真不愧是美国老

English translation: "That's a Yank for you!"

01:16 Aug 25, 2002
Chinese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Chinese term or phrase: 真不愧是美国老
Last word in Chinese is a typo; Should have a "person" radical to the left. Proposed translation: "Only a Yankee could do it."
liberation
English translation:"That's a Yank for you!"
Explanation:
Hi Bruce, firstly I agree with much of what said above. However, does the word "美国佬" necessarily have to be Yankee. It would seem that Yank is much more commonly used. I feel this sentence could be either laudatory or derogatory and I have heard 不愧为 used in an ironic sense before. If the sentence is ironic then I might translate it as above. If it is said in approbation then another possibility is "There's an American for you!" Just another idea. Regards, Dave
Selected response from:

David Rockell (X)
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you. Greetings, David. Well done. Better thought out than my original...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1He is well worth the title "Yankee."
Chinoise
4 +1Several choices here
Libin PhD
3"That's a Yank for you!"
David Rockell (X)
3"That's a Yank for you!"
David Rockell (X)


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
He is well worth the title "Yankee."


Explanation:
He is well worth the title "Yankee."

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Note added at 2002-08-25 01:27:40 (GMT)
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Or, perhaps, He deserves being called \"Yankee\". :)

PS. Certainly, \"Only a Yankee could do it.\" is a perfect version, esp. when you use it to eulogize someone. I am just adding sth. here.

HTH


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Note added at 2002-08-25 18:17:13 (GMT)
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Thanks to Libin\'s research.

However, it should be noted that \"真不愧\" is used absolutely in a complimentary sense,i.e.,it is a commendatory term. In Chinese, \"真不愧\" is defined in the most authoritative dictionary as \"真当之无愧,真当得起,(多跟“为”或 “是”连用).\". Actually, in most cases, when it is used in a whole sentence, an exclamation mark is desired in the end to stress the speaker\'s emotion. For instance, when we say \"他真不愧是美国佬!\", we speak highly of him. Moreover, as most reliable dictionaries suggest,\"真不愧\" here means \"be really worthy of\", \"really deserve to be called\", \"prove himself to be\".

Preferably, let\'s translate \"他真不愧是美国佬!\" into:

(1)He is genuinely(truly, really, surely,etc.) worthy of the title \"Yankee\"!
(2)He genuinely(truly, really, surely, etc.) deserves to be called a \"Yankee\"!
(3)He proves himself to be a genuine(real, true, etc.) \"Yankee\"!

Following the above remarks, we may conclusively say somthing like
\" We are proud of him!\"

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Note added at 2002-08-25 18:19:43 (GMT)
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Sorry for the typo: something.

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Note added at 2002-08-25 18:25:41 (GMT)
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PS. Here, the implied meaning of \"他真不愧是美国佬!\" IS
\"ONLY A YANKEE COULD DO IT!\".

e.g.---- Who can speak accent-free American English?
---- Only a Yankee could do it!

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Note added at 2002-08-25 21:42:37 (GMT)
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If, however, the original sentence contains a satire in it, then your proposed version \"Only a Yankee could do it.\" would be the best one. In that case, we usually say \"真愧美国佬干得出来!\"(I bet we seldom use \"真不愧\" to say sth. negative about someone in normal circumstances.\")


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Note added at 2002-08-25 21:51:24 (GMT)
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若原小说采用的是讽刺文体,则我们这里所列的含褒义的译句均不适用。请使用您原来的译文, 因为我目前还没想出比“Only a Yankee could do it.” 更好的译法!

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Note added at 2002-08-25 23:38:01 (GMT)
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此处, “Only a Yankee could do it.\" 意思是\"真亏美国佬干得出来\".以上例句中含打印错误,是\"真亏\",不是\"真愧\", 请包涵!

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Note added at 2002-08-27 23:13:59 (GMT)
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Hi, Bruce. Please refer to my answer to your other question(s). Undoubtedly, here \"the third person\" should be used.

Chinoise
Local time: 09:36
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in pair: 1543

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Li-chuan Yen
1 day 32 mins
  -> Thanks!
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Several choices here


Explanation:
Several choices here

assuming this is he, not they:
He is not called a Yankee for nothing.

He sure has proved himself to be a Yankee.

He sure lives up to the name of a Yankee.

He deserves to be called a Yankee.
(Personally, I do not like this one although it may seem to be a more direct and close translation.)



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Note added at 2002-08-25 10:09:13 (GMT)
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\"Only a Yankee could do it\"可有两种意思:
只有美国佬才能做到这一点。(Somewhat Commendatory, 褒义)
只有美国佬才会做出这种事。(clearly derogatory, 贬义)

虽然两者的引申意义里多少都有一点“真不愧是美国佬”的意思(前者为正面,后者为反语),但毕竟不是原句的翻译。

Libin PhD
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in pair: 326

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Li-chuan Yen
16 hrs
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2 days 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"That's a Yank for you!"


Explanation:
Hi Bruce, firstly I agree with much of what said above. However, does the word "美国佬" necessarily have to be Yankee. It would seem that Yank is much more commonly used. I feel this sentence could be either laudatory or derogatory and I have heard 不愧为 used in an ironic sense before. If the sentence is ironic then I might translate it as above. If it is said in approbation then another possibility is "There's an American for you!" Just another idea. Regards, Dave

David Rockell (X)
PRO pts in pair: 23
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you. Greetings, David. Well done. Better thought out than my original...
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"That's a Yank for you!"


Explanation:
Hi Bruce, firstly I agree with much of what said above. However, does the word "美国佬" necessarily have to be Yankee. It would seem that Yank is much more commonly used. I feel this sentence could be either laudatory or derogatory and I have heard 不愧为 used in an ironic sense before. If the sentence is ironic then I might translate it as above. If it is said in approbation then another possibility is "There's an American for you!" Just another idea. Regards, Dave

David Rockell (X)
PRO pts in pair: 23
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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