Translating "他們對！他們不記得，你怎樣他；你記得，又怎樣呢？"

[Hugh]

How would people here translate this line:

"他們對！他們不記得，你怎樣他；你記得，又怎樣呢？"

It's from Lu Xun's short story 'Hair', to put it in context:

星期日的早晨，我揭去一张隔夜的日历，向着新的那一张上看了又看的说：

　　“阿，十月十日，——今天原来正是双十节⑵。这里却一点没有记载！”

　　我的一位前辈先生Ｎ，正走到我的寓里来谈闲天，一听这话，便很不高兴的对

我说：

　　“他们对！他们不记得，你怎样他；你记得，又怎样呢？”

I have a translation here that has it as

"Good for them! Why should you care, anyway?"

but I don't think that's particularly close. I'm wondering if it's something like

"They're right! They don't remember, so why are you different? If you do remember, then what's that like?"

I don't like translating 他 as "different" though, but can't see what the double structure with 怎样 is about. Any ideas?

[skylee]

Consider - They are right. They don't remember it, what can you do to them? You do remember it, and so what?

[skylee]

Here you can find a complete translation. You might find it useful.

On Sunday morning, I turned over a page of my calendar and looked at the next one. Taking a second look I remarked, “Why, it's the tenth of October so today is the Double Tenth Festival.* But there's no mention of it here!”

Mr. N, one of my seniors, had just dropped in for a chat. Hearing this, he retorted irately, “They're right. They've forgotten so what? You remember so what?”

[Hugh]

Thanks skylee

[edelweis]

There are some online references for "那又怎么样" meaning "so what" (just google it). So I am fine with the last part being an expression that you learn as a whole.

But about the first part 他们不记得，你怎样他,

- is 你怎样他 also a pre-made expression?

- is there some implicit verb somewhere?

- can 怎样 be considered as a verb here?

- is 他 actually referring to 他们, or to "他们不记得" (but then wouldn't it be 它?)

- 你不记得，我怎样他 or 你不记得，我怎样你 ？？

[skylee]

One thing to remember - the story was written in 1920. It was the start of vernacular writing, so I think the current language rules might not be always applicable. And there is the writer's style to consider.

PS - I think you can interpret 你怎樣他 as 你可以對他怎樣？or 你可以拿他怎麼辦？

[edelweis]

thank you Skylee

[creamyhorror]

"他欺负我，我打他，他欺负你，你怎样他？"

It's quite understandable as a use of 怎样 as a blank for an action. I think we might use the same structure in Singlish occasionally.

[David Wong]

I think there's a similar construct in fuzhounese and fujianese, roughly translated as 你又要怎样？Used to convey a meaning like "you just have to put up with it".

[edelweis]

hm thanks for the additional examples CreamyHorror and David.