Grammar pattern: 在......(之)下
dunderklumpen
June 11, 2010, 10:54 AM posted in I Have a QuestionHi!
I have a penpal who wrote this sentence "我曾经在大家帮助下，钓了一条比较大的鱼。". I need help to translate it. I get the general meaning of it but can't figure out the details.
E.g. 1) This grammar pattern 在......(之)下 is apparently used in the sentence but I don't realize the meaning of it.
2) Why 曾经 and not 已经?
3) 大家 refers to a group of peolpe, in this case my penpals relatives (if I got it right). Is it common to call the family 大家?
dunderklumpen
June 11, 2010, 01:18 PMMany thanks zhen :-) 明白了!
zhenlijiang
June 11, 2010, 11:21 AMHi Dunderklumpen,
1) You can think of it as the prepositional phrase "with ~", in this case "with everyone's help". 在～下 is the conditions if you will, under which what you're describing is happening/has happened.
2) 已经 would be already. 曾经 is once, one time.
3) I would think you could certainly call the family 大家, but hope you hear from people who can tell you how common it is.