Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
一個很好學的人
English translation:
one very studious person
Added to glossary by
Roddy Stegemann
Aug 29, 2006 01:59
17 yrs ago
Chinese term
United States
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Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, Japanese to English, French to English, and 3 more.
一個很好學的人
Chinese to English
Social Sciences
Education / Pedagogy
Grammatikalische Analyse (Grammatical Analysis)
Sentence: 他是一個很好學的人，白天做事，晚上還到夜校去。
1st Attempt: He is one very studious person. During the day he works, and in the evening he goes to night school.
Question: This is not a very challenging sentence, so I do not want to spend a lot of time with it. Still, it is a good opportunity to check my rendering of 一個.
Indeed, translating the phrase 一個很好學的人 as "one very studious person" may be adding emphasis that is not implied by the Chinese. Would it be more proper to write "a very studious person"?
If so, then how does one typically write "one very studious person" in Chinese?
As always you are welcome to comment on any part of my translation or offer one of your own. Please do not forget to answer the designated question for the entry, however.
Reference: http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p...
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
1st Attempt: He is one very studious person. During the day he works, and in the evening he goes to night school.
Question: This is not a very challenging sentence, so I do not want to spend a lot of time with it. Still, it is a good opportunity to check my rendering of 一個.
Indeed, translating the phrase 一個很好學的人 as "one very studious person" may be adding emphasis that is not implied by the Chinese. Would it be more proper to write "a very studious person"?
If so, then how does one typically write "one very studious person" in Chinese?
As always you are welcome to comment on any part of my translation or offer one of your own. Please do not forget to answer the designated question for the entry, however.
Reference: http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p...
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | Another very good question |
franksf
|
| 4 +2 | IMHO |
Philip Tang
|
Proposed translations
+1
42 mins
Selected
Another very good question
Should 一個 be emphasized in the English translation? I think that Hamo has raised another excellent question. In my very humble opinion, it depends on the original Chinese expression. Generally speaking, articles corresponding to "the" and "a(n)" do not have to show up in Chinese, so if they do then they had better be emphasized in the English translation.
My very humble rule of thumb is the following: 他是很好學的人 --> He is a very studious person. 他是一個很好學的人 --> He is one very studious person, which often implies that he is one of those very studious people or he is among those very studious people.
My very humble rule of thumb is the following: 他是很好學的人 --> He is a very studious person. 他是一個很好學的人 --> He is one very studious person, which often implies that he is one of those very studious people or he is among those very studious people.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Final Rendering: He is one very studious person. During the day he works, and in the evening he goes to night school.
Acknowledgment: I would like to thank both Communease and franksf for their very adequate responses. Although I found franksf's response more complete, Communease was first. Nevertheless, there was only a 3-minute gap and franksf did provide more insight.
My thanks also to willmatter and Chinoise for their confirmatory support. As a result of this question I discovered another perhaps less plausible reason for the use of 一個. In any case, I will be on the look-out in the future, and am very satisfied with everyone's answer for the time being.
Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-2-g.html#s5 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.
My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides."
+2
39 mins
Philip Tang
China
China
Native in Chinese
&
English
Specializes in field
China
Seasoned US hi-tech/management executive
Native in: English , Chinese
Works in: Chinese, Chinese to English, English to Chinese
Related KudoZ points
:
30
IMHO
The Chinese meaning "一個很好學的人" is clear; In my opinion, "一個" should be emphasized in the English translation. If you just call it "a very studious person" seems somewhat understate the "一個" a little.
Your version "One very studious person" sounds OK to me!
And to translate it back into Chinese, you will get exactly the original Chinese sentence given!
Your version "One very studious person" sounds OK to me!
And to translate it back into Chinese, you will get exactly the original Chinese sentence given!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Will Matter
: I agree that the inclusion of 'yi ge' changes the emphasis.
58 mins
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Thank you!
|
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| agree |
Chinoise
1 day 9 hrs
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Thank You!
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