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老乡或者同乡

English translation: from the same hometown

08:18 Jul 8, 2008
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Chinese term or phrase: 老乡或者同乡
请问“老乡”或者“同乡”英文又没有固定翻译？想了很久没有找到合适对应的英文。请教了。谢谢。

Would really appreciate any suggestion for the equivalent English words for "老乡" or "同乡". Millions of thanks.
eleanorye
Local time: 14:48
English translation:from the same hometown
Explanation:
In normal spoken American English we'd say "he and I are from the same hometown" or "we're from the same hometown." If the reference is to a country it'd be spoken "he and I are from the same country" or "we're from the same country."

We don't use words like "fellow villager" or "fellow countryman" in normal speech (or in common writing, for that matter)... They sound too bucolic, the former, and absurdly formal, the latter.
Selected response from:

Aaron Gilkison (X)
United States
Local time: 00:48
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +6from the same hometown
Aaron Gilkison (X)
3 +3It really depends
Jason Ma
4townee
shelley tan
4county fellow
George Guo
3countrymen
William He
3from my hometown
Mark Chen


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
countrymen


Explanation:
FYI！

William He
China
Local time: 12:48
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
from my hometown


Explanation:
可避开老乡可以是男的也可以是女(用man还是woman)的问题

Mark Chen
Local time: 12:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in category: 4
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
It really depends


Explanation:
a fellow townsman: a person from the same town as yourself.
home folks: folks from your own home town.
fellow-villager: people from your own villager.
countryman (/men): A person from one's own country

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16分钟 (2008-07-08 08:34:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

old folks, as in Stephen Foster's famous song "Old Folks at Home"
'Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far far away,
There's where my heart is turning ever,
There's where the old folks stay.
All up and down the whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for the old plantation,
And for the old folks at home
...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17分钟 (2008-07-08 08:35:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry for the typo: fellow-villager: people from your own **village**, instead of **villager**.

Jason Ma
China
Local time: 12:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Aaron Gilkison (X)
19 mins
  -> Thanks, Aaron.
agree  Fang Sheng
6 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  ricochu0311: I like "old folks"
8 hrs
  -> Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +6
from the same hometown


Language variant: American English

Explanation:
In normal spoken American English we'd say "he and I are from the same hometown" or "we're from the same hometown." If the reference is to a country it'd be spoken "he and I are from the same country" or "we're from the same country."

We don't use words like "fellow villager" or "fellow countryman" in normal speech (or in common writing, for that matter)... They sound too bucolic, the former, and absurdly formal, the latter.

Aaron Gilkison (X)
United States
Local time: 00:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 11
Grading comment
Thank you very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jason Ma
10 mins
  -> thank you!
agree  Bea Geenen
3 hrs
  -> thanks, Bea!
agree  Denyce Seow
5 hrs
  -> thank you, Denyce!
agree  Caroline Moreno
6 hrs
  -> thank you, Caroline!
agree  AliceChen: agree
16 hrs
  -> thanks, Alice
agree  ukheidi
1 day 6 hrs
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
townee


Explanation:
构词法翻译

shelley tan
Local time: 12:48
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
county fellow


Explanation:
county fellow

George Guo
China
Local time: 12:48
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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