author Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:27 AM Skylee's right. Or simply, "You don't love me" DJ. K. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:32 AM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:32 AM Thank you both for replying! I guessed that it means "我给的爱不回来" but the 要 in 要不 unsettled me a bit. Quote
skylee Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:39 AM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 09:39 AM The 要 in 要不回來 (not 要不) indicates the action to get something back, to recover something (i.e. 把愛要回來). When the action fails, then the love is 要不回來了 / 不能要回來了. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:01 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:01 PM Thanks skylee! I think I understand it now. 要 here is the main verb meaning "to get" in the patterns: 1. 要回来 2. 要得回来 3. 要不回来 (which are grammatically similar to: 做完 做得完 做不完 说出来 说得出来 说不出来.) Am I correct? Quote
skylee Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:39 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:39 PM Yes, I guess so, though 要得回来 sounds a bit strange. BUT 問我文法跟問道於盲無異。呵呵。 Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:41 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:41 PM Sorry, I was editing my post why you were replying. Anyway, I've got the main idea. 問我文法跟問道於盲無異。这是典型中国人的谦虚啊！ Quote
skylee Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:44 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 12:44 PM No. 1 of #9 should be 要回來. Quote
semantic nuance Posted March 12, 2007 at 06:53 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 06:53 PM 要 in this case means 討, to ask. So, 要不回來 can be replaced by 討不回來. Simply you cannot ask the love you gave back. Hope it helps! Quote
Koneko Posted March 12, 2007 at 10:02 PM Author Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 10:02 PM HashiriKata, Did you know also know that "好+adj" = "好不+adj"?? E.g. 好容易 = 好不容易 好热闹= 好不热闹 好喜欢 = 好不喜欢 I think this is quite unusual in Chinese grammar. DJ. K. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 12, 2007 at 10:36 PM Report Posted March 12, 2007 at 10:36 PM Did you know also know that "好+adj" = "好不+adj"?? Yes, I know about it and I'm glad that skylee steered me away from applying that to this case.Thank you, semantic nuance! Singers from Taiwan have gathered quite a few fans on this board, haven't they? Quote
Koneko Posted March 13, 2007 at 09:47 AM Author Report Posted March 13, 2007 at 09:47 AM Yes, I know about it and I'm glad that skylee steered me away from applying that to this case. He he, that was a mousetrap. I was trying to nonplus you! Alas, you're too clever to fall for it. I will use better cheese in the future. Apropos, I have to tell you that Taiwanese singers are more popular than Mainland Chinese singers in my homeland. DJ. K. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 13, 2007 at 10:31 AM Report Posted March 13, 2007 at 10:31 AM He he, that was a mousetrap. I was trying to nonplus you! 多谢你的关照！ 我早已意识到我们是猫鼠关系的。 Quote
Koneko Posted March 13, 2007 at 05:10 PM Author Report Posted March 13, 2007 at 05:10 PM 我早已意识到我们是猫鼠关系的。 Hmm... Your sentence was right but I think a native speaker would most probably rephrase it to "我早已意识到我们的猫鼠关系了" or "我早已意识到我们之间的猫鼠关系了" Anyway, cat and mouse can become good friends too. DJ. K. Quote
HashiriKata Posted March 13, 2007 at 08:19 PM Report Posted March 13, 2007 at 08:19 PM Thanks Koneko, I can see that your suggested sentences are clearer. However, when writing Chinese, I often find myself turning away from sentences which look like English (it's probably a kind of over-reaction in trying to avoid creating Chinglish sentences). This often leads me into making sentences which are neither here nor there! Anyway, cat and mouse can become good friends too.Is this another mousetrap?? Quote
Koneko Posted March 13, 2007 at 08:41 PM Author Report Posted March 13, 2007 at 08:41 PM This often leads me into making sentences which are neither here nor there! No worries! I make mistakes too! No one is perfect in this world. Is this another mousetrap?? 你还记得《狼来了》的教训吗？ 那就是谎话一定要经常换！ He he... So I'll let you decide whether to call it "mousetrap" or not. DJ. K. Quote
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