Here's the first one

orangina

July 28, 2009, 07:27 AM

I love this idea, I often read a translation and say to myself, "really???"  Now I have a place to go for help.

This example make sense to me. I like the phrasing. 'My Chinese life is rich.'

and 在 can also mean “exist” so the sentace can be phrased ‘My existance in China is rich.'

paulinurus

July 28, 2009, 12:19 PM

Hi orangina,

Yes, by 在 meaning 'to exist' the sentence makes makes sense from a WB point of view.

Also, I looked up 在 in the dictionary (should have done it before) and it says 在 can be a preposition (in, on, at) OR a verb = be in.

我在中国的生活很丰富. lit: I be-in China de life plentiful/abundant. 

Then my amoeba EB said, "why don't you split the sentence into two?" 中国的生活很丰富 China's life is abundant and just add 我在 I be-in.

加拿大的生活很丰富。

我在加拿大的生活很丰富。

美国的生活很丰富。

我在美国的生活很丰富。

... and add your country to the list.

丰富 [abundant + wealthy/rich]. Word formation category: Compounding

 

changye

July 28, 2009, 11:39 PM

There is an alternative to the translation, but I don't know if both carry exactly the same meaning and connotation. Does "我的中国生活" usually implies that the speaker is not a Chinese？

我的中国生活很丰富。

paulinurus

July 29, 2009, 01:43 AM

Hi Changye,

Seems to me 我的中国生活很丰富 is very likely spoken by a foreigner (not born in China)... could be an overseas Chinese, or non Chinese.

1st year in China：我的中国生活还可以。

say, after 5 years in China: 我的中国生活不错。

say, after 10 years in China and having made millions $$$ : 我的中国生活很丰富 !!

 

orangina

July 29, 2009, 04:04 AM

I think it could also be a native Chinese person speaking to a 老外。 While 中国的 is translated "chinese", it is really "pertaining to China".  I also prefer to think of the richness and abundance in terms of happyness, comfort, a well rounded life... not just material wealth. That is what "plentiful" means to me. ;-D

paulinurus

July 31, 2009, 01:37 AM

Hi Orangina,

Yes, 丰富 can also pertain to non-material aspects, for instance the Shaolin monks lives I think are assumingly 真的丰富！