Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Aug 10, 2006 15:44
17 yrs ago
Chinese term
United States
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Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, Japanese to English, French to English, and 3 more.
不得 (1/2)
Non-PRO
Chinese to English
Social Sciences
Education / Pedagogy
Grammatikalische Analyse (Grammatical Analysis)
Sentence: 香港的夜景是世界有名的，怪不得那外
國人喜歡晚上到山上去走走。
1st Attempt: Hong Kong's nighttime glitter is world famous. Is it any wonder that that foreigner enjoys climbing Hong Kong's hilltops at night.
Question One: What is the meaning of 不得? I have seen and heard the pattern A不得 many times, and would very much like a clear understanding of its use. Please provide a variety of examples.
Question Two: What does 走走 mean? Is this colloquial language? It appears that the author is making fun of the foreigner and saying something like "running around","romping about", or "going here and there". You know, like a rabbit without a destination!
Reference: http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p...
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
國人喜歡晚上到山上去走走。
1st Attempt: Hong Kong's nighttime glitter is world famous. Is it any wonder that that foreigner enjoys climbing Hong Kong's hilltops at night.
Question One: What is the meaning of 不得? I have seen and heard the pattern A不得 many times, and would very much like a clear understanding of its use. Please provide a variety of examples.
Question Two: What does 走走 mean? Is this colloquial language? It appears that the author is making fun of the foreigner and saying something like "running around","romping about", or "going here and there". You know, like a rabbit without a destination!
Reference: http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p...
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 | Ｙｏｕ ｃａｎ＇ｔ ｂｌａｍｅ （ｗｉｔｈ怪） |
Anthony Sariti
|
Proposed translations
3 hrs
Anthony Sariti
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Over 20 Years of Translation Experience
Native in: English
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
Ｙｏｕ ｃａｎ＇ｔ ｂｌａｍｅ （ｗｉｔｈ怪）
Ｔｈｉｓ ｓｕｆｆｉｘ ｍｅａｎｓ ＂ｃａｎｎｏｔ．＂ Ｐｈｒａｓｅｓ ｕｓｉｎｇ ｉｔ ｓｉｍｐｌｙ ｍｅａｎ ＂ｃａｎｎｏｔ Ｘ＂ｗｈａｔｅｖｅｒ Ｘ ｍｉｇｈｔ ｂｅ． Ｉｎ ｔｈｉｓ ｃａｓｅ， ＂［ｙｏｕ］ｃａｎｎｏｔ ｔｈｉｎｋ ｉｔ ｓｔｒａｎｇｅ ｔｈａｔ．．．．＂ Ｏｆ ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ｔｈｅｒｅ ａｒｅ ｍａｎｙ ｅｑｕｉｖａｌｅｎｔ ｔｒａｎｓｌａｔｉｏｎｓ ｆｏｒ ｔｈａｔ．
Ｎｏ， 走走 ｉｓ ｎｏｔ ｐｅｊｏｒａｔｉｖｅ ａｔ ａｌｌ． Ｊｕｓｔ ｍｅａｎｓ ＂ｔａｋｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｗａｌｋ ａｒｏｕｎｄ．＂
Ｎｏ， 走走 ｉｓ ｎｏｔ ｐｅｊｏｒａｔｉｖｅ ａｔ ａｌｌ． Ｊｕｓｔ ｍｅａｎｓ ＂ｔａｋｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｗａｌｋ ａｒｏｕｎｄ．＂
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Final Rendering: Hong Kong's nighttime glitter is world famous. Is it any wonder that that foreigner enjoys strolling atop Hong Kong's hills at night?
Acknowledgement: My thanks to Anthony for his explanation of the use of 不得.
It would have been much more helpful had he provided further examples of its use and make mention of the kinds of verbs with which this phrase can be used. Certainly, the phrasing "cannot blame" would work here, but non-native speakers of English might be misled by this rendering.
No credit for 走走, Anthony, as it was part of a second KudoZ entry, but thanks anyway for your further confirmatory support.
Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-1-g.html#s14 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.
My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides."
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