Jan 7, 2007 05:20
17 yrs ago
Chinese term
第几任
Non-PRO
Chinese to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
questions
It might not be difficult to translate when this phrase appears in a statement.
But how to translate a question with such a phrase?
e.g. 他是你的第几任部长？
But how to translate a question with such a phrase?
e.g. 他是你的第几任部长？
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | What number |
H. J. Zhang
|
| 5 | How many former ministers who were (are) above you? |
xuhuanyu
|
| 4 | Which former minister (of yours ) is he? |
Julia Zou
|
Proposed translations
+1
3 hrs
Selected
What number
"What number minister is ...?"
Though it may sound odd to many of us, it seems to be the way native speakers ask it.
Though it may sound odd to many of us, it seems to be the way native speakers ask it.
Example sentence:
What number President is Gerald Ford?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Denyce Seow
: Does sound odd, but people seem to say that...
10 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Denyce.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
30 mins
Which former minister (of yours ) is he?
I think the translation should be:
Which former minister (of yours) is he?
However, this is only for your reference.
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Note added at 37 mins (2007-01-07 05:58:09 GMT)
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Sorry, I made a mistake. The word "former" should be deleted.
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-07 07:01:40 GMT)
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他是你的第几任部长？
The question implies that the person who is asked has one minister (his supervisor) and had more than two ministers before. But you don't supply us a context, so we don’t know in the question "他是你的第几任部长", he now is your minister or he is just one of your former ministers.
I just guess, “he” now is “your” minister, so the translation should be “which minister of yours is he?” If “you” altogether have 3 ministers, "your " answer to this question might be “He is the third one.”
Which former minister (of yours) is he?
However, this is only for your reference.
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Note added at 37 mins (2007-01-07 05:58:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry, I made a mistake. The word "former" should be deleted.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-07 07:01:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
他是你的第几任部长？
The question implies that the person who is asked has one minister (his supervisor) and had more than two ministers before. But you don't supply us a context, so we don’t know in the question "他是你的第几任部长", he now is your minister or he is just one of your former ministers.
I just guess, “he” now is “your” minister, so the translation should be “which minister of yours is he?” If “you” altogether have 3 ministers, "your " answer to this question might be “He is the third one.”
Note from asker:
| But in this case we might as well take it as a question inquiring one's title..... How do we clear the ambiguity? |
2 hrs
How many former ministers who were (are) above you?
Juliazou's answer: “He is the third one.”= there were two+ the present one
Discussion