User Comments - JasonSch

Posted on: Playing Wii

Some more video game vocab:

video game console:  游戏机  yóuxì jī

controller:  手柄  shǒubǐng

Xbox 360:  Xbox三六零  xbox sānliùlíng

Sony PlayStation(P/2/3):  索尼游戏机  suǒní yóuxìjī  (but usually just said, PSP, PS2 and PS3 in English, with 2 and 3 sometimes being 二 èr and 三 sān)

Super Mario!:  超级玛丽奥 chāojí mǎlǐ'ào

Posted on: Finding a Seat at the Movies

@ joeborn

Good question, and yes! 

双号 and 单号 could be more specifically translated as 'even numbered things (like tickets, seats, buildings in a complex)' and 'odd numbered things', respectively. But, as the dialog shows, it's a little more tricky than that.

双号在右边，单号在左边。

Because in Chinese 双号 and 单号 are nouns themselves without having to add any 'thing' to the word.

偶数 and 奇数 are, as you've said, the mathematical term for 'even numbers' and 'odd numbers'.

Posted on: Dinner with Friends

@Corrnelia

I caught that slip earlier and made the change, but I must not have saved it properly! Sorry about the confusion!! I'm still working out the kinks in the system. My apologies.

我就吃了两个。

Should read:

"I only ate two"

I'll make change soon.

For the record,

"I'll just have two" = 我就吃两个 or, 我就吃两个吧

Would be better.

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@changye

That's alright! I think it's deserving of the nitpicking. I also think it's interesting, and can be helpful to discuss.

In the end, I guess my main reason for not translating it as 'sleep' is that even in this context, in which it indicates 'to sleep', there is still a feeling of 'resting', as in an end to hard day's work. (and in opposition to 累) Even if it sounds a little 'clumsy' in English.

@xiaophil

Speaking of awkard, I used to translate things literally and/or word-for-word, all the time. It really helped me internalize how to put ideas together in Chinese. (although it made from some pretty strange notes.) :)

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@changye

In this example, it's safe to say the person is going to go to sleep, and therefore, 休息, would indicate 'to sleep' and could be translated that way.

What I mean is that 休息 as a word or concept cannot be translated as simply 'to sleep'.

It's a more general term, unless specified via context/info, (in this case: time or lateness) and that's why it's translated as 'to rest' without such specific context.

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@changye

It's important to note that 休息 cannot be translated as 'to sleep'. It may indicate 'to sleep', but it's not specific enough.

In some contexts (your first example), there is enough information provided in which you can infer that the person is indicating that they will sleep, but the word itself does not mean to sleep. And, that'san important difference.

To note: I've asked two native speakers (both Chinese language teachers) to confirm on both of your sentences as to whether or not they feel the person is implying that they will specifically, 'sleep'.

Both said that in the first sentence, it's likely that the person will sleep and that in the second, it's unclear. It's not specific enough and is therefore understood as 'to relax' or 'take it easy'.

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@bill

Hmm...a quick search of the the phrase, 'pretty much', brings up the meaning 'to some degree', so I'm still not quite sure I completely agree with you on that one. Keep in mind, I didn't say, 'She's pretty much pregnant'! I used examples consistent with the meaning of the phrase as 'to some degree' in two situations where a level of degree makes sense.

I think it's likely that's it's a kind of grey area. But I'll do my best to avoid such areas in the future. 

About American English though, I'll definitely keep that in mind. Other than, 'bucks', I think I've done a pretty good job of avoiding it no? But I'll try harder.

Importantly though, why translate 块 as 'bucks'? Because it's an informal, colloquial word for '元' and even more casual than, '块钱' and I wanted that to come through in the translation. It is quite different than saying '100元'. The problem is, colloquial, informal words for 'dollars' are all region-specific. And well, I'm American, hence the use of 'bucks'.

Maybe we can come up with a system for indicating the informality or colloquial-ness of words and phrases without translating them as so? If people are interested in such an idea, I'd love to work on a solution!

And finally,

你累的话，早点休息吧。 

This 休息 doesn't mean 'to sleep'. It means 'to rest', or 'to relax'. If you wanted to express, 'If you're tired, you should go to bed early' you would say:

你累的话，早点睡吧。

Or, more specifically:

你困（kùn - sleepy）的话，早点睡吧。

累 is closer to 'overworked' or 'overexerted' and doesn't necessarily imply the need for sleep, but rather, relaxation. The word, 'tired' in English, however, can indicate both. Maybe something like,

'If your feeling overworked, you should get some rest.' 

Sounds more natural in English, but the problem is, that excludes the 早点, which is important to retain in the translation at this level. 

Because these words don't translate perfectly, the idea is that we do them in a way that would make sense in the appropriate context in English. However! That can't always be done perfectly and occasionally, there's bound to be some confusion. Fortunately though, we have the discussion boards to try and work things out.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies some things.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. You can also PM if it's something non-lesson related or more specific. :) 

Thanks.

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@bill

I've used and heard, quite a few times in my life:

"They're pretty much dating"

"She's pretty much his wife" 

Or other things along those lines as instances of using 'pretty much' not as 'almost', precisely, but as 'to a degree', or 'to a large extent'. But that's just me. :)

Either way, as joeborn said, that's not the use of 大概 here! :S

Posted on: A Phone Call to the Moving Company

@joeborn

Your guess is indeed the correct translation of this sentence. I slipped up when translating it and read 大概 as its 'approximately' meaning rather than 'probably'.

In this sentence, I'm quite sure 大概 cannot actually be used to indicate the 'approximate-ness' of the relationship. But I'll ask a native speaker if it brings any such thoughts to mind tomorrow.

If you wanted to do that, 差不多 would be an appropriate choice. Eg,

那个女孩儿差不多是他的女朋友

Thanks for the catch! 

Posted on: Jet Lag

@joeborn, @changye

This 倒时差的倒 tone issue is interesting stuff! I actually noticed it myself when I first translated it, but only noticed your comments now. 

When 倒 is alone and means 'reverse', it's dào, but when it's combined with other characters to make other words, the tone may be dào or it may also be dǎo. (but still means to reverse)

For example,

倒车 dào chē = to drive in reverse

颠倒 diān dǎo = to reverse, invert or turn upside down

In the dialog, it is in fact pronounced dǎo shí chā. When the third tone is spoken quickly, it tends to be a little less clear.

So, it seems as though there isn't a consistent pattern, but rather an overlapping of the two readings and meanings depending on the word.