情情愛愛

[Kenny同志]

請教大家：

The phrase 情情愛愛 is always used in a disapproving tone. How would you translate it in the following two sentences into English?

我不懂什麽情情愛愛。

書中寫的全是些情情愛愛。

Your help will be appreciated.

[skylee]

Sorry I can't answer your question. I would probably just use romance.

But 情情愛愛 has somehow reminded me of this song (great lyrics) and the great stories between 殷素素 and 張翠山, and between 無忌 and all those girls.

[Guest realmayo]

I'm just guessing, based on your description rather than any good knowledge of the Chinese, but: would "lovey-dovey" work at all?

[creamyhorror]

I might go with

我不懂什麽情情愛愛。 --> I don't know about any of this lovey-dovey stuff.

書中寫的全是些情情愛愛。 --> The book was full of romantic mush. / The book was just a bunch of romantic mush.

[Kenny同志]

Skylee, thanks for the link. I love 秋官's songs.

@realmayo

I think "love-dovey" should work in certain contexts, though 情情愛愛 isn't necessarily "too romantic".

@creamyhorror

Thanks for the excellent translations.

[imron]

Thanks for the excellent translations.

For variety, other terms which would work just as well as "romantic mush" include "romantic drivel" and "romantic nonsense". e.g.

The book was nothing but a bunch of romantic drivel.

[Kenny同志]

Drivel and nonsense are nice words. Thanks Imron.