Today I saw a rainbow plunging into the ocean

[Myriam]

= 今天我看到了一个彩虹倾没海洋里。

Could you help me with this sentence please? Thanks!

[madizi]

Maybe you should use 看见.

[math900]

"plunging" does not mean "倾没".

it means the rainbow is out from ocean, just as

+

+ +

+ + rainbow

+ +

===========================

-----------------ocean------------------------------

---------------------------------------------

so this sentence means

今天，我看见一道彩虹跃出海面

[Myriam]

今天我看见了个彩虹倾没海洋里

Thanks Madizi

[rootfool]

I think "个" is not suit for "彩虹"

maybe "一道彩虹" is more approximate.

[Meng Lelan]

rootfool,

I've also seen

一条彩虹

---乐岚

[Myriam]

math900, so how would you say "plunging"? (as in plunging into the swimming pool)

Thanks rootfool .

乐岚, I'll try both measure words :

今天我看见一道彩虹。。。海洋里

今天我看见一条彩虹。。。海洋里

[math900]

the rainbow is plunging into the ocean

彩虹 could not be 倾没. It looks like this

＋

＋　＋

＋　　　＋

＋　　　　＋

＋　　　　　＋

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

－－－－－－－－－－

－－－－－－－－－－

It just like the rainbow jump from the ocean. so I think it should be call"跃出海面"

[Myriam]

math900, you're too funny .

[coarsec]

math900, I can't agree with you.

When one side of a rainbow is "plunging" into the ocean, it should be considered the direction is toward ocean; and if we use "jumping out" it usually means the direction is against the ocean.

I think 倾没 would be better.

[Myriam]

I think 倾没 would be better.

Anybody else thinks likewise? I still don't know how to write my sentence. Maybe the use of "plunging" is a bit awkward, but I can't say "Today I saw a rainbow diving into the ocean" can I?

[chenpv]

Hmm.... how about, 我今天看見一道彩虹傾入大海。I don't think I have ever seen so large a rainbow that overwhelms, as suggested by 沒, a sea or stretches far into 洋. Anyway, maybe such big rainbows exist.

[Myriam]

I like your suggestion : 倾入 seems better than 倾没 (maybe because 没 has the meaning of "inundate"?)

我今天看見一道彩虹倾入大海。

It did stretched "far into 洋", it's just a case of finding the right place + some drizzling rain + shining sun.

[chenpv]

maybe because 没 has the meaning of "inundate"?

Yeah, in terms of my limited understandings of both languages.

[yingying]

how about：今天我看到一道彩虹延伸到大海。

[heifeng]

for a measure word I actually like 一弧彩虹..but I don't know if that would make sense for that to plunge then...also (since I feel like killing time today) 今天sounds a bit plain to me since now there is such a huge discussion on how to say plunge...今日，今朝...actually I dunno...I guess it depends on what time you saw it too...leave it to the native speakers I guess.

___________________

Disclamer:

Hi, I like to complicate matters and throw in my unwanted 2cents. sorry.

[semantic nuance]

Hmmm, first of all, I'd like to say the verb '傾' is not closely related to the action--'plunge into'.

Unless, you meant the rainbow sort of slanted down to the ocean.

Did that rainbow fall all of a sudden into sea? Or, did it gradually submerge into sea?

If it is latter, I will say:我今天看見一道彩虹(漸漸)隱沒於海洋裡.

You may check this link:http://140.111.34.46/cgi-bin/dict/GetContent.cgi?Database=dict&DocNum=93631&GraphicWord=yes&QueryString=傾

Hope it helps!

Semantic Nuance

[roddy]

Fixed the problem Mr Nuance was having and put his post back in order. Server issue, won't happen again until the next time.

[Myriam]

for a measure word I actually like 一弧彩虹..but I don't know if that would make sense for that to plunge then...

Heifeng, the logics of your sentence suggests that the measure word you chose changes the nature of 彩虹, making it unfit for plunging, not that a rainbow can't and won't ever be able to "plunge".

Is 弧 a measure word for 彩虹?

Semantic nuance suggested "slant down" towards the ocean but I prefer a word that describes the action of diving because "slant down" doesn't have the dynamics contained in "dive" or "plunge" : wow...I feel like I'm being bullied by people who absolutely don't want me to have a rainbow diving into the ocean!! I don't find math900's comments funny anymore!

Chenpv, I don't need this kind of comment : "Yeah, in terms of my limited understandings of both languages." I know you don't mean you have a limited understanding of your mother tongue so, please, if you could refrain from doing that in the future I'd be much obliged to you. too.

[h.way]

It should be translated inot

一道彩虹跃然海上