Tsong Kit - Lesson II-8b Grammar

１１）很多國家的人都會說英文，所以人們都說：「英文是世界語。」	Many people from many nations speak English, so people say, "English is a world language". Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ說Ｃ，所以Ｂ都說ＤwhereＤis something that Ｂsays, as a result of Ａsaying Ｃ. In this case Ｄappears as a quoted statement that appears to be an often heard cliché -- namely, that "English is a world language". The adverb 都 contributes to the logical flow of the sentence. What is spoken by one, leads to what is said by another. Note 2: Of particular interest is use of the word 說 as it is rendered in English as both speak and say. In parts Ａand C, 說 refers to the language that is spoken -- namely, 英文（English）. In parts ＢandＤ說 refers to what is said -- namely, 「英文是世界語。」This nuance is a problem for native Chinese speakers who often fail to distinguish between speak and say when rendering Chinese thoughts into English expression. Note 3: How one interprets the expression 很多國家的人 is also crucial to the translation of this sentence part. As the phrase 很多國家的人 could be read as （很多國家的）人 or as 很多（國家的）人, it is unclear whether 很多 refers to 國家 or 人. As the same word often plays two separate and different grammatical roles in a Chinese sentence, the term 很多 could refer to both In the absence of grammatical duality, however, how one interprets the character 國 is important, as it generally refers to things pertaining to one's own nation. For example, a Hong Konger who utters the word 國語 usually refers to the nationally spoken language of China 普通話, not his own mother tongue. I have interpreted the sentence using the dual grammatical role approach, as it is conceptually reasonable that what holds true for Chinese can also hold true for the peoples of other nations. Moreover, it conforms to the popular myth that English is the world's univeral language. Note 4: The phrase 人們 is the plural of person, and can thus be interpreted here as people in general. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1379113
１２）請你把這些東西包起來，送到黃先生的家裏去，可以嗎？	Excuse me, please. Could you wrap these few things and send them to Mr. Wong's home? Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is 請你Ａ，可以嗎？where Ａis something that the speakers asks the listener to perform, and 請 and 可以嗎 work together to soften the request. Note 2: The base pattern of the requested item is 你把Ｂ包起來，送到Ｃ去, where Ｂis what the speaker would have the listener 你 send 送 to some destination 到Ｃ去. The construction 把Ｂsignals the listener that the direct object of the verb 包起來 has been placed in front of the verb and that Ｂis not the subject of passive voice construction. Placing the direct object before its verb places emphasis on the object. The three characters 包起來 apparently work together to mean wrap, wrap up, or pack for the purpose of shipping, transport, or storage. Note 3: The phrase 這些東西 means "these few things". The character 些 apparently takes the place of the counter for 東西 and provides information about the number of things/objects 東西 to be sent. Note 4: The destination C is the residence 家裏 of Mr. Wong 黃先生. Apparently, 家裏 is a general term used to designate a person's dwelling. Thus, words like home, house, apartment, flat, and residence would all be appropriate here depending on the nature of the person's residence. Also, it apparently makes no difference whether the person lives alone or with other members of his family. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1380987 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1380989 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1380991
１３）他情願把錢存放在家裏、不情願把錢存放在銀行裏。	He prefers to keep his money at home, rather than in a bank. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence Ａ情願Ｂ，不情願Ｃ, where Ｂis something that Ａprefers over Ｃ. Note 2: The base pattern of the verb phrase expressing what the speaker would rather do is given by 把Ｄ存放在Ｅ裏, where Ｄis something 錢 (money) that the speaker's reference 他 keeps or stores 存放 in a place designated by 在Ｅ裏 (the person's home). Once again, we observe the construction 把Ｄsignaling that Ｄis a direct object to the verb that follows. Note 3: The base pattern for the verb phrase expressing what the speaker would rather not do is given by 把錢存放在銀行裏. Although nearly identical in pattern to the previous phrase, 銀行 (bank) replaces 家 in the phrase 在Ｅ裏. Note 4: Apparently the character 愿 can take the place of 願 in the phrase 情願. Also note, that constructions 情願Ｂand 不情願Ｃ apparently require that Ｂand Ｃtake the form of a verb phrase. By way of example, one can write 我情願呆在家裏，不情願到外面去擠（I prefer to say at home, rather than fight the crowd). Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1381947
１４）去外國旅行，多帶些美金利便些，你喜歡帶多少便帶多少吧！	When travelling overseas the more US dollars you take the better. Take as many as you think you might require. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ，你Ｃ吧！where Ａand Ｂtogether establish a condition with which the speaker justifies his recommendation to the listener -- in this case to performＣ. The degree to which the condition and the recommendation are conceptually linked determines the grammatical interpretation. For example, if the condition Ａ，Ｂ holds for everyone, then one should probably consider the presence of two subjects: one that is indefinite and understood for parts Ａ and Ｂ; and one that is the listener given by the pronoun 你. Alternatively, one may consider the listener 你 to be the sole subject of the entire sentence, whereupon the grammatical relationship among all parts, Ａ, Ｂ, and Ｃ, changes. This explanation opts for the former interpretation and includes two subjects. Note 2: Part Ａof the condition Ａ，Ｂ is a verb phrase whose base pattern is given by 去Ｄ旅行. Ｄis the place to where one goes 去 when one travels 旅行. Here, the destination for travel is some country or number of countries different from the one in which one resides -- namely, 外國 (outside of the country, overseas, abroad). This phrase can be translated as the gerund to an understood, indefinite subject; as a subjunctive clause employed as an adverbial modifier of time and/or place; or as an independent introductory phrase. Note 3: The base pattern for part B of the condition is given by 多Ｅ些ＦＧ些 where Ｇ些 is a predicate adjective to the nominalized verb phrase 多Ｅ些Ｆ consisting of the verb 帶 and its direct object 美金. The verb phrase 多Ｅ些Ｆmeans "doing ＥＦmore". The adjectival phrase Ｇ些 means "more Ｇ". Together, they mean "doing more ＥＦ is more Ｇ. So, taking more US dollars 多帶些美金 is more convenient, more useful, or handier 利便些. Note 4: The base pattern for part Ｃis given by Ｈ喜歡Ｊ便Ｊ吧 where Ｊis an unspecifed something that Ｈ would like to perform and is encouraged to perform by the speaker. In this case, the listener 你 wants to take 帶 US dollars 美金, but does not know how many 多少 to take. Based on the condition set out in Ａ，Ｂ the speaker tells the listener to take however many the listener would like to take. Other examples of this base pattern are provided below: i) 他想上哪兒便上哪兒好了。 Here, 哪兒 expresses an unknown location -- in effect, any location where the subject of the sentence may be thinking of going 想上 and the speaker would, of course, approve 好了. ii) 你打算怎麼辦就怎麼辦吧。 Here, 怎麼辦 expresses an unspecified way of doing something -- in effect, any way that the listener may be planning 打算 to do. Notice that 便 and 就 are interchangeable in these contexts. iii) 你想玩兒多久就玩兒多久唄。 Here, 多久 expresses an unknown length of time -- in effect, as long as the listener may like to spend. Note 5: A less colloquial way of expressing the base pattern set out in Note 4 replaces the recurrent pattern with the phrase 都可以. For example, rather than writing 你喜歡帶多少便帶多少吧！write 你喜歡帶多少都可以吧！ Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1383477 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1385163 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1385165 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1385169
１５）他有很多錢存放在銀行，所以利息越高，他的錢越多。	He has a lot of money and deposits it in a bank. So, as interest rates rise, his money grows. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is given by Ａ，所以Ｂwhere Ｂis something that occurs as a direct result of Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern for part Ａ is given by Ｃ有Ｄ存放Ｅwhere Ｄis something that Ａhas, and that he keeps at location Ｅ. Ｄand Ｅare the direct objects of the verbs 有 and 存放, respectively. The single verb 存放 is composed of two the two smaller verbs 存 and 放. 存 has several meanings including exist and keep safe. 放 means to place, put, or set. Thus, the subject 他 has 有 a lot of money 很多錢 that he keeps 在放 in a bank 銀行. Note 3: The base pattern of part Ｂis of the form Ｆ越Ｈ，Ｇ越Ｊwhere Ｆand Ｇ are two things that increase in Ｈand Ｊ, respectively and together. In this case, interest rates 利息 rise 越高, and the money in the bank 錢 increases 越多. Two examples of similar construction using positive, increasing metaphors are given below: i) 肥料越多，庄稼越壯。 The crops grow stronger with more fertilizer. ii) 團結越強，成果越好。 The results improve with stronger unity. Notice that the Chinese construction is nearly the exact opposite of the English construction. In Chinese what changes is present first, and the nature of the change is presented last. Also important is that in Chinese the ＨandＪ in the phrasing 越Ｈ and 越Ｊ are adjectives, and when combined with 越 can assume the meaing of English verbs. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1387201
１６）有的人喜歡金表，有的人喜歡金魚，你喜歡甚麼？我兩樣都喜歡。	Some people like gold watches, some people like goldfish. Which do you like? I like both. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is 「有的他Ａ，有的人Ｂ，你Ｃ？我Ｄ。」where Ａ and Ｂare things that different people do. They are provided as alternatives to elicit information about what the listener does -- namely, Ｃ. Ｄis what the speaker does and is offered to narrow the range of alternative responses from the listener. In this particular instance Ａ, Ｂ, Ｃ, and Ｄall have to do with what people like. Unfortunately, the question posed by the speaker and his constraining statement do not match grammatically. The question 「你喜歡甚麼？」means "What do you like?" The statement 「我兩樣都喜歡。」means "I like both." By stating that he likes both the speaker binds the listener in a way not suggested by the speaker's question. This suggests that the sentence is poorly written. If the speaker truly wanted to know which of the two alternatives mentioned in Ａ and Ｂthe listener likes, then he could have asked more clearly in any of the following ways: i) 你喜歡哪個？ ii) 你喜歡哪樣？, or perhaps even iii) 只要你可以，你甚麼都喜歡。 Note 2: The phrase 有的人 is of the form 有的Ｅwhere Ｅcan be anything of which only a portion is represented. Literally, it means something akin to "there are those who". Another example, using this same pattern is 有的時. Whereas 有的人 means "some people", 有的時 means "sometime(s)". Note 3: The phrase 兩樣 means both. It clearly refers to the two alternatives offered by Ａand Ｂ. It means something akin to "both ways" -- i.e., both of the possible alternatives. Note 4: The phrases 金表 and 金魚 mean gold watch and goldfish, respectively. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1388524
１７）他有二十八間銀行，所以人人都說他是有名的銀行家。	He owns 28 banks and is therefore known as a famous banker. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，所以Ｂ, where Ｂis a stated conclusion based on some known fact Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern of this known fact is given by Ｃ有Ｄwhere Ｄis something that Ｃhas. In this case Ｃis the well-known banker 他 introduced in the second part of the sentence as 有名的銀行家. What the banker has are 28 banks expressed by the phrase 二十八間銀行. The exact meaning of 有 is unclear in this context, and the word is probably thus best rendered as has. Note 3: The base pattern for the second part of the sentence is 人人都說Ｅwhere Ｅis something that most people say. In this case, that the person mentioned as 他 in the first part of the sentence is 是 a very well known banker 有名的銀行家. Note 4: The adjectival phrase 有名的 is not new. Note 5: The noun pattern Ｆ家, manifested by 銀行家, is common and expresses the notion of an expert or master in some area of knowledge or skilled training. Note 6: The phrases 人人都說 and 有人說 do not express the same meaning. Whereas the first expresses an idea shared by most everyone, the second expresses a notion of considerable doubt. Note 7: The unit for each digit is expressed. One does not merely write 二八, rather one writes 二十八間 where 十 is the unit for the second digit 八, and 間 is the unit for the first digit 八. Although the unit for the first digit can vary from noun to noun, its grammatical role is always the same; it provides the unit for the first digit. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1390391
１８）記者問醫生：「病人的名字你都記得嗎？」醫生說：「病人太多，我記不得。」	A journalist asks a physician, "Do you remember all the names of your patients?", and the physician replies, "There are too many patients for me to remember". Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ問Ｂ：「Ｃ？」Ｂ說「Ｄ。」where Ａ and Ｂ are two parties to a conversation described by the speaker, and Ｃand Ｄare the question and answer provided by the asker Ａand the respondent Ｂ, respectively. The punctuation of the question and answer are included in the angle brackets. The tense of the entire conversation, including the narrative that introduces the question and answer, is given in the present tense. There is simply no indication of time provided anywhere. Note 2: The base pattern of the question is Ａ問Ｂ「Ｃ？」and follows a pattern very similar to that of English in which the receiver of the question (indirect object) appears before what is being asked (direct object). In this case, Ａis a journalist 記者 who asks a question 問 of Ｂwho is a physician 醫生. Note 3: The base pattern of the question is of the form ＥＢ都記得？where Ｅis the direct object of the verb 記得, and 醫生 and 你 are synonymous with Ｂ. The placement of the direct object before its verb is likely for emphasis. The adverbial modifier 都 corresponds to the direct object Ｅand the verb 記得 and means all. Note 4: The base pattern of the reply Ｂ說「Ｄ。」 is very similar to that of the question, but with no indirect object. Note 5: The base pattern of the reply is composed of two coordinate clauses that assume the form ＥＦ，Ｂ記不得. Once again, Ｂis synonymous with the physician 醫生 who is asked and, in this sentence part, answers the question. ＥＦ consists of a subject 病人 (patients) and a predicate adjective 太多 (too many) telling how many patients there are. Notice that the proper negation of the physicians' ability to remember is 記不得, not 不記得. Note 6: The word 名字 likely refers to both the spoken and written forms of the physician's patients' names including both surname and given names. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1393060
１９）這個地方有幾千個學者，可是只有一個學校，你說奇怪不奇怪？	This place has thousands of scholars, but only one school. Don't you find it odd? Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，可是Ｂ，你說Ｃ不Ｃ？ where Ａand Ｂare two contradictory facts that lead the speaker to an uncertain conclusion expressed by the question 你說Ｃ不Ｃ？ The question 你說Ｃ不Ｃ？is a rhetorical question that is used to cast doubt rather evoke an answer. Hence, the likely absence of a post-question particle. Note 2: The base pattern of part A is given by Ｄ有Ｅwhere Ｄis a location that has some number of Ｅ. The location is given by 這個地方 which means this place, region, or area, and the number of what is present at this location is given by 幾千個學者 (several thousand scholars) Note 3: The base pattern of part B is given by 只有Ｆ, where Ｆis something that exists in the absence of any thing else like it. In this there is only one school 一個學校. The counter 個 is probably used to indicate a school consisting of many buildings. Note 4: The word 奇怪 is often translated as strange, but can also be rendered as odd or unusual -- namely, something out of the ordinary and somewhat intimidating because it cannot be easily explained. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1394741 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1394747
２０）香港很多道路車子都不能通過，香港的交通眞不太好！	Hong Kong has many roads for which passage is simply not possible by car. As a result the traffic in Hong Kong is really bad. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is ＡＢ，Ｃwhere Ａand Ｂare two facts, and Ｃis a conclusion that the speaker reaches based on these two facts. Note 2: The base pattern for the first of these two facts --- namely, 香港很多道路 -- is difficult to establish, as it follows no heretofore examined grammatical pattern. If a base pattern does exist, then it would probably be Ｄ有Ｅ. It is apparently common, even in written Chinese, to simply omit grammatical elements that in English would be considered essential. The meaning is simply that Hong Kong 香港 has 有 many roads 很多道路. Note 3: The base pattern for Part Ｂ follows the following syntax -- Ｆ都不能Ｇ where even Ｇis something that Ｆis unable to do. The phrase 都不能 can be rendered as "cannot even". In this case, passage 通過 is something that cars 車子 are simply unable to achieve 都不能. Note 4: The base pattern of the speaker's conclusion is given by an already very familiar pattern -- namely, ＨＪwhereＪis the predicate adjective of a modified subject 交通 to a clause 香港的交通真不太好. In other words the traffic (getting from one place to another) 交通 of Hong Kong 香港的 is truly very bad 真不太好. Note 5: The two characters 真 and 眞 are apparently equivalent in meaning. Note 6: Although probably not necessary for a Chinese, placing a comma between the two clauses 香港很多道路 and 車子都不能通過 would likely improve everyone's ease of understanding. As there are no clearly stated logical connections between the three sentence parts, it is difficult to know how to render them as a single unit. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1396308 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1397724