A bit of help proof reading please

[JMuds]

Hello everyone,

I am very excited that I came across this site. I have been studying Mandarin at a University for almost a year and a half now. I have a presentation tomorrow and was hoping to get some advice and make sure I am getting my message across correctly.

你好。我是您们的导游。 欢迎来香港。这是香港的旗。中国跟香港的货币不一样。他们说“一国两制”. 香港的金融行业很有力。你们得看太平山.你对太平山的印象很好。香港还有多公园，都很美丽。

(Hi. I am your(pl.) tour guide. Welcome to Hong Kong. This is Hong Kong's flag. China(mainland) and Hong Kong do not share the same currency. They say "one county, two systems." Hong Kong's financial sector is very powerful. You(pl.) need to see Victoria Peak, it will leave a great impression on you. Hong Kong also has many parks, which are all beautiful.)

I understand there is very little continuity and it doesn't flow smoothly however I'm hoping what I have translated is relatively correct.

Thank you for all your help and I can't wait to study in Beijing this summer!

[Daan]

Not bad! Some comments from a fellow student:

你好。我是您们的导游。

您们 is rarely used, and when it is used, it's mostly in writing. Also, when you're addressing more than one person, you could say 你們好 instead of 你好.

欢迎来香港。这是香港的旗。

I would use 国旗 here instead of just 旗, but that might just be me.

中国跟香港的货币不一样。他们说“一国两制”. 香港的金融行业很有力。你们得看太平山.

To use 得 seems a bit strong. Try 太平山真的值得去參觀.

你对太平山的印象很好。

This probably would not be taken to mean "you will be impressed by Victoria Peak". But I'm not sure.

香港还有多公园，都很美丽。

多公园 doesn't sound very natural. I would write 香港的公園很多.

I'm just a fellow student, though, so I hope someone else can have a look as well. Good luck with your presentation!

[skylee]

欢迎来香港。这是香港的旗。

I would use 国旗 here instead of just 旗, but that might just be me

.

Consider using 來到 instead of 來. Also Hong Kong is not a country/nation and it's 國旗 is the same as that of China. Hong Kong has a 區旗, though, that features a bauhinia flower with five stars, like this.

香港的金融行业很有力。

Consider using 發達 instead of 有力.

[Daan]

Hong Kong has a 區旗, though, that features a bauhinia flower with five stars, like this.

I didn't know that word - thanks, skylee!

[daofeishi]

When modifying nouns with adjectives, you will usually have to include an adverb like 很，非常，十分，特别，比较，相当...

香港还有很多公园

[JMuds]

Thank you everyone for your advice it really helped out!

[chrix]

We discussed this issue of 國旗/區旗 recently, and a Chinese person from the mainland offered his opinion: he said that in conversation, it's all right to use 國旗 as people are used to the phrasing 香港的國旗, due to its special status as a British colony in the past and SAR nowadays, so usage of 國旗 wouldn't necessarily imply that the speaker thinks Hongkong is a country. In writing though it would be expected to use 區旗.

Just to add a data point.

[skylee]

We discussed this issue of 國旗/區旗 recently, and a Chinese person from the mainland offered his opinion: he said that in conversation, it's all right to use 國旗 as people are used to the phrasing 香港的國旗, due to its special status as a British colony in the past and SAR nowadays, so usage of 國旗 wouldn't necessarily imply that the speaker thinks Hongkong is a country.

No it doesn't necessarily imply the speaker thinks Hongkong is a country. But 香港的國旗 is the same as 中國的國旗, it is not the same as 香港的區旗. Go to any Hong Kong Government buildings and you will see that they fly both flags. Hong Kong people will not know which flag the speaker mean. But then I am only a Hong Kong person, my opinion might not carry the same weight as a Chinese person from the mainland.

[chrix]

I was adding a data point about usage as understood by one person from the mainland. Also note that they were making a distinction in register. And the usage comments related to how this would have been understood in a conversation between mainlanders, not between Hongkongers.

EDIT: Also consider context. If mainlanders were talking about 香港的國旗, it's quite clear which flag they mean. Otherwise they'd just drop the qualifier.

[skylee]

Whatever you say. I am not someone who must prove that I am right.

[Kenny同志]

If mainlanders were talking about 香港的國旗, it's quite clear which flag they mean. Otherwise they'd just drop the qualifier.

香港的国旗 is politically wrong, which states that Hong Kong is another country.

[chrix]

please read my post #7 in its entirety.

[Kenny同志]

I don't think I agree with my compatriot you mentioned above.

[Kenny同志]

(Hi. I am your(pl.) tour guide. Welcome to Hong Kong. This is Hong Kong's flag. China(mainland) and Hong Kong do not share the same currency. They say "one county, two systems." Hong Kong's financial sector is very powerful. You(pl.) need to see Victoria Peak, it will leave a great impression on you. Hong Kong also has many parks, which are all beautiful.)

大家好，今天由我当大家的导游。 欢迎来到香港。这是香港的区旗。内地的货币跟香港的不一样。由于一国两制，香港的制度跟内地的也不一样。香港金融业发达，实力雄厚。香港有很多漂亮的公园，对了，太平山大家得看看，您看了一定忘不了。

不太连贯。

It lacks continuity.

Edited February 27, 2010 at 01:59 AM by kenny2006woo