User Comments - yamauchi866

Posted on: Hospitality Series 2: China Union Pay

So the yǐqián makes it as if it were "I lived in Shanghai (once) for nine months" or "I lived in Shanghai (before) for nine months". I put 'once' or 'before' in parentheses because in English we're implying them even though we don't have to say them as I take it you have to say yǐqián in Mandarin in order to make things clear as in "wǒ yǐqián zài shànghǎi zhù le sān nián" as well.

All I can say about the other is why this idea that just 'here' is more natural than just 'at your place' or 'at your place here'? It's obviously briefer but that doesn't make it more natural unless you want to cloud the meaning of the Mandarin. I take it the Mandarin means the location signified by 'nǐmen zhèlǐ' is owned or at least occupied by somebody, namely 'nǐmen'. Why not get this across in the translation? There are heres all over the place in this world. But your translation leaves it vague as what or whose here it is while the Mandarin specifies a bit more whose here it is. Your translation ignores this specification and leaves matters general and vague. You'd make a good politician, Greg, but as a linguist you leave a bit more to be desired. But don't take my criticism too much to heart. In the greater scheme of things it isn't very important. Thanks for your help.

Posted on: Keeping in Touch

Shì zhǎoji2 yòng de wèi 'short of time'? Xièxie.