Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Jun 15, 2006 07:33
18 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.
要
Chinese to English
Science
Education / Pedagogy
Grammatical Analysis
Sentence: 我的兒子明年要讀醫科，但不知道讀眼科好還是外科好。
1st Attempt: Next year my son wants to study medicine, but he does not know which would be better -- opthamology or surgery.
Question: Your responses to the first three questions related to this sentence have triggered a new query -- namely, how to translate the word 要? The two phrases below
1) "next year my son wants to study medicine"
2) "my son will study medicine next year"
are quite different in meaning. The first indicates a desire, wish, or longing to do something; the second indicates a clear intent, a decision already taken, or a near certain expected future occurence.
Clearly one can be undecided about what one wants to study without having yet applied to medical school. The phrase "will study medicine" strongly suggests that the child has already applied and been accepted.
What is the meaining of 要 in this sentence? Is it "will" or "want"? Please explain your choice.
As always you are welcome to comment on other parts of the sentence.
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: Next year my son wants to study medicine, but he does not know which would be better -- opthamology or surgery.
Question: Your responses to the first three questions related to this sentence have triggered a new query -- namely, how to translate the word 要? The two phrases below
1) "next year my son wants to study medicine"
2) "my son will study medicine next year"
are quite different in meaning. The first indicates a desire, wish, or longing to do something; the second indicates a clear intent, a decision already taken, or a near certain expected future occurence.
Clearly one can be undecided about what one wants to study without having yet applied to medical school. The phrase "will study medicine" strongly suggests that the child has already applied and been accepted.
What is the meaining of 要 in this sentence? Is it "will" or "want"? Please explain your choice.
As always you are welcome to comment on other parts of the sentence.
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)
| 4 +1 | intend |
IC --
|
| 4 +1 | WANT |
Philip Tang
|
| 3 +1 | is going to |
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
|
Proposed translations
+1
3 hrs
Selected
intend
Antother choice that engenders both will/going to and want/would like.
cheers!
cheers!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Final rendering: Next year my son wants to study medicine, but does not know which would be better (for him to study) -- opthamology or surgery.
Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part2/II-9-g.html#s5 for further discussion.
Acknowledgement: This is a very difficult question to grade as everyone has offered something very worthy, In the end I have chosen icg's interpretation because it obtains a sort of middle ground. Certainly I do not want to enter into the debate between want and future tense, as I do not have enough experience with the Chinese language to determine with any authority.
What I have learned from this entry, however, is that Chinese use this character in a number of ways that Japanese would never dream of and that the notions of need and desire need not be among them.
On behalf of everyone who is learning from the Tsong Kit website, thank you ever so much!
Best wishes from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides."
+1
42 mins
+1
47 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
WANT
要 could mean one of a few things
demand – 要求
important – 重要 as used in ‘要緊, 要犯, 要害’
must – 必要
need – 需要
shall – 將要, 決定要
want – 想要, 打算要
will -將要, 決定要
ask for – 選擇要
我的兒子明年要讀醫科 – My son wants to study medicine next year.
The two given English phrases
1) "next year my son wants to study medicine"
明年我的兒子要(打算)去念(修)醫科
2) "my son will study medicine next year"
明年我的兒子將會去(將要去)念(修)醫科
WANT is my choice; its straight forward with no ambiguity; while
WILL is open to individual interpretation.
demand – 要求
important – 重要 as used in ‘要緊, 要犯, 要害’
must – 必要
need – 需要
shall – 將要, 決定要
want – 想要, 打算要
will -將要, 決定要
ask for – 選擇要
我的兒子明年要讀醫科 – My son wants to study medicine next year.
The two given English phrases
1) "next year my son wants to study medicine"
明年我的兒子要(打算)去念(修)醫科
2) "my son will study medicine next year"
明年我的兒子將會去(將要去)念(修)醫科
WANT is my choice; its straight forward with no ambiguity; while
WILL is open to individual interpretation.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
wherestip
: I agree with your whole explanation, but tend to interpret it as "will"
4 hrs
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Thanks wherestip! now I know why people say "one picture is better than thousand words"
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Discussion