User Comments - Grambers

Posted on: 美国校园枪击案

I'm afraid I can't offer a 'correct' answer, but the 绝对 in your sentence somehow feels wrong in expressing the idea of 'absolute power'. I can't explain exactly why; it's an instinctual thing. I always think of 绝对 in its adverbial form, and being more akin to 'definitely', or 'certainly' (though it is often translated as 'absolutely'). I haven't use it to mean 'absolute' before (though perhaps I should have done....[update: in fact, having consulted a couple of online dictionaries, I am pretty sure this is fine, but will leave my comment there in case anyone else wants to chip in!])

How about using this nice little four-character chengyu, which I learned recently, 肆无忌惮 - meaning 'unbridled, fearing nothing and no-one'?

肆无忌惮的权利就造成基本的腐烂

This probably sounds like hilarious Chinglish in reverse, but it's a bold stab in the dark!:) I'd obviously prefer a four-character description of 'absolute', 'base' etc. to make the sentence balanced.

PS Couldn't disagree more with your idea about the dangers of governments holding guns, btw. I think it's a mistake to believe that weapons are the sole, or even the most important, locus of power. I'd like a world entirely free from guns, but if they are gonna exist (which they surely are), then I'd rather they are held by people who are forced to operate within institutional frameworks, and who are bound and conditioned by those systems to use them in certain, limited ways.

Posted on: A Present from Santa Claus

Ahem, yes, indeed. A cursory glance at Fordbronco's comment history would suggest he may be in the pay of a CPod competitor or has a serious axe to grind with the CPod operation. Fair and balance his comments are not.

Is that libellous?

Posted on: A Present from Santa Claus

'Professional' companies shouldn't use sexually suggestive advertising, you say? Were it so, the 'fiscal cliff' would quickly become the least of the US economy's worries. In fact, removing such images from circulation would see the US economy immediately collapse into that black hole of spiritual darkness lurking at its centre that has been very effectively papered over for the last half century or so.

ARE children using the site? Or are you being a wincy-teeny-itty-bitty bit sarcastic?

Posted on: Legalize It?

Nice bit of self-tuition there. Do you often think up practice sentences based on new vocabulary learnt? This sounds like a fine idea. Any hints or tips you'd be willing to share?

Now, if only those practice sentences could be mailed to a member of Congress and have some effect on the big picture. Alas, I fear that if you were to do such a thing - and even if you provided translations - the fact you had implored greater gun control using Chinese would probably only make Mr/Mrs Senator/Congressman ignore you even more than they would anyway!

Posted on: Legalize It?

You certainly sounded like you were saying 'ying' when you and John were discussing this particular word. But it's a fine line, and my hearing isn't what it once was!:)

Posted on: Legalize It?

I must be getting old then!:) No, in fact, I think....yes....I think I can....confirm that, yes, I AM actually getting old.

Posted on: A Qing Wen to Our Listeners

Brilliant. Thanks, pal.

Posted on: Legalize It?

Just noticed this sentence from the Expansion...

如果枪支弹药可以个人持有，谁能保证这么危险的东西不会被滥用？

Sadly precient, given what happened on the east coast of the US two days after the lesson was released.

Posted on: Legalize It?

Is it me or did Vera pronounce 瘾 as 'ying'. I could tell that John was really focusing on getting that final 'n' sounding during their brief discussion on the subject but the pronounciation of Vera - as a native speaker, of course -  seemed surprisingly 'looser'. Or did I mishear?

Posted on: Legalize It?

Not sure I agree. I would use 'reefer' to refer to a joint - the carrot-shaped pointy thing you stick in your mouth. Well, I would if I smoked which, naturally, I would never dream of doing!:)