Translating: "应该并没有什么太多不能够谈的议题"

[sagilogo1]

Im having a hard time understading the "不能够" in the following sentence:

应该并没有什么太多不能够谈的议题

I literally understand this as:

"should not be too many issues you cant talk about"

But I have a translation that reads:

"So there shouldn’t be too many issues to talk about"

I also checked Google Translate:

"So it should have nothing much to talk about the subject"

So my question is - why was "不能够" not literally translated?

[analgesia]

"should not be too many issues you cant talk about"

urs is the correct translation

while the "So there shouldn’t be too many issues to talk about" is wrong.

it should be "So there should be too many issues to talk about" (ie we can have a talk in relation to many issues,no forbid.

this sentence is an affirmative sentence

cause: 没有 is negative，不能 is negative twice，at last the 2 negative together and turn out to be an affirmative sentence，

that is to say "should not be too many issues you cant talk about"="So there should be too many issues to talk about" is wrong

google translation is incorrect. i ensure that

[HashiriKata]

"So there shouldn’t be too many issues to talk about" seems to be the correct translation there.

So my question is - why was "不能够" not literally translated?

Because it sounds better not to. If you want it to be more literal, it can be a little clumsy like: "...so many issues that (we) are unable to discuss all."

[HashiriKata]

Just notice analgesia's post. I'd suggest that before translating the whole sentence, first think about the meaning of this bit: 应该并没有什么 X.

(After you have done that, add X to it, where X is "太多不能够谈的议题.")

[analgesia]

sorry,i miss typed just now

i mean

that is to say "should not be too many issues you cant talk about"="So there should be too many issues to talk about"

so why was "不能够" not literally translated?

well, double negative sentence usually translate the final meaning of the sentence,there s

no need to completely turn every single word into english ，otherwise it will be sophisticated or just like HashiriKata said ： a little bit clumsy

hope this may help u better understand it

[analgesia]

sorry,i miss typed just now

i mean

that is to say "should not be too many issues you cant talk about"="So there should be too many issues to talk about"

[sagilogo1]

I tend to agree with analgesia's first post

Regarding HashiriKata's suggestion - "So there shouldn’t be too many issues to talk about" - this seems to be have the opposite meaning - no matter how it sounds - its simply not correct as I understand it.

"So there should be too many issues to talk about" -

this seems to have a closer meaning, however:

"So there should be many issues you can talk about" -

sounds more accurate in my opinion.

[HashiriKata]

@ sagilogo1:

"So there shouldn’t be too many issues to talk about" seems to be the correct translation there.

That is exactly what I said. I only agreed with one of the translations you quoted but didn't actually provide one of my own. So here is mine, phrased slightly differently to bring out the Chinese structure:

应该并没有什么太多不能够谈的议题

There should be no such things as too many issues to discuss.

Edited October 31, 2009 at 06:27 PM by HashiriKata

[sagilogo1]

There should be no such things as too many issues to discuss.

This may be a little bit over creative.. just my opinion though ;)

The first tranlsation - which I rejected from the beginning is actually not

that bad because the word 'issues' can be understood as the slang which means 'problems'. I think that was the intention here:

"There shouldn't be too many.. issues to talk about"

[HashiriKata]

This may be a little bit over creative.. just my opinion though ;)

The first tranlsation - which I rejected from the beginning is actually not

that bad because the word 'issues' can be understood as the slang which means 'problems'.

I'm amazed at your progress & confidence, sagilogo1!

[sagilogo1]

My progress was not so good until I found this website...

Thanks Mr. Miyagi

[Kenny同志]

"应该并没有什么太多不能够谈的议题"

Awkward Chinese, I am afraid. If I were to utter the same idea, I would have said: 应该没什么太多不能讨论的议题。

I avoid 谈 because 不能谈 can be interpreted in two ways, first that there is no room for negociation or discussion and second that we are not allowed to refer to or mention a particular subject.

Sure, 谈can be used if the context is clear.

OOh, I forgot to add the translation. My attempt:

Seems there won't be too many subjects we can not talk about (or discuss).

[Jim]

应该并没有什么... from the grammar says 'there shouldn't be, and indeed, aren't...'

Whole thing:

There shouldn't be, and indeed aren't, that many topics for discussion that you aren't able to talk about.

[HashiriKata]

"太多不能够谈的议题" can indeed be interpreted in more than one way.

Jim, could you tell me the name of the garmmar book that your quoted from?

[Jim]

I meant from my reading of the grammar, specifically the function of 并 there. Wasn't quoting a book.

[HashiriKata]

Thanks Jim, and no problems. Only wanted to know what grammar books people are using.

[Jim]

Ages since I read a proper grammar textbook, but seen this recommended and am acquiring a copy plus the workbook:

http://www.routledgelanguages.com/books/Modern-Mandarin-Chinese-Grammar-isbn9780415700108

Will report back once I've read it (not searched here yet; I'm sure others have opinions on it).