文法b

１１）聽說中國的萬里長城很長，請問是不是真的有一萬里長？	It is said that the Great Wall of China is very long. Please ask whether it is really 10,000 Chinese miles long. Note 1: This question consists of an observation Ａ and a question Ｂ whose base pattern is given by 聽說Ａ，請問是不是Ｂ？The basis for the observation is hearsay whose veracity the speaker wishes to confim. The phrase 聽說 (hear and say) can be translated as "it is said", "people say", "it is rumored", "it is commonly said", etc. The phrase 請問 means "Please ask" or "Please inquire". The phrase 是不是 in this context can be rendered as "whether". Note 2: What is commonly said is given by the phrase 中國的萬里長城很長. This clause consists of the modified noun 中國的萬里長城 and its predicate adjective 很長. Note 3: 萬里長城 translates literally as "ten thousand li city". It is the Chinese expression for the "Great Wall". It is, of course, the Great Wall 萬里長城 of China 中國的. The Chinese character 里 (pronounced lei in Cantonese) represents a Chinese unit of measurement. It is equal to approximately 500 meters (1/2 of a kilometer) and is used to measure length. The phrase 萬里長城 is likely an abbreviation for the phrase 萬里長的城 meaning "a city of 10,000 Chinese miles". Note 4: The base pattern of the question is given by （Ｃ）是不是真的有Ｄ長？where Ｃis the understood subject 萬里長城 and Ｄ is some specified distance about which the speaker is uncertain. If we remove the expressions of doubt, including the phrases 是不是 and 真的, we obtain the statement（Ｃ）有Ｄ長 or（Ｃis Ｄlong）. Note 5: The phrase 真的 is likely an expression derived from some other expression such as 真的事情. Whatever, it stands alone as an adverb and means "really", "truly","verily", etc. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1488046
１２）他甚麼都不害怕，他只害怕病，因為病了，甚麼東西都不能吃。	He is afraid of nothing, save becoming sick, for should he become sick, he will be unable to eat anything. Note 1: This sentence consists of two statements Ａand Ｂ. The base pattern is given by Ａ，因為Ｂwhere Ｂis provided as an explanation for the occurrence of Ａ. Note 2: Consider statement Ａfirst. It consists of two smaller contradictory statements that on the surface appear nonsensical. The base pattern for Part Ａis given by Ｃ甚麼都不Ｄ，Ｃ只ＤＥwhere Ｄis some activity that applies only to Ｅon the one hand, but to nothing 甚麼都不Ｄ on the other. In effect, 他 -- i.e., Ｃ-- is unafraid 不害怕 of anything 甚麼都, and he is afraid of something -- namely, getting sick 病. In order to resolve this logical contradiction one must assume that 他 fears only one thing and that one thing is an exception to all others. Notice that the object of 他's fear is placed before the verb and that the prepositional 把 does not appear. Can the absence of 把 be explained by the presence of the indefinite pronoun 甚麼, the need for 都, or the presence and need of 甚麼都? Note 3: The explanation for 他's fear is provided in statement Ｂ-- namely, 病了，甚麼東西都不能吃. The base pattern for this statement is given by Ｆ了，甚麼東西都不Ｇwhere Ｇ is some activity prohibited by the precondition Ｆ. In this case, if 他 becomes 病了, then 他 will not be able to eat 不能吃 anything 甚麼東西都. Note 4: Comparing the two phrases 甚麼都不 and 甚麼東西都不 one must wonder, if the former is not an abbreviation of the latter. For, if they do not mean the same thing, could it be that 東西 only truly refers to physical objects and not things (objects, ideas, circumstances, etc.) in general? Note 5: In the end, it would appear that our author is describing someone who is very fond of food and unabashed in all other matters. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1489108
１３）每件事都會有好處有壞處，這跟人有長處有短處一様。	Just as in everything; there is good and bad in everyone. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，這跟Ｂ一樣 where Ａ and Ｂare two observations that are analogous. The base pattern reads: "Just as with Ａ, so too with Ｂ. Note 2: The base pattern for Part Ａis given by Ｃ都會有Ｄ有Ｅand the base pattern for Part Ｂis given by Ｆ有Ｇ有Ｈ. The two sentence parts differ only in the presence and absence of 都會. Ostensibly, the phrase 都會 could be repeated in Part Ｂ, but for the sake of efficiency is not. Note 3: The phrase 每件事 can be broken down as follows: 件 is the counter for 事 (matter), and 每 bears the meaning of each. Thus, a literal translation of the phrase 每件事 might be each matter. As the term matter is not further specified, each matter can be any matter, and therefore translated as every matter when used in conjunction with the adverb 都. Note 4: The modal 會 suggests an element of doubt that is not included in the English translation, but can probably be ignored with little loss of meaning. What the future might bring is rarely, if ever, certain. Note 5: The two parts of this sentence contrast the use of two pairs of adjectives -- namely, 好處 and 壞處 and the pair 長處 and 短處. The first pair translates as advantage (benefit) and disadvantage (harm). These are adjectives that are used in the description of matters or affairs. The second pair translates as good points (merits, strengths, etc.) and bad points (merits, weaknesses, etc.). This latter pair is more properly used in the description of a person's character. The meaning of 處 in these contexts is apparently that of aspect, point, or regard. Note 6: The word 這 in this context bears the meaning of the English pronoun it and has as a referent the entirety of what came before. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1492488 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1491094
１４）香港的夜景是世界有名的，怪不得那外國人喜歡晚上到山上去走走。	Hong Kong's nighttime glitter is world famous. Is it any wonder that that foreigner enjoys strolling atop Hong Kong's hills at night? Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is given Ａ，怪不得Ｂwhere Ａand Ｂare two observations such that given Ａ there is nothing to wonder about Ｂ. Note 2: The base pattern of the first observation is given by Ｃ是Ｄ的 where Ｄ的 is a nominalized adjective phrase that forms a part of the predicate noun 是Ｄ的 and Ｃis a modified noun that is the subject of the sentence. In this case, it is Hong Kong's 香港 nighttime scenery 夜景 that is famous 有名 world-wide 世界. Note 3: The word 世界 appears to function as part of the adjectival construction 世界有名的 where 有名的 means famous and 世界有名的 means world famous. Note 4: The second observation consists of the sentence part 那外國人喜歡晚上到山上去走走 whose base pattern can be given by Ｅ喜歡Ｆwhere Ｆis something that Ｅenjoys doing. In this case there is a foreigner 外國人 who enjoys 喜歡 strolling around 走走 atop Hong Kong's many hills 到山上去 at night 晚上. Note 4: In the phrase 到Ｇ去, Ｇis a destination to which the foreigner goes -- namely, atop Hong Kong's many hills 山上. Though one can be certain that 山上 is the foreigner's destination, the grammatical role of 山上 is more difficult to describe. Is it a noun or an adverb? Note 5: The phrase 走走 appears to be an informal (colloquial) way of saying stroll about. Note 6: The word 夜景 means nighttime scenery. As the author is clearly referring to the Hong Kong's many city lights, this word is rendered as nighttime glitter. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1494790 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1494796
１５）你知道那地方發生了甚麼事嗎？原來有人發現那裏的水是有害的。	Do you know what happened there? It was eventually discovered that the water was harmful. Note 1: This entry consists of a question and an answer that together inform the listener about a discovery. The base pattern of the question is given by 你知道Ａ嗎？where Ａis something about which the speaker has knowledge and wishes to inform the listener, if he does not know. The base pattern of the answer is given by 原來有人發現Ｂwhere Ｂis something that was eventually 原來 discovered 發現 by an unspecified source 有人. Note 2: Conceptually speaking, how one interprets the question posed by the speaker is fairly clear: something 甚麼事 happened 發生了 at a distant location 那地方 familiar to both the speaker and the listener. Grammatically speaking, however, this question is problematic. i) If we were to take part Ａ at its face value, then Ｃ發生了Ｄmight appear as the base pattern, and Ｄwould be something brought about by Ｃ. This interpretation, however, would attribute a transitive character to the verb 發生 that we have not yet observed. It would also attribute a cause and effect relationship between a physical location and a condition or incident for which the location is the agent of cause. Until further examples of the transitive use of the word 發生 can be found, one should probably remain skeptical with regard to this interpretation. ii) Assuming that the location 那地方 is merely the place where something 甚麼事 occured 發生了 resolves the problems posed by the usual intransitive nature of the verb 發生 and the unusual idea of assigning cause to a location, but it does not provide a grammatical solution. Surely, it is unusual for a place, unmodified by a prepositional or postpositional particle, to be used as an adverb or (pre- or post-) positional phrase of location. In fact, the only example of such use that comes to mind is that of 世界 when referring to a matter that is well-known or wide-spread. Nevertheless, it is one thing to talk about things in general; it is quite another to write about them in specific. Thus, the only explanation for this grammatical quandary available at the moment is the presence of 那, and the awkward construction that could result were one to write 在那地方. Is this really so awkward, however? If we treat 那地方 as an adverb of location and 發生 as an intransitive verb, then 甚麼事 becomes the subject of the clause 那地方發生了甚麼事 and we must explain why the subject is placed after the verb. Is 那地方 really the subject of the sentence? Can 發生 truly be a transitive verb? Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ｂis far less problematic as it conforms to a pattern that we have already seen many times -- a nominalized adjective 有害的 used as a predicate noun 是有害的 to describe a modified subject 那裏的水. In other words, some people 有人 discovered 發現 that the water 水 there (is/was) harmful 有害的. Note 4: Although 原來 normally bears the meaning of originally, at first, formerly, it appears in this context to mean something much closer to eventually. In other words, it took some time and effort to discover the original source of the problem. Thus, the phrase 原來有人發現 can be rendered as "it was eventually discovered that ..." or "it turns out that ..." or "some people finally determined that ..." Note 5: 有害的（Ｃ）simply means something that is harmful, hazardous, or pernicious. 有害的 is an adjectival phrase very similar to the phrase 有錢的 (wealthy). Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1496322 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1496326
１６）還沒有結婚的人很想結婚，但是很多結了婚的人，以為還是不結婚好些。	Unmarried people often think about marrying. In contrast, many married people think it would be better, if they did not. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，但是Ｂwhere Ａand Ｂappear as two contradictory observations. Note 2 (return to Sentence 17, Note 4): The base pattern of PartＡis given by Ｃ很想Ｄ where Ｄis some activity that Ｃvery much wants to perform (thinks very much about performing). In this case, people 人 who have yet 還沒有 to marry 結婚 want very much 很想 to marry 結婚. Note 3 (return to Sentence 17, Note 4): The phrase 還沒有Ｅis a standard pattern that expresses the idea thatＥ(some activity) has yet to be performed. Note 4: The base pattern for Part Ｂis given by Ｆ，以為Ｇ whereＧis something that Ｆholds to be contrary to what might otherwise be. The use of 以為 in this context is worthy of note, as it helps to establish the contrast between what unmarried people 還沒有結婚的人 and married people think about unmarried people 結了婚的人 marrying 結婚. In particular, 以為 expresses doubt about the wisdom of unmarried people wanting to marry. Note 5: The base pattern for Ｇ is given by 還是不Ｈ好些 where Ｈis something that the speaker believes Ｃwould be ill-advised to perform. It translates as "it would be better not to perform Ｈ". Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1497766 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1497768 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/730735
１７）離婚不是好事，但是要是沒有了愛情，我看還是離婚好些。	Divorce is not a good thing, but in the absence of love it seems to be the best solution. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，但是要是Ｂ，我看Ｃ where Ｃis the way in which the speaker views Ａwhen Ｂis present In this case the speaker believes that divorce is not good a good thing (Ａ), but he can find exception (Ｃ) in those instances where there is no love (Ｂ). Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａis simply that of a subject and its predicate noun. The subject is 離婚 and the predicate-noun phrase is 不是好事. Note 3: The term 好事 is probably an abbreviation for 好的事情 and means a matter of good. Nevertheless, unlike the phrase 好的事情 the term 好事 can mean something that is not good. Consider, for example, the phrase 這種好事 (this kind of good thing) in the following statement: 用一萬賺一億？這種好事八成有詐。 The author uses the term 好事 to indicate that fraud is likely the source of what otherwise appears to be a very good deal. Note 4: Part Ｂconsists of the phrase 沒有了愛情 which can perhaps be translated "after the love has gone". In this instance the phrase 沒有 stands as a verb in and of its own right. It is not an auxillary for another verb indicating the past tense (see Notes 2 and 3 to Entry 16 above). The character 了 indicates that the absence of love is complete and that something follows as a result. A possible base pattern is 沒有了Ｄ where Ｄis either something that was, but is no more: or alternatively, something that never was. More observation is required. Note 5: The base pattern of Part C is 還是Ｅ好些 were Ｅis something that is preferred -- in this case, divorce 離婚. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1499188 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1499196
１８）他唱的歌叫做「我的愛人就是你」，你覺得他唱得好嗎？	The name of the song he sang is "You are my love". Do you feel that he can sing well? Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ嗎？where Ａis an observation made by the speaker, andＢis a question for which the speaker expects a Yes/No response. The question is about the observation just made. Note 2: Whether the observation should be rendered in the past or present is unclear. For example, i) If the speaker and the listener were at a karaoke bar, and the singer just finished, the past tense would be very appropriate. ii) If, on the other hand, the singer and his song are well-known and the song is often heard in the popular media, then a present-tense rendering might be more appropriate. For this discussion I have assumed the karaoke bar scenario. Note 3: The base pattern of the observation is given by Ｃ叫做「Ｄ」where Ｄis the name of what Ｃis called. In this case Ｄis the name of a song 「我的愛人就是你」 that was sung by an indefinite 3rd party 他唱的歌. The construction 他唱的歌 is that of a headless relative clause 他唱的 used as an adjective to modify the noun-subject 歌. The relative clause 他唱的 answers the question, "Which song?" The answer is, of course, the song that the unnamed 3rd party just sang. Note 4: The base pattern of Part Ｂis given by Ｅ覺得Ｆwhere Ｆis what the listener Ｅ feels about the ability of the unnamed 3rd party to sing. The base pattern of Ｆis given by ＧＨ得Ｋwhere Ｇis the subject, Ｈis the verb, and 得Ｋis prepositional phrase used as an adverb to describe Ｈ. The clause 他唱得好 means "he sings well". When the question word 嗎 is added to Ｅ覺得ＧＨ得Ｋ, the whole thing means "Do you feel that he sings well?" Note 5: In Chinese, verb tense is often expressed by the presence or absence of adverbs. Moreover, the absence of an adverb is not a good indicator of present tense. This is especially true when relating stories about the past. Some adverbs that are good indicators of time might include: i) 曾經 (once, a time in the past, before) ii) 總是 (always) iii) 正在 (right now, in this moment) Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1500576
１９）在這個世界裏，每個人都需要「愛」，沒有了它，花也會謝了。	In this world everyone needs love, for without it even flowers cannot survive. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence can be given as Ａ需要Ｂ，沒有了Ｂ，花也會謝了 where Ｂis something that Ａmust have, for it is essential not only to Ａ's survival, but the survival of other things. Note 2: The phrase 在這個世界裏 serves as an introductory remark that sets the stage for what is to follow. Its base pattern is given by 在Ｃ裏 (in Ｃ) where Ｃindicates some location or circumstance, such as a group of people or assembly of things. It functions similarly to the phrases 在Ｃ中 (among) and 在Ｃ之間 (between). This pattern typically occurs before verbs and tells where the action expressed by a verb occurs. In the following example the phrase 在屋子裡 tells where Japanese do not customarily wear shoes. 日本人的習慣是在屋子裏不穿鞋. It is Japanese custom not to wear shoes in the home. Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ａis given by 每Ｄ都需要Ｅwhere Ｅis something that every Ｄ needs. In this case, every Ｄ is everyone 每個人都, and Ｅis love「愛」. Though the parantheses surrounding the character 愛 likely indicate a special use of the character, we are told what that special use is. Note 4: Part Ｂis simply whatever is missing. In this case, it is love that is indicated by the third person pronoun 它. Note 5: The phrase 花也會謝了appears to be the author's invention. It expresses the importance of love to human beings by suggesting that even flowers perish without it. The base pattern of this phrase can be given by Ｆ也會Ｇ了 where Ｇis something that will happen even to Ｆwhen Ｂis not present. The interpretation of 也 as even is determined by what precedes the phrase Ｆ也會Ｇ了. Note 6: This is a very anthropocentric view of the world, as what is good for humans appears to be good for all living things -- well, in the eyes of the author at least flowers. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1502702 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1502704
２０）這幾天，香港有很多房子給火燒了，所以你們做飯的時候，要小心一點。	Many houses in Hong Kong have recently been destroyed by fire. So, show more caution when you are in the kitchen. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ｃ有Ａ給Ｂ了，所以Ｄ要Ｅ一點 where Ｂis something that happens to Ａ at some location Ｃ. Ｄis some action necessitated by the occurrence of Ｂ. In this case, more caution in the kitchen is needed in order to reduce the number of catastrophic fires in Hong Kong dwellings. Note 2: The phrase 這幾天 (these few days) is an introductory phrase similar to the 「Ａは、. . 。」construction in Japanese. It can be translated into English as recently. Note 3: The sentence part Ｃ有Ａ給Ｂ了is a common pattern and likely represents the combination of the two simpler patterns:Ｃ有Ａ and Ａ給Ｂ where Ｃis the location of Ａ, and where Ｂis something that happens to Ａ. Note 4: The pattern Ａ給Ｂis both common and essential and can be interpreted in either of two ways: i) (willed) If Ｂoccurs in keeping with Ａ's wish, then Ｂis something that Ａhas done on its own behalf. ii) (unwilled) If Ｂoccurs contrary to Ａ's wish, then Ａis perceived as a possible accomplice to his own misfortune. In effect, he may have brought about Ｂby having failed to take some precaution. Ｂis always something that occurs to Ａ no matter the originator of the action. Note 5: Further uses of unwilled action are given by the following two examples: i) 家裡有很多東西給小明搬走了。 The base pattern of this sentence is similar, but different, to what we have just examined. It is given by Ｃ有Ａ給ＦＢ了 where Ｆis the agent of action Ｂand Ａis the recipient of that action. Specifically, many things 很多東西 were removed 搬走了 from inside 裏 the home 家 by 給 Siu Ming 小明 . ii) 街上很多人給雨淋濕了 In this phrase the location of the receiver of the action is given by Ｃ上Ａ rather than Ｃ有Ａ. Specifically, many people 很多人 (in/on) the street 街上 were drenched 淋濕 by 給 the rain 雨. The passive voice construction of these two examples is emphasized by the fact that 給 can be replaced by 被 with little change in meaning. Note 6: The base pattern of the phrase 你們做飯的時候，要小心一點 is given by Ｄ的時候要Ｅ一點 where Ｅis something that must be increased while performing Ｄ. Ｄ is given by 你們做飯. Notice that the subject of the phrase 要小心一點 is understood to be the same as that of the clause 你們做飯的時候 -- namely, 你們. Note 7: The phrase 一點 can be replaced by the phrase 一些 with no change in meaning. The base pattern of the phrase 要小心一點 is, of course, given by the phrase 要Ｅ一點 where Ｅis some activity that appears necessary. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1505254 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1505256

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