文法a

１）坐的士的那位男士不是一個醫生就是一個畫家。	The gentleman in the taxi is either an artist or a doctor. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ不是Ｂ就是Ｃ, where Ｂand Ｃ are two things that Ａ could be, but the speaker is unsure as to which is Ａ. The key pattern is 不是Ｂ就是Ｃwhich expresses the idea of "either ... or ....", "one or the other, but none other". Note 2a: The base pattern of the sentence part 坐的士的那位男士 is Ｂ的那位Ａ, where the sentence part Ｂ的 is used to modify Ａ. In this case, Ａis a gentleman 男士 in a taxi 士的. Note 2b: The phrase 那位男士 refers to a specific gentleman identified by the definite article 那 and honorific counter 位. One might wonder why the phrase 那位 was not placed before the relative clause 坐的士的. Perhaps it is to make clear that it is the gentleman, rather than the taxi, that is honorable. Note 2c: How to translate the relative clause 坐的士的 is not entirely clear, as one is not sure whether the individual is boarding, riding, or just sitting in the taxi. Note 3: The subjects of the verb phrases 不是一個醫生 and 就是一個畫家 are, of course, the gentleman in the taxi. Note 4: The phrases 一個醫生 and 一個畫家 indicate a specific person, as opposed to some individual or number of people. Nevertheless, can one not wonder why the author did not simply write 不是醫生就是畫家? Perhaps it was to maintain good logical flow -- namely, 一位，．． 一個. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1304849
２）黃先生一見了心上人就很開心，做事也很有信心。	Just after seeing his lover Mr. Wong is very happy and moves with confidence. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence appears to be Ａ一Ｂ了Ｃ就Ｄ，Ｅ, where Ｄand Ｅare two conditions that follow directly from Ａ having performed Ｂ了Ｃ. The pattern Ｂ了Ｃ is that of completed verb and its object. The key grammatical pattern in this sentence is Ａ一Ｆ就G where Ｇis something that follows directly after Ｆ. It is not clear whether the finality of the verb phrase expressed by 了 is required. Note 2: So, what is that precipates conditions Ｄ and Ｅ? Is it not that of Mr. Wong having seen his lover -- namely, 黃先生見了心上人. Note 3: The first result of Mr. Wong seeing his lover is, of course, his extreme happiness 很開心. The second result is far less clear, however. Whereas the phrase 很開心 unmistakeably refers back to Mr. Wong in the form of a predicate adjective, the grammar of the sentence parts that follow this reference becomes muddled. Note 4: Just what parts of speech do the phrases 做事 and 很有信心 play in this sentence, anyway? Are 做事 and 有信心 not both verb phrases? If so, then how would they fit logically together. For nearly complete lack of understanding of the grammatical structure here, 做事 has been ascribed meaning and use far more general than that of simply "work" Note 4: Whereas this interpretation is probably closer to the meaning intended by the author, as it is more difficult to provide a very convincing grammatical argument, it is listed as second. Note 5: The construction 有信心 in the phrase 很有信心 is reminiscent of the construction 有錢 which means rich. This suggests that the phrase 有信心 is also employed as an adjective meaning confident. Note 6: 心上人 means lover, girlfriend, or boyfriend. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1298636
３）做人的目的是甚麼？有的人為了錢，有的人為了名、我為了她。	What do people live for? Some do it for wealth and others for fame. I do it for her. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence consists of a question posed and answered by the speaker. The question is of the form Ａ是甚麼？ which is simply the question format of the statement Ａ是Ｂ. The answers to the question Ａ是甚麼？are all of the form Ｃ為了Ｄ, where the expression 為了 can be interpreted to mean "do it for". Note 2: The phrase 做人的目的 can be misleading and depends on one's interpretation of 做人. If there is one thing this chapter has to teach us, it is the wide variety of meanings the Chinese character 做 can assume. In this context it appears to translate best as "being", and when combined with 人 in the form 做人 "being human". Note 3: No matter how one interprets the expression 為了, either as purpose or motivation, it provides the reason why people live. What is the exact meaning of 了 in this context is unclear. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1305745
４）沒有人是十全十美的，誰都會做錯事，也會不知不覺做了壞事。	No one is perfect. Those who make simple mistakes can also commit serious wrongs unaware. Note 1: The base pattern is Ａ，誰都會Ｂ，也會Ｃ, where Ａis an assertion whose justification is given by 誰都會Ｂ，也會Ｃ. Although written as one sentence and forming a single thought in Chinese, the logical transition from the assertion to its logical consequence is missing. Thus, one must either insert a transitionary element or rewrite the sentence as two sentences. Note 2: The base pattern for the assertion is Ａ是Ｂ的Ａ where the second occurence of Ａhas been omitted. In this case Ａrefers to the absence of anyone - i.e., no one 沒有人. Ｂ的 is a quality of the absent anyone -- namely, 十全十美. The construction Ｂ的Ａ should be very familiar by now. It is that of an adjectival phrase which precedes the noun it modifies. Note 3: The base pattern of the justification 誰都會Ｂ，也會Ｃis curious insofar as the adverbs indicating grammatical redundancy are not the same. In the first case appears the word 都 and in the second case the word 也. It is unclear whether this is intended for aesthetic variation or simply an error in parallel construction. Note 4: The constructions 做錯 and 做壞事 are grammatically identical and of the form 做Ｄ meaning "perform Ｄ". Note 5: The construction 不知不覺 is apparently a fixed phrase meaning unaware or unconscious. Here it is used as an adverb describing how the wrong is performed. Note 6: Another curious occurence is that of the verb suffix after 了. Why does it occur after 做 in the expression 做壞事, but not after 做 in the expression 做錯. Does it imply a finality from which one cannot easily recover, or simply the end of a series of events -- namely, the mistake and then the wrongdoing. Note 7: A more literal translation might be: No one is perfect. He who makes an innocent mistake, can also unconsciously perform a serious wrong. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1299636
５）他全校都找過了，但是找不到那個找錢給他的人。	He searched the entire school, but could not find the person who had given him the change. Note 1: Ａ了，但是Ｂ, where Ｂis a contrary result to what one might expect having once completed Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern of the first part of this sentence appears to Ａ全Ｂ都Ｃ了, where 全Ｂis a place searched Ｃ了 by Ａ. Is it not the case that 全校 is the direct object of the verb 找過 and has been placed before the verb for emphasis? This placement appears particularly convenient insofar as 全 and 都 serve together to express the same overriding idea of entirety. Should we not expect this pattern to repeat itself in the future? Note 3: The base pattern of the second part is Ａ不找到Ｃ, where Ｃis the direct object of the verb phrase Ｂ到 which means to find. Note 4: The direct object 那個找錢給他的人 contains the relative clause 找錢給他的. The base pattern thus becomes 那個Ｅ的Ｄ, where Ｅ的 is a relative clause describing the noun 人. What is noteworthy here is the use of the article 那. It does not have the meaning of that in the sense of this 這 and that 那, rather it plays the role of a definite article telling which person -- namely, the one who changed the person's money. Note 5: A further note about the phrase 那個找錢給他的人. Since the person who changed the speaker's money had done so before the speaker initiated his search, the phrasing "who had given him the change" is more appropriate than "who gave him the change". This suggests that the author's Chinese could be improved by writing 那個找過錢給他的人, or even 那個找了錢給他的人. Then too, the author's rendering is probably not unusual for Chinese speakers, as it is often the listener or reader who must fill in the grammatical holes of the speaker or writer with his own good, but unfortunately not always correct, common sense. Note 6: The word order of the relative clause is also noteworthy as the verb 找錢 occurs before the verb phrase 給他. Is it not because the phrase 給他 is used here as an indirect object, and 他 is the receiver of the action 找錢. Note 7: 找錢 in this context means "give change". It apparently means the same as 找零錢 and refers to the act of returning the remainder 余額 from overpayment during a transaction. (See Special Topics for further discussion of the use of this expression.) Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1300495 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1307625
６）身體比錢還重要，要是有很多錢但是身體不好，也是沒有用的。	Your health is more important than your wealth, because you cannot make good use of the latter in the absence of the former. Note 1: What sometimes works so logically well in written Chinese, can appear grammatically very awkward in English. The base pattern of this sentence appears as follows: Ａ，要是Ｂ，但是Ｃ，也是Ｄ, where Ａ is an assertion, whose justification is given by 要是Ｂ，但是分，也是Ｄ. The justification follows logically as: If ＢandＣare both true, where Ｃis contrary to Ｂ, then Ｄmust also be true. The absence of a comma between the sentence parts 要是有很多錢 and 但是身體不好 is probably to make it clear that these two phrases hang together to form the result 也是沒有用的. Note 2: The assertion Ａ is a comparison 比 of two things; body (health) 身禮 and money (or wealth) 錢. In comparing the speaker claims that health is more important 重要 than money. The base pattern of this sentence part is Ｅ比Ｆ還Ｇ. The character 還 is used for structural emphasis and can be omitted with no loss of meaning. Note 3: The subject of the justification is indefinite and understood. The justification is given as a general truth that applies to everyone. Note 4: The two expressions 有很多錢 and 沒有用 appear to be grammatically parallel insofar as both are verb phrases of the form 有Ｈ and 沒有Ｋ. This parallel construction suggests that the word 的 has neither syntactical, nor semantic utility, and should be omitted. Note 5: The subjects of the two verb phrases appear to be different, undefined, and assumed. 人有很多錢 and 錢沒有用. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1301672
７）這是全體的事，我們每個人都應該關心才對。	This is a matter for everyone. It is only right that each of us should be concerned. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ才對, where Ａ is an assertion and Ｂis the logical consequence of that assertion which the speaker believes everyone should accept. Note 2: The base pattern of the assertion is 這是Ｃwhere Ｃserves as a predicate noun to the demonstrative pronoun 這. In this case Ｃis a matter 事 that involves everyone 全體的. Note 3: 全體 refers to the whole body meaning everyone. Note 4: The base pattern for the logical consequence is Ｄ應該Ｅ, whereＥrefers to something that the speaker believes that Ｄshould do, as the logical consequence of Ａ. Note 5: The pattern 我們每個人都Ｆshould be very familiar by now. 我們 (we) and 每個人 (each person) when written together mean "each and everyone of us". Furthermore, whatever action or state implied by Ｆthat action or state applied to everyone 都Ｆ. Note 6: 開心 can be translated in many different ways. Perhaps here the best translation is "be concerned". Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1302488
８）洗手間裏的電燈壞了，要是你怕黑，最好不要進去。	The light in the washroom has gone out. If you are afraid of the dark, it is best not to enter. Note 1: The base pattern to this sentence is Ａ了，Ｂ, where Ａ is some change of condition that necessitates some other condition or response. Note 2: The change in condition is, of course, the light bulb 電燈 in the washroom 洗手間裏 that has gone bad壞了. Note 3: The phrase 洗手間裏 is of the patternＣ裏 and means inside Ｃ, and the phrase 洗手間裏的 is used to describe which light bulb 電燈 has gone bad. Note 4: The base pattern for the second part of the Chinese sentence is 要是Ｄ，最好Ｅ, where Ｅis an action that the listener should take, if indeed Ｄis true. Note 5: The phrase 要是你怕黑 means, of course, "if you are afraid of the dark". The phrase 怕黑 appears to be an irregular. Sometimes it is treated, as if it were a simple verb phrase with separation of verb and object. Other times it is treated as a fixed verbal phrase with no separation. For example, one may write 你怕不怕黑呀？ meaning "Aren't you afraid of the dark?" but one may not write 我怕了黑 meaning "I have grown afraid of the dark"; rather, one must write 我變得怕黑. Now compare the above inconsistency with more regular Chinese phrasing, such as 我吃飯, 你吃不吃飯呀？, and 我吃了飯。 Note 6: The base pattern for the speaker's recommendation 最好不要進去 is 最好Ｆ, where Ｆis the recommended action -- namely, "You do not have to enter". Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1304385
９）我相信他是病了，因為他對吃飯，旅行，畫畫一點兒興趣都沒有了。	I believe he is sick, because he has lost all interest in eating, travelling, or painting. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，因為Ｂ, where Ａ is an assertion that the speaker justifies by what he has observed -- namely, Ｂ. Note 2: The base pattern for the assertion is Ｃ相信Ｄ, where Ｃ相信 indicates that Ｃis expressing his opinion or belief about a matter. Ｄis of course that matter. Note 3: The base pattern of the matterＥ是Ｆ了 is of particular interest, because Ｆis not a predicate noun telling us what Ｅis, rather it is an adjective that describes Ｅ's state. This pattern is apparently common. For example, it reappears in phrases like 你一定是瞎了 (You must be blind) or 我想你是瘋了 (I think you are crazy). Note 4: The base pattern for the justification is somewhat difficult to extract, as nearly all of the parts appear important. So, we will break it up into to pieces: one with which we are already familiar Ｇ對Ｈ有興趣 and one that is new 一點兒Ｋ都沒有了. In the first of these 對Ｈ refers to the things in which Ｇ has an interest 有興趣. In this particular Ｇ's interest are eating 吃飯, travelling 旅行, and painting 畫畫. Ｇ's interests are not current, however. This we learn from the pattern 一點兒Ｋ都沒有了, where Ｋis something that was, but is no more (not at all). Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1303663
１０）從我的家到學校去很方便,可以走路,可以坐電車，也可以坐的士。	From my home to school is not a problem. I can walk, ride the train, or take a cab. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence appears to be Ａ方便，可以Ｂ，可以Ｃ，也可以Ｄ. In particular, one should note the how the series 可以Ｂ，可以Ｃ，也可以Ｄ is constructed. One the one hand, it follows a typically English pattern similar to B, C, and D -- namely, Ｂ，Ｃ，也Ｄ. On the other hand, it follows a typically Chinese pattern by repeating the same modal word three times -- namely, 可以. Note 2: So, what is 方便, anyway? It is not the route 從Ｅ到Ｆ去 from the speaker's home 我的家 to his school 學校？It would appear that the extended verb phrase 從我的家到學校去 has been nominalized, and the phrase 很方便 employed as an adjective to described the nominalization. But where is the nominalizer? Can 方便 be employed as an adverb? Note 3: 走路 surely means to walk, and we have already seen the pattern 座Ｇ many times to mean "board", "ride", "take" or even "climb in" or "climb onto".

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