我是一個字

[Daan]

Can 我是一個字 convey something similar in meaning to "I am a man of my word"? I'm inclined to think the Chinese subtitles of the film I saw were wrong, but I thought I'd just check.

[imron]

Are you sure there was nothing after it? If not, I would trust your inclination .

[skylee]

or perhaps it is 就 instead of 是?

[Shi Tong]

Never heard anything of the sort.. I'll ask my resident teacher later, but I doubt it!!

[889]

Sort of makes me think of 一言为定 Yi Yan Wei Ding.

[Kenny同志]

Can 我是一個字 convey something similar in meaning to "I am a man of my word"?

No, it can not. This sentence 我是一个字 can't associate with "I am a man of my word" semantically in one's mind. It can be put into Chinese as 我(这人)说话算话（or说话算数）。

[HashiriKata]

The sentence may be correct when the 是 is used to represent another verb which is readily understood in the context. I'd look again at the context to see if this can be a possibility.

[Daan]

Thanks for the replies everyone. The film was Avatar; it's when the colonel tells Jake Sully the company will pay for his surgery to get his legs back, as he had promised to arrange. The colonel then says: "See, I'm a man of my word." This is translated as 我是一個字. Do you think, skylee and HashiriKata, that this could work given the context?

Unfortunately I can't watch it again at the moment. But I wasn't watching the official version (it was a DVD, but I don't think it's been released on DVD yet), so it was probably just a mistake by an amateur translator.

[skylee]

I think it is probably a mistake.

[Kenny同志]

so it was probably just a mistake by an amateur translator.

Most likely it was. It is not hard to see all sorts of mistranslations in foreign subtitled（translated into Chinese from other languages） movies.

Edited February 18, 2010 at 02:50 PM by kenny2006woo

[Daan]

Much appreciated! While we're at it, is there a difference between kenny's 我這人說話算話 and 我這人說到做到?

[Kenny同志]

我（这人）【说话算话 说话算数 说到做到 ）】 Sometimes they can be used interchangeably. But here, in my opinion, 说话算话 and 说话算数 are more appropriate than 说到做到. In my view, 说到做到 is used to make a promise, especially when you are doubted whether you will do a particular thing or not. There're some nuances.

说话算话、说话算数、说到做到、一言九鼎、君子一言，驷马难追、决不食言 have the similar meaning. Which one should be used depends on the context.

[HashiriKata]

I wonder if 我是一个字 is meant to be 我誓一个字 ?

Does 我誓一个字 mean anything to Chinese speakers? Can it be connected to "I am a man of my word" ?

[chrix]

At least google says "no".

[brilight]

Does 我誓一个字 mean anything to Chinese speakers? Can it be connected to "I am a man of my word" ?

No.

I am chinese

[trien27]

说到做到

should be 说得到做得到

OOPS! I made a booboo: I was thinking of "说一套 做一套 " which is totally different but it somehow came out as 说得到做得到.

我是一个字 is meant to be 我誓一个字

我是 = I am

我誓 = I swear

我是一个字 = I am a word/Chinese character

我誓一个字 = "I swear [on] a word"?

These words, 我是 & 我誓 don't really have any connections to "I am a man of my word", which might be better translated as "我是一个守承诺之人" or "我是一个守承诺的人"

Edited February 19, 2010 at 05:02 AM by trien27

[Daan]

At least here on Taiwan, you frequently hear 我說到做到 without the 得's. It also seems to me that your version conveys a different meaning.

[Kenny同志]

说得到做得到

我说得出（说得到less popular, in Changde, Hunan dialect we say that），就做得到 is often used to threaten somebody that you are going to do something that he or she may be unhappy to see.

which might be better translated as "我是一个守承诺 之人" or "我是一个守承诺的人"

note that it is in a dialogue, the translation you propose is too formal.

Edited February 19, 2010 at 04:52 AM by kenny2006woo

[skylee]

I am chinese

I fail to understand why brilight mentioned this again.

[trien27]

Originally Posted by brilight

I am chinese

If the person really is Chinese, then they should originally post it as: "我是一个中国人" or "我是一個中國人" instead. I don't understand either. Maybe this person is an ABC [American Born Chinese], a BBC [british Born Chinese], a CBC [Canadian Born Chinese] or any other overseas Chinese born outside of China, maybe second, third or even fourth generation.