Necessary Passive and "Try"

[Jakegwood]

I was talking to my friend and she used this sentence to ask me how I figured out something about her:

怎么这都被你发现了呢？

I was just wondering why she used 被. Is the passive voice necessary? or just for variety in writing style?

could you also say:

你怎么发现这都了？

Also in the e-mail another topic came up. In english we have many words for "to try" depending on what we're trying. Is there one chinese equivalent? can 试 be used as a suff/prefix to something like 穿 or 吃 for "to (try) tasting" or "to try on"?

Thanks

Jake

[semantic nuance]

怎么这都被你发现了呢？

被 is necessary. The Subject is 這(件事)-this something-, therefore, 被 is necessary here. But you can say it in another way: 怎麼這你都發現了呢? If the subject is 你，then the sentence will be: 怎麼你都發現了這事?

can 试 be used as a suff/prefix to something like 穿 or 吃 for "to (try) tasting" or "to try on"?

Yes, you're right.

[Jakegwood]

Ok sounds good, but what's the difference between 怎麼這你都發現了呢? and 怎麼你都發現了這事?

Which is more common: the 被 construction, or one of the two above without 被?

Wow, that makes it pretty simple. Would 试 be prefixed or suffixed though?

Thanks.

[anonymoose]

can 试 be used as a suff/prefix to something like 穿 or 吃 for "to (try) tasting" or "to try on"?

Usually 尝尝 is used to mean (try) tasting.

[semantic nuance]

Ok sounds good

Thank you, but I'm not in the middle of the test!! :-)

but what's the difference between 怎麼這你都發現了呢? and 怎麼你都發現了這事?

Word order! Ha! Just joking! Personally, I don't think there's any difference between these two. Of course, there must be a lot of grammatical details to explain these two.

Which is more common: the 被 construction, or one of the two above without 被?

Would 试 be prefixed or suffixed though?

試+吃=試吃, so preflix, i guess.

Sorry, I'm no statistician, can't answer that on everyone's behalf. I guess it depends on one's expression habit. All three are fine by me.

Usually 尝尝 is used to mean (try) tasting.

It really depends. If you go to the supermarket, and there's some new food product to promote, we usually use 試吃 in Taiwan. Of course, in colloquial, we'll say 要不要嚐一嚐? 免費試吃喔!

[creamyhorror]

but what's the difference between 怎麼這你都發現了呢? and 怎麼你都發現了這事?

Word order! Ha! Just joking! Personally, I don't think there's any difference between these two. Of course, there must be a lot of grammatical details to explain these two.

Hmm, in my opinion the difference might be:

(1) 怎麼這你都發現了? = How come you've discovered even this?

(2) 怎麼你都發現了這事? = (two interpretations) How come you've discovered even this? / How come even you have discovered this?

I feel there can be a difference in emphasis. When the 這 is made the topic (in (1)), it gets emphasised by 都. In (2), both interpretations are possible.

(Also, hi semantic nuance)

[Kyle_Wang]

Your 2nd version of the sentence would sound better if you add a '连' in it.

你怎么连这都发现了？

试穿 and 试吃 are OK, but I think 试吃 is kinda informal. You can use 品尝 instead.