"Instead" usage

[Xiao Kui]

I know how to use dai4 ti4 "instead" as in "Jesse will be fixing the computer instead of Randy." Jesse 要代替 Randy 修电脑。 but I'm wondering if the same word is used in other situations.

For example Babylon gives me the following translation results.

1. Instead of complaining, you should try to solve the problem.

代替抱怨，你应该试图解决问题。

2. You should try to solve the problem instead of complaining.

你应该试图解决问题而不是抱怨。

I'm suspect of #1 because a. I don't remember hearing it before (or perhaps I missed it?) b. It seems like its just applying English usage to Chinese.

I'm leaning toward #2 because I've run across similar sentence patterns before, but I'm wondering if 是 is absolutely necessary in this sentence.

Can someone let me know which translation is correct, or if neither is, how should I say sth like this? Thanks!!!

[anonymoose]

The use of 代替 in Chinese seems to be a lot more restricted than the use of 'instead' in English. Both of your sentences, to my non-native ears, sound a bit unnatural.

I'm sure a native speaker can give you better alternatives, but my attempt at translation would be:

Jesse will be fixing the computer instead of Randy.

修电脑的会是杰西而不会是兰迪。

Instead of complaining, you should try to solve the problem.

你应该式式解决问题，而不应该抱怨。

[Xiao Kui]

Thanks anonymoose. Your 2nd sentence sounds really good.

The first one sounds good but I think there must be a simpler way. I think I was mistaking

dai4 ti4 for ti4 in the first sentence. Maybe it could be "Jesse 要替 Randy 修电脑。"

I'm going to have to do some googling to find out how to use dai4 ti4 I know I've used it when ordering food (I want this on my pizza instead of that, bla, bla) and I was understood, but I really want to stop talking Chinese like a laowai.

[gato]

代替 is more of a verb in Chinese, meaning "to replace" or "to be a substitute for." It can't directly be used instead of "instead of," which is a preposition in English.

In most cases, as anonymoose suggested, I think it would be more natural to use the "应该/要/是...不..." (should...and not) construction in Chinese. For example, “我要salami，不要pepperoni” (I want salami instead of pepperoni).

[Xiao Kui]

For example, “我要salami，不要pepperoni” (I want salami instead of pepperoni).

haha, that's what i've usually been saying, not because i knew it was the right way, but just because I didn't know how to say "instead". For me usage and sentence patterns/construction have been the toughest aspects of Chinese. The thing I hate about usage problems is that, as the word suggests, they usually can only be improved with use.

[gato]

Yes, there is not always a direct translation. The natural Chinese way of saying the same thing often is very different (at least grammatically) from the original.

I've been reading some books on English-to-Chinese translation, which makes this point over and over again. These books are great for those trying to learn how to write more formally in Chinese, by the way. Here are the titles for those who are interested. They are all targeted towards legal translation.

http://product.dangdang.com/product.aspx?product_id=7418693

英汉法律翻译教程

作者：孙万彪　编著

出版社：上海外语教育出版社

http://product.dangdang.com/product.aspx?product_id=8806109

汉英法律翻译教程

作者：孙万彪 编著

http://product.dangdang.com/product.aspx?product_id=9128127

法律文本与法律翻译——翻译理论与实务丛书

* 作者：李克兴，张新红 著

* 出版社：中国对外翻译出版公司

[Songyi]

Perhaps the following two examples can help. The first is an adverbial use of instead, the second is prepositional.

Bill was ill so I went instead.

比尔病了，就由我去了。

Drink tea instead of coffee. {salami instead of pepperoni, etc.)

喝茶而不是喝咖啡。