SeekerOfPeace Posted February 13, 2007 at 05:48 PM Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 05:48 PM 你好, 今天很寒冷。事实上,昨天也很冷。 有时,我想加拿大太冷。现在,在四川,我希望天气很好。我希望天气暖。我希望阳光宠足。 现在我一点点无聊因为我不知道做什么。 今天,我看了电影“Babel”。我很喜欢了。 再见。 I won't write the English version just yet. I'll see if you can understand. I tried to explain (not in this message) that I'm not the kind of person who misses people a lot because I traveled a lot. Well, my Chinese must've been very accurate because she said she didn't understand why I didn't want to be her friend anymore.(sh) I've kept in mind what you've told me in your previous comments in the other thread (putting the time or place first). Thanks. SoP. Quote
mpallard Posted February 13, 2007 at 08:06 PM Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 08:06 PM Hopefully there's someone out there with supremely advanced Chinese who can read this. I can't wait for the translation. Quote
atitarev Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:24 PM Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:24 PM I don't see the connection of your text to not wanting to be somebody's friend anymore. Is there something subtle? The text is very basic. Quote
SeekerOfPeace Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:32 PM Author Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:32 PM Sorry I wasn't clear. She misunderstood another message, not this one Here, I'll post the message that got misunderstood: 你好。 我很好。 你想如果我不未达到你,你不是我的朋友。 但是,我不为达到人。我不知道为什么。我想这是因为我太移动了。 时候我在四川,我要去不行和Ma Tong Yue, Mao Zhen Ming 和 Liu Liang Jing. 再见! Etienne Quote
mpallard Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:57 PM Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 09:57 PM I don't know how anyone could have possibly misunderstood that. Quote
skylee Posted February 13, 2007 at 11:51 PM Report Posted February 13, 2007 at 11:51 PM Well, my Chinese must've been very accurate because she said she didn't understand why I didn't want to be her friend anymore. I don't understand the message in #4 except 你好/ 我很好 / 再見 / 你不是我的朋友 / 但是 / 我不知道为什么. These do not make sense - 1) 你想如果我不未达到你 2) 我不为达到人 3) 我想这是因为我太移动了 (I guess you mean to say "this is because I move around a lot") 4) 时候我在四川 5) 我要去不行和Ma Tong Yue, Mao Zhen Ming 和 Liu Liang Jing (do you mean to say you are going to travel with them? What is 不行?) The message in #1 is ok though 宠足 should be 充足. Quote
gougou Posted February 14, 2007 at 01:38 AM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 01:38 AM What is 不行?Should be 步行, I guess. Also, above she once wrote 不为达到,and once 不未达到,one of which I guess is wrong, too (and that's neglecting the fact that either doesn't make sense...) Quote
SeekerOfPeace Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:07 AM Author Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:07 AM Thanks for taking the time to correct me. I'm going to bed right now, I'll explain what I was trying to say tomorrow. Quote
skylee Posted February 14, 2007 at 08:24 AM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 08:24 AM Ah~~~~, I guess the OP takes "未达到" for "miss", thus - "You think that if I don't miss you, then you are not my friend. But I don't miss people. I don't know why, I think this is because I move around a lot." If my guess is right, SeekerOfPeace, then "miss" is "想念" or "挂念" in such contexts. Quote
gougou Posted February 14, 2007 at 08:27 AM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 08:27 AM This is a nice illustration of what happens when using a dictionary to look up unknown words (or machine translations, for that matter). When you're translating a text and you have to look up a word you don't know, you should always look it up in reverse (that is, back to your native language) to find out whether this word actually means what you are trying to say. Quote
Lu Posted February 14, 2007 at 11:24 AM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 11:24 AM And when it comes to explaining subtle and sensitive things like this, the best way is to say it face-to-face, so that when you see the other person is misunderstanding/not understanding at all, you can correct yourself right away. Hope it all turned out right! The first message looks fine to me, but I can understand why she didn't get the second one... I don't get it either. Quote
SeekerOfPeace Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:16 PM Author Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:16 PM This is a nice illustration of what happens when using a dictionary to look up unknown words (or machine translations, for that matter).When you're translating a text and you have to look up a word you don't know, you should always look it up in reverse (that is, back to your native language) to find out whether this word actually means what you are trying to say. That's a really good idea. I'll definitely try it out. Really good advice thanks. And when it comes to explaining subtle and sensitive things like this, the best way is to say it face-to-face, so that when you see the other person is misunderstanding/not understanding at all, you can correct yourself right away.Hope it all turned out right! The first message looks fine to me, but I can understand why she didn't get the second one... I don't get it either. Yes, I understand your point of view. I believe that trying to explain more and more difficult things will improve my Chinese much more than sticking to talking about the weather. Ah~~~~, I guess the OP takes "未达到" for "miss", thus -"You think that if I don't miss you, then you are not my friend. But I don't miss people. I don't know why, I think this is because I move around a lot." If my guess is right, SeekerOfPeace, then "miss" is "想念" or "挂念" in such contexts. Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Bravo! Should be 步行, I guess. Also, above she once wrote 不为达到,and once 不未达到,one of which I guess is wrong, too (and that's neglecting the fact that either doesn't make sense...) My dictionary gave me this one: 不行 for hiking. After checking in my new dictionary I got this one however: "徒步旅行". Ok, next time around I use my dictionary I'll look words both ways before using them to make sure I'm using the right 汉字。 As for the rest, do you notice anything else I don't understand? Is there a key grammar component I don't understand you could explain to me? If that's the case, grammatical explanation would really help a lot. Cheers for all the replies! :mrgreen: Quote
gougou Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:22 PM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:22 PM My dictionary gave me this one: 不行 for hiking.Get a new dictionary. Now! Quote
skylee Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:29 PM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 02:29 PM Use 远足 for hiking. Quote
Koneko Posted February 14, 2007 at 03:07 PM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 03:07 PM My dictionary gave me this one: 不行 for hiking. Get a new dictionary. Now! I think it's just a typo for 步行. For long distance hiking, you can consider 远征 K. Quote
young man Posted February 14, 2007 at 05:30 PM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 05:30 PM I am a Chinese and I come to the forum to practise my English(isn't it a perfect idea? ).It's interesting to see people talking about Chinese studying here. I have to say it's not aptitude to use 远征 here for long distance hiking,远征 means "anabasis" or "expidition",征‘s meaning in word 远征 is 征服(conquering). Before reading the replies,the second message really confused me.Here I'd like to give my translation of the second message,which may be more 地道(this word dosen't mean subway here,but means "close to the native".My English is not very good so I don't know how to say that accurately in English). 你好 我这一切还好。 你说要是我不想你,就不算是你的朋友。 可我总没有想念别人的感觉,我也不知道这是为什么,大概是因为我老是四处旅行吧。 此刻我在四川,打算与Ma Tong Yue, Mao Zhen Ming 以及Liu Liang Jing一起去远足。 再见! Etienne Quote
SeekerOfPeace Posted February 14, 2007 at 09:10 PM Author Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 09:10 PM Ok, I've applied the corrections: “我很好。 你想如果我不想念你,你不是我的朋友。 但是,我不想念人。我不知道为什么。我想这是因为我太行进了。 在中国,我要去远足和我的学生和你。 再见" Anything else is wrong there? I'm not sure as to how to say: "because I travel too much" any suggestions? Quote
goldie Posted February 14, 2007 at 11:11 PM Report Posted February 14, 2007 at 11:11 PM 你想如果我不想念你,你不是我的朋友。 但是,我不想念人。我不知道为什么。我想这是因为我太行进了。 在中国,我要去远足和我的学生和你 Maybe you could say it like this?: 你想如果我不想念你是因为你不是我的朋友。 但是,不知道为什么我就是一个不挂念别人的人。 可能是因为我老是搬家吧。 去中国的时候,我要和你和学生们一起去爬山, 好吗? Hope that helps goldie Quote
SeekerOfPeace Posted February 15, 2007 at 02:03 AM Author Report Posted February 15, 2007 at 02:03 AM Young man That's great that you joined the forum. Your insight, especially about ''hiking'' certainly comes in handy. Hope you stick around for a while. SoP. Quote
young man Posted February 15, 2007 at 02:02 PM Report Posted February 15, 2007 at 02:02 PM SeekerOfPeace: 1,"你想如果我不想念你,我不是你的朋友。“ It's better to use 认为 to replace the first 想 in the sentence.Generally,认为 is used after 你 with the meaning "think". In English,we say "if A,B".But in Chinese,besides 如果,”就“is usually also used in "if" sentence.e.g.: 如果明天下雨,我们就不去春游了。 如果盐放得太多,菜就会很咸。 So,in this message,we can say"你认为如果我不想念你,我就不是你的朋友”. 2,“但是,我不想念人。” In English,"people" generally refer to the human beings except yourself.In Chinese,we often use 别人,to express that.So "我不想念别人“is better. 3,"我想这是因为我太行进了。" 太 which means "too" can only be used before adjective or adverb,but not verb,行进 is a verb.And 行进 express the state of moving forward,I guess you want to say someting similar to"make journey",so I suggest using 旅行."travel too much" can be expressed as"旅行得太多了”.But still I feel a little strange with that,maybe "总是四处旅行“is better. The whole sentence should be "我想这是因为我总是四处旅行。” 4,"在中国,我要去远足和你的学生和你。“ 要 here sounds a little unpolite,I think we should use 打算.和 is used twice in succsession which is right in grammar but unsuitable in habbit,we can replace one 和 with 与.In English,"with your student and you"is put in the last,but in Chinese we don't.What's more,we usually put 你 before 你的学生 but not after. So,this sentence can be wrote as"在中国,我打算与你的学生和你一同去远足。”(I used 一同 which means together here to make the sentence smoothly.) I'm not a teacher.So I'm not professional and can also make mistakes.But maybe these suggestions can help you a little. Quote
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