<![CDATA[Comments on: Festivals, Holidays, Vacations, and Leave]]> 2010-08-13 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 在这里澳大利亚公共服务有这么多类型的请假；基本上如果你可以想象什么请假，他们就有什么请假

]]> 在这里澳大利亚公共服务有这么多类型的请假；基本上如果你可以想象什么请假，他们就有什么请假

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> oh, sorry, can't edit that for some reason. I was going to add the English. I was trying to say:

here in Australia the public service has so many kinds of leave;basically if you can imagine a type of leave they'll have that kind of leave

]]> oh, sorry, can't edit that for some reason. I was going to add the English. I was trying to say:

here in Australia the public service has so many kinds of leave;basically if you can imagine a type of leave they'll have that kind of leave

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 呵呵，我首先要过春节，然后陪产假，然后胡老者假，然后长期服假，然后病假，然后过劳假，然后过春节。。。

[hehe, I first want to celebrate Chinese New Year, then paternity leave,then  carers leave, long service leave, sick leave, stress leave, celebrate Chinese New Year...]

]]> 呵呵，我首先要过春节，然后陪产假，然后胡老者假，然后长期服假，然后病假，然后过劳假，然后过春节。。。

[hehe, I first want to celebrate Chinese New Year, then paternity leave,then  carers leave, long service leave, sick leave, stress leave, celebrate Chinese New Year...]

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> I can't listen to the podcast now, so hopefully what I'm about to say hasn't been explained, but I have always wondered why the 节 in holidays such as 春节 is translated as festival? Would n't (Chinese) Spring Holiday make much more sense?  To me a festival is a large public gathering to enjoy some sort of entertainment, whereas a holiday is mostly for family and possibly friends to enjoy in private.

]]> I can't listen to the podcast now, so hopefully what I'm about to say hasn't been explained, but I have always wondered why the 节 in holidays such as 春节 is translated as festival? Would n't (Chinese) Spring Holiday make much more sense?  To me a festival is a large public gathering to enjoy some sort of entertainment, whereas a holiday is mostly for family and possibly friends to enjoy in private.

]]> <![CDATA[By: fzim]]> A holiday is a period of time when you are not at work or school (as in ‘summer holidays’), or it can also be a period of time spent travelling or resting away from home (as in ‘skiing holiday’). So I don't think that “spring holiday” would be an appropriate translation.

]]> A holiday is a period of time when you are not at work or school (as in ‘summer holidays’), or it can also be a period of time spent travelling or resting away from home (as in ‘skiing holiday’). So I don't think that “spring holiday” would be an appropriate translation.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> We are drifting into an American/British English difference, but still, surely you would label Christmas a holiday and not a festival, right?

]]> We are drifting into an American/British English difference, but still, surely you would label Christmas a holiday and not a festival, right?

]]> <![CDATA[By: orangina]]> Since holiday is really "holy day" it is appropriate for any occasion of a religious origin, be it Christmas (or Saturnalia) or Spring Festival. But one might have a festival on a holiday. No idea why in much of the English speaking word any day away from the normal routine of life has become holy, but who am I to argue.

]]> Since holiday is really "holy day" it is appropriate for any occasion of a religious origin, be it Christmas (or Saturnalia) or Spring Festival. But one might have a festival on a holiday. No idea why in much of the English speaking word any day away from the normal routine of life has become holy, but who am I to argue.

]]> <![CDATA[By: BEBC]]> Xiaophil: In British English we nowadays only have one festival - Harvest Festival, and I don't think this is taken as a holiday. All the other 'festive' times are called holidays or breaks: Christmas holiday, New Year's break or holiday, Easter Holiday or break (during which we might have a festival - but the holiday is not referred to as a festival), Whitsuntide Holiday + various 'Bank Holidays'. Is it different in America ? I think you're right about the distinction (cf Glastonbury Festival). Seems to me that the chinese traditional festivals are taken as holidays, so there is an overlap in meaning. As China becomes more and more westernised the traditional festival part will probably fade away as it has done with the secularization of the west.

Thank you,

Nyuck

]]> Xiaophil: In British English we nowadays only have one festival - Harvest Festival, and I don't think this is taken as a holiday. All the other 'festive' times are called holidays or breaks: Christmas holiday, New Year's break or holiday, Easter Holiday or break (during which we might have a festival - but the holiday is not referred to as a festival), Whitsuntide Holiday + various 'Bank Holidays'. Is it different in America ? I think you're right about the distinction (cf Glastonbury Festival). Seems to me that the chinese traditional festivals are taken as holidays, so there is an overlap in meaning. As China becomes more and more westernised the traditional festival part will probably fade away as it has done with the secularization of the west.

Thank you,

Nyuck

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> I'll call any day holy if it will get me the day off, hehe.

]]> I'll call any day holy if it will get me the day off, hehe.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Mr. Thuderbolt, I once again concur. I actually felt that the English speaking world was on the same page on this one. The only confusion that could arise is that you Brits say Summer Holiday when we Americans normally say Summer Vacation (this is what I was talking about above). But still, a special day off that is celebrated by the whole nation is still a holiday and not a festival in all English speaking countries as far as I can see. I wonder if these holidays were translated as festivals because they were once community gatherings? This seems especially likely with Dragon Boat Festival.

]]> Mr. Thuderbolt, I once again concur. I actually felt that the English speaking world was on the same page on this one. The only confusion that could arise is that you Brits say Summer Holiday when we Americans normally say Summer Vacation (this is what I was talking about above). But still, a special day off that is celebrated by the whole nation is still a holiday and not a festival in all English speaking countries as far as I can see. I wonder if these holidays were translated as festivals because they were once community gatherings? This seems especially likely with Dragon Boat Festival.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> I don't seem to be able to send you a PM

]]> I don't seem to be able to send you a PM

]]> <![CDATA[By: fzim]]> I think the term ‘spring festival’ seems relatively established, so why not use it.

I have wondered more than once why certain terms are translated this way or the other. For example, Chinese usually render 民族 as ‘nationality’, while I think that nationality means 國籍, and 民族 should be ‘ethnic group’ or sth similar. Or they would call 師范大學 a ‘normal university’, as if all other universities were abnormal. I would have translated it as ‘teachers' college’.

But since English has long ceased to be exclusively the language of the English, there is more than one varity of it, with new words and phrases cropping up every day – although not every monolingual anglophone may approve of this development.

]]> I think the term ‘spring festival’ seems relatively established, so why not use it.

I have wondered more than once why certain terms are translated this way or the other. For example, Chinese usually render 民族 as ‘nationality’, while I think that nationality means 國籍, and 民族 should be ‘ethnic group’ or sth similar. Or they would call 師范大學 a ‘normal university’, as if all other universities were abnormal. I would have translated it as ‘teachers' college’.

But since English has long ceased to be exclusively the language of the English, there is more than one varity of it, with new words and phrases cropping up every day – although not every monolingual anglophone may approve of this development.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> I'm not really saying that the English name for any of these holidays should be replaced (although most Americans are familiar with Chinese New Year and not Spring Festival... so perhaps it would be better to go with the more established term??). I really just want to know, why would they choose a translation that is wrong? Is it just poor translating? Or is there some other reason that just slips by me?

By the way, 師范大學 can be justified. There are so-called 'normal' learning institutions in English speaking countries, or at least there used to be. It mostly has fallen into disuse.

]]> I'm not really saying that the English name for any of these holidays should be replaced (although most Americans are familiar with Chinese New Year and not Spring Festival... so perhaps it would be better to go with the more established term??). I really just want to know, why would they choose a translation that is wrong? Is it just poor translating? Or is there some other reason that just slips by me?

By the way, 師范大學 can be justified. There are so-called 'normal' learning institutions in English speaking countries, or at least there used to be. It mostly has fallen into disuse.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> Ah, interesting... I just looked at dictionary.com. There is no entry for Spring Festival. Don't know that means, but there it is.

]]> Ah, interesting... I just looked at dictionary.com. There is no entry for Spring Festival. Don't know that means, but there it is.

]]> <![CDATA[By: BEBC]]> You are trying to send me a Prime Minister ? No thanks, we've already got one, and are trying to give them up - bad for the constitution, give one wrinkles and harden ones arteries.

Maybe you can't PM me because the system is wonky at the moment - last time I updated my profile I set it to receive PMs. Please try again, but don't send any more mucky photos.

]]> You are trying to send me a Prime Minister ? No thanks, we've already got one, and are trying to give them up - bad for the constitution, give one wrinkles and harden ones arteries.

Maybe you can't PM me because the system is wonky at the moment - last time I updated my profile I set it to receive PMs. Please try again, but don't send any more mucky photos.

]]> <![CDATA[By: BEBC]]> Hmm. Here a vacation is when you GO on holiday somewhere, rather than just having time off work. eg having a vacation in Scunthorpe, although we can also have a holiday in Scunthorpe. Not to be recommended at this time of year as there's not much snow on the slag heaps and the apres pissed is appaling.

]]> Hmm. Here a vacation is when you GO on holiday somewhere, rather than just having time off work. eg having a vacation in Scunthorpe, although we can also have a holiday in Scunthorpe. Not to be recommended at this time of year as there's not much snow on the slag heaps and the apres pissed is appaling.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> but don't send any more mucky photos.

..hehe, yeah, good one. 。。。但是，如果我公布那些见不得人的照片的你，以后怎么勒索你？

]]> but don't send any more mucky photos.

..hehe, yeah, good one. 。。。但是，如果我公布那些见不得人的照片的你，以后怎么勒索你？

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> nah, the pm system still won't work. Keep getting this message when I click on send message:

"Sorry!

This page doesn't exist.

You may have followed a broken link or mistyped the web address. To get back on track we suggest:

* Returning to the home page.

* Finding answers in the help section."

...Ok, you've forced me into it. I'll have to come clean with it here:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0862647215.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg?maxWidth=300

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:YxMT7TbCehk9JM:http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g301/gusbousy/mucky-experiment03.jpg&t=1

]]> nah, the pm system still won't work. Keep getting this message when I click on send message:

"Sorry!

This page doesn't exist.

You may have followed a broken link or mistyped the web address. To get back on track we suggest:

* Returning to the home page.

* Finding answers in the help section."

...Ok, you've forced me into it. I'll have to come clean with it here:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0862647215.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg?maxWidth=300

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:YxMT7TbCehk9JM:http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g301/gusbousy/mucky-experiment03.jpg&t=1

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> There are definitely some cultural differences between the West and China, around the subject of holidays and leave.  

University students have to 请假 (ask for leave) - if not granted it counts against them when deciding if their attendance is adequate to sit the final exam.  Sometimes students bring me a doctor's certificate to prove they were sick. 

Work contracts can say that you have to 'ask' for sick leave - this is a bit weird for foreigners.  In the West we might have rules like, 'after two days off you need a doctor's certificate'.  

Also, being sick does not always give you a holiday - some employers insist that you do a make-up day.  

I have learnt actually to just arrange  'sick days' (ie. arrange a 'make-up' class) with the students directly - never try to make it official. 

]]> There are definitely some cultural differences between the West and China, around the subject of holidays and leave.  

University students have to 请假 (ask for leave) - if not granted it counts against them when deciding if their attendance is adequate to sit the final exam.  Sometimes students bring me a doctor's certificate to prove they were sick. 

Work contracts can say that you have to 'ask' for sick leave - this is a bit weird for foreigners.  In the West we might have rules like, 'after two days off you need a doctor's certificate'.  

Also, being sick does not always give you a holiday - some employers insist that you do a make-up day.  

I have learnt actually to just arrange  'sick days' (ie. arrange a 'make-up' class) with the students directly - never try to make it official. 

]]> <![CDATA[By: BEBC]]> 哎呀！一张五块英镑的照片行不行？

]]> 哎呀！一张五块英镑的照片行不行？

]]> <![CDATA[By: BEBC]]> 还是一个五英镑的照片？

]]> 还是一个五英镑的照片？

]]> <![CDATA[By: joel_warren]]> I think "他们就有什么请假" should be "他们就有什么假期".

]]> I think "他们就有什么请假" should be "他们就有什么假期".

]]> <![CDATA[By: thomas_knight]]> is there any difference between 节假日and ? am a little confused.. sometimes i hear people say 假期。sometimes 节假日。

]]> is there any difference between 节假日and ? am a little confused.. sometimes i hear people say 假期。sometimes 节假日。

]]> <![CDATA[By: darkstar94]]> 这个是对的吗？---> 在新西兰，我们从十一月到二月暑假

also, when I'm on mid semester holidays, how do I just say "I'm on holiday"？  would it be 我在放假？

]]> 这个是对的吗？---> 在新西兰，我们从十一月到二月暑假

also, when I'm on mid semester holidays, how do I just say "I'm on holiday"？  would it be 我在放假？

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> 你可以说：在新西兰，我们的暑假是从十一月到二月。

Zài Xīnxīlán，wǒmen de shǔjià shì cóng Shíyīyuè dào Èryuè.

"I'm on holiday."

我在放假。

Wǒ zài fàngjià.

]]> 你可以说：在新西兰，我们的暑假是从十一月到二月。

Zài Xīnxīlán，wǒmen de shǔjià shì cóng Shíyīyuè dào Èryuè.

"I'm on holiday."

我在放假。

Wǒ zài fàngjià.

]]> <![CDATA[By: abelle]]> Hello, in my Chinese 102 class today our teacher was telling us about the Mid-Autumn Festival and the stories/legends and food related to it.  I tried to see if Chinesepod has done a lesson specifically on this festival but couldn't find any.  Is it possible to produce a lesson on it (not sure which level it should be).  It would help us learn more about Chinese culture and customs.  Xie xie!

]]> Hello, in my Chinese 102 class today our teacher was telling us about the Mid-Autumn Festival and the stories/legends and food related to it.  I tried to see if Chinesepod has done a lesson specifically on this festival but couldn't find any.  Is it possible to produce a lesson on it (not sure which level it should be).  It would help us learn more about Chinese culture and customs.  Xie xie!

]]> <![CDATA[By: connie]]> Will do it. Thanks!

]]> Will do it. Thanks!

]]> <![CDATA[By: cmorris]]> Many thanks to the QW team for responding to my suggestion!  A very useful lesson. 

]]> Many thanks to the QW team for responding to my suggestion!  A very useful lesson. 

]]> <![CDATA[By: nick_ib]]> 我有一个问题. 

我怎么说 'day off', as in just a non-work day?

谢谢

]]> 我有一个问题. 

我怎么说 'day off', as in just a non-work day?

谢谢

]]>