help with translation: 廊馆 + 舫桥

[Paolo]

Hi everybody,

can anyone help me with the translation of the words 廊馆 and 舫桥? Talking about traditional architecture, is 廊馆 an open porch/terrace or rather a gallery/corridor? And what about the other "boat bridge"?

Here are the 2 words in their exact context:

颐和园以广阔的湖、山、堤、岛等自然风光为背景，将各种楼台亭阁、殿堂厅室、

廊馆舫桥

等富丽精致的建筑布于其中，让人感到气势宏大，绚丽多姿，我去那里也感觉心旷神怡

Thanks for helping!

[veronica_china]

Oh, I am very surprised at your proficient in Chinese, even more than me- a Chinese native. you are great!

"廊馆" and "舫桥" are all the old Chinese words and seldom used now except in literature works. "廊馆" is equal to "廊房", "廊室" or "廊屋" which mean the rooms around the hall. If you've been to Summer Palace, you can understand them. They were built in term of the ancient architecture and hardly seen in modern buildings. "舫桥" are actually two words i.e. "舫" and "桥". "舫" means "船(boat)" and "桥" means "bridge". "舫桥" are applied in literature to build some kind of atmosphere so that readers are like on the ancient constructions scene.

That's all I know, hope to help you! If you want more informations, you can consult ancient Chinese expert in university.

Additionally, I think what you need is not translation but explanation. Do you think so?

And I also consider that architecture was just ancient architecture, not traditional architecture.

Moreover, could you please explain the difference among porch, terrace, gallery, corridor?

[Paolo]

Hi Veronica, thanks for you help! I thought about that sentence again and actually I guess - as you said - that 廊馆舫桥 may also be treated as separate words... as for the difference between porch/terrace and gallery/corridor, not being a native English speaker, I'm afraid I would make it even more confused (I just have the "feeling" that the former is sort of a room on the outside of the house with an open side or a window, whereas the latter should be a covered 长廊 or 走廊 inside the house, but of course I may be wrong), so you better ask a native speaker if you have one 手下

Anyway, thanks for your praise, but It wasn't I who wrote the Chinese text, I only have to translate it... if I could write such Chinese I sure wouldn't ask for help, hehehe...

88!