文法a

１）用毛筆寫中文字很好看，要是用來寫英文就不太好了！	Using a writing brush to write Chinese characters yields really good results; if used for writing English the brush is not nearly so good. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is given by Ａ，要是Ｂ就Ｃ了, where ＡandＢare two comparable events that differ in their outcome. Whereas Ｂends in Ｃ, Ａdoes not. Note 2: Part Ａconsists of two base patterns given by i) 用ＤＥＦ where Ｄis something utilized to create Ｆby performingＥ. Specifically, one writes 寫 Chinese characters 中文字 with a writing brush 用毛筆 (a brush made from hair for the purpose of writing). ii) ＦＧ where Ｇ is the predicate adjective of the noun-subjectＦ. Specifically, Chinese characters 中文字 are very handsome 很好看 (nice to look at). These two base patterns are then combined to form a single base pattern in which Ｆplays the dual grammatical role of direct object to the pattern 用ＤＥＦ and subject to the pattern ＦＧ. （用ＤＥ（Ｆ）G）or （用毛筆寫（中文字）很好看） A grammatically less ambiguous rendering would be （用毛筆寫的中文字）很好看 whose base pattern is also ＦＧ but where Ｆ becomes the noun-subject 中文字 modifed by the headless relative (adjectival) clause 用毛筆寫的. Note 3: The sentence part 要是Ｂ就Ｃ了does not suffer from this grammatical ambiguity, as the phrase 不太好 could just has easily refer to the act of writing with a brush, as it could to the characters that result from that writing. Note 4: The base pattern of Part Ｂis given by 用來ＥＨwhere 用來Ｅis the same action expressed in Part Ａ but with a different direct object. When combined with 要是 in the phrase 要是用來Ｅthe phrase 用來 means "if (it) used for". Though conceptually clear, there is no clear grammatical referent to the previously mentioned brush. Additional examples of the use of this phrase are worthy of examination: 我們的耳朵曾經用来呼吸。 Our ears were once used for breathing. 信息熵到底是用来衡量甚麼的？ In the end what does one use to measure the entropy of a message? 青春是用來浪費的。 Youth. A Time to Squander. (book title) Note 5: A more aesthetic, less grammatical translation might be: "Writing brushes are the perfect tool for Chinese calligraphy, but they are not so good for alphabetic writing". Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1506984 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1506986 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1510330
２）他是一個壞醫生，經常把病人醫死。	He is one bad physician, his treatment of patients often ends in their death. Note 1 (Return to Sentence 3, Note 1): The base pattern of this sentence is very simple. The speaker makes two observations, either of which can substantiate the other: 「Ａ，Ｂ。」Both parts share the same pronoun subject 他. Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａis that of a simple subject and its predicative noun -- namely, 他 and 是一個壞醫生. Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ｂis that of the understood subject 他 and the transitive verb 醫 whose object is set before it using the prepositional phrasing 把Ｄ. The entire pattern can be given by Ｃ把ＤＦ死 where Ｃis the understood subject 他 that does Ｆto Ｄresulting in Ｄ's death. Note 4: The construction 醫死 reflects two other common patterns -- namely, 醫Ｅand Ｆ死 where 醫Ｅexpresses the result of medical treatment, and where Ｆ死 expresses the extreme degree to which the activity Ｆ is performed. In both cases, the second character expresses the resulting state occasioned by the first. In both cases the first character is a verb. For example, one says 醫好 to indicate that a person has been cured through medical treatment, and one says 笑死 to express the idea of extreme laughter (laughing to death). In the first instance the character that follows is an adjective, and in the second it is likely a noun expressing the state of laughter. The character 死 can be employed as a verb in other contexts. Note 5: The word 經常 means regularly, often, or frequently. It is an adverb describing the action 醫 and its result 死. Note 6: 病人 is simply one way of saying patient. Literally it means sick person. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1513172
３）今天的陽光真好，我們到城外玩玩吧。	The sun is brilliant today, so let's go to the country and have fun. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is identical to that of the previous entry (see Sentence 2, Note 1) -- namely, 「Ａ，Ｂ。」. In addition, neither sentence contains a conjunction connecting the grammatically separable parts. Nevertheless, the two sentence are very different. Firstly, in this sentence there appear two distinct subject-verb pairs. In the previous sentence there appeared only one subject for both verbs. Secondly, whereas Part Ｂin the previous sentence expressed a justification for Part Ａ; in this sentence, Part Ｂexpresses a wish, desire, or suggestion that is the result of what is observed in Part Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａ is simply that of the modified noun-subject 今天的陽光 and its predicate adjective 真好. Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ｂis that of a proposal for joint action -- namely, 我們Ｃ吧 . This construction translates well as "Let's do Ｃ!" The base pattern of the proposed action is given by 到Ｄ（去）Ｅ where Ｅis an activity to be performed at some distant location Ｄ. The character 去 has been set off in parentheses to indicate its omission. Another way of expressing the same idea is given by 去ＤＥ. This form of expression is commonly found in spoken Cantonese and closely parallels the English construction "go to Ｄand do Ｅ". Which construction one uses in writing probably depends on one's intended audience. In either case, the idea is to go to the country 到城外去 (or 去城外) and have fun 玩玩. Note 4: The phrase 城外 (country, countryside, outside the city limits, etc.) is commonly rendered in spoken Cantonese as 郊外, whose English interpretation is very close to that of outskirts or suburbs. Note 5: The phrases 玩 (play), 玩玩 (play, have fun, mess around, etc.), and 玩一玩 (play) appear to share the same meaning in this context. Perhaps 玩玩 contains a carefree element not included in 玩. The term 玩一玩 appears to be the most formal of the three. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1516428 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1516430 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1516432
４）要是你常常看中文書，你的中文會比以前更進步。	1) If you had read Chinese books frequently, your Chinese would show better progress. 2) If you read Chinese books frequently, your Chinese would show better progress. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is given by 要是Ａ，Ｂ會比以前更Ｃwhere Ｃis some property of Ｂthat would be more abundant if Ａ had taken (or, were to take) place. How one interprets this sentence seems to depend on one's interpretation of the phrase 比以前. i) If 以前 refers to a condition that existed before the statement was made the above sentence becomes: "If you had read Chinese books frequently, your Chinese would show better progress". ii) If it refers to a hypothetical condition prior to the one given by Ｃ, then a more appropriate translation might be "If you read Chinese books frequently, your Chinese would show better progress." Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａis given by ＤＥＦ where Ｄ, Ｅ, and Ｆfollow the pattern subject + verb + direct object. In this case the listener 你 (you) is the subject, 看 (read, or more generally see) is the verb, and 中文書 (Chinese books) is the direct object. The adverb 常常 (often, frequently) is placed before the verb as is customary in Chinese sentences. Note 3: Parts Ｂand Ｃof the base pattern Ｂ會比以前更Ｃ are provided as 你的中文 and 進步, respectively. The phrase 你的中文 translates directly as "your Chinese". The characters 進步 when placed together form the word progress. The phrase 比以前更進步 implies "more progress than before". Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1517648
５）他是一個很好學的人，白天做事，晚上還到夜校去。	He is one very studious person. During the day he works, and in the evening he goes to night school. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ, Ｂ, 還Ｃwhere Ｂand Ｃare two mutually reinforcing arguments used by the speaker to justify statement Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａis simply that of the pronoun-subject 他 and its modified predicate nominative 是一個很好學的人. The base pattern of the modified noun is 一個Ｄ的人 where Ｄ的 is the headless relative clause 很好學的 used as an adjectival modifer to describe 人. Note 3: The use of the phrasing 是一個Ｄ的人, rather than the more simple phrasing 是Ｄ的人, is likely for emphasis. It is for this reason that 一個很好學的人 has been tranlated as "is one very studious person" rather than "is a very studious person". The idea of "one very studious person" emphasis the notion that even among very studious people this person stands out. Another reason for the use of the phrasing 是一個Ｄ的人 might be the juxtaposition of the verb 是 and the verb phrase 很學. To the extent that the butting of two unrelated verbs could cause confusion, the use of 一個 eliminates it. Note 4: Parts Ｂand Ｃhang together by the adverbial conjunction 還 and the contrasting temporal adverbs 白天 (daytime) and 晚上 (evening). In the daytime the person works 做事 and in the evening he goes 到Ｅ去 to night school 夜校. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1520356
６）小孩子千萬不要玩火，因為這是很危險的。	Playing with fire is very dangerous, and small children must never do it. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，因為Ｂwhere Ｂis provided as justification for the speaker's statement given in Part Ａ. Note 2: The base pattern of Part Ａ is given by Ｃ千萬不要Ｄ where Ｄis something of which the speaker strongly warns against Ｃ's doing. In this case. it is the playing with fire 玩火 of small children 小孩子 which is of concern to the speaker. Note 3: The phrase 千萬不要Ｄ appears to be very standard and consists of three parts: 千萬 , 不要, and some activity Ｄ. 千萬 literally means one thousand 10,000s -- namely, 10 million. In a more general sense it means very many. Used in conjunction with 不要 it means "in no case", "absolutely not", "in any event no", or "under no circumstance". Note 4: The phrase 玩火 is a common stumbling block for native Chinese and English speakers, because it combines two very different English notions into one -- namely, the idea of playing a game or instrument with the idea of playing with something as a source of amusement. In English, fire is something with which one plays. It is neither a musical instrument nor a game. In any case, this distinction is not made insofar as the general pattern 玩Ｅis concerned. Note 5: The general pattern of Part Ｂis simply that of the pronoun-subject 這 and its predicate nominative 是很危險的. In this case 這 refers back to the playing with fire 玩火, and the phrase 危險的 serves as a nominalized adjectival phrase that tells the listener what kind of play is involved. One can view the phrase 危險的 as an abbreviation for any phrase 危險的（Ｆ） where Ｆis some noun that classifies different forms of plays or playful activity. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1523100
７）高小姐在保險公司做事的時候已經認識黃先生了。	Miss Ko was already acquainted with Mr. Wong while working at an insurance company. Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ的時候已經Ｂ了where B is something that occurred at the time of Ａ. Note 2: Time A is described by the sentence part 高小姐在保險公司做事 whose base pattern is given by Ｃ在ＤＥ. Ｄ is some place where Ｃ performs Ｅ. In this case Miss Ko 高小姐 (pronounced Go in Cantonese, but commonly written in English as Ko) works 做事 at an insurance company 在保險公司. Because Ｂ occurs at time Ａ, and because Ｂ takes place in the past, E must also be rendered in the past. Note 3: The composition of 已經Ｂ了is perhaps best understood in two parts: one, the combination of 已經 and 了; and two, some event Ｂ. The phrase 已經 expresses the idea of something having already taken place or already begun. The character 了expresses the notion of completion. Thus, whatever event is expressed by Ｂ, it has already taken place. More importantly, it has likely taken place before some other event probably in the past -- else why the need to say already? Certainly there are other translations available, but these would depend on context. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1527324 Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1528664
８）這個表，我已經保存了十年，現在我把它送給你，你要嗎？	I have already kept this watch for ten years, and now I am going to give it to you? Can you make use of it? Note 1: In its simplest form the base pattern for this sentence is Ｆ，Ｅ嗎？where 「Ｅ嗎？」is a question motivated by statement Ｆ. Note 2: The base pattern of statement Ｆis given by Ｃ，ＡＢ了Ｇ，現在Ｄwhere Ｄis an intended action on the part of Ａ that he justifies by action ＢＣ performed for some period Ｇ. In this case, the speaker 我 intends to give 現在送給 the listener 你 a watch 這個表 that the speaker has kept 保存了 for 10 years 十年. The subsequent question asks whether the listener is interested in receiving the watch 「你要嗎？」. This question can be rendered in a variety of ways in English. Note 3: Part C is the direct object of the verb 保存. It is likely set off by a comma for two reasons: one, it is not preceded by 把 and occurs before its corresponding verb 保存; and two, it is placed at the beginning of the sentence before the subject 我. Note 4: The sentence part ＡＢ（Ｃ）了Ｇ is not new. It simply tells us for how long Ａ performed ＢＣ -- namely, some time Ｇ. Note 5: The word 已經 in the sentence part ＡＢ（Ｃ）了Ｇ appears to indicate a long period of time that has either elapsed very quickly or has exceeded an expected time limit of shorter duration. That the elapsed period is complete is indicated by the post-verb particle 了. Note 6: The word 現存 occurs before the subject of part Ｄand probably serves as an adverbial conjunction between the two sentence parts Ｃ，ＡＢ了Ｇ and Ｄ. Note 7: The appearance of the phrase 把它 is also worthy of mention, as it indicates that the object of the verb phrase 送給你 has been placed before the verb, on the one hand, and that the object has already been mentioned, on the other. 它 is the neuter pronoun of a thing. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1528674
９）李小姐是香港中文大學文學院的學生。	Miss Li is a student in liberal studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is that of a simple subject and a modified predicate noun -- namely, Ａ是Ｃ的Ｂ, where Ａ is the subject 李小姐 and Ｃ的Ｂis the modified predicate noun 是香港中文大學文學院的學生. Note 2: The phrase 香港中文大學文學院的學生 describes a student 學生 who is enrolled in the liberal arts faculty 文學院 of a major Hong Kong university 香港中文大學 (The Chinese University of Hong Kong). Note 3: The word 院 can be translated into English in a variety of ways including institute, school, and faculty. Only context can determine which is correct. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1533090
１０）這個禮拜天，我帶我的弟弟到動物園玩。	This Sunday I will take my little brother to the zoo. Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ｅ，Ａ帶Ｂ到ＣＤ where Ｃis a place to where Ａ takes Ｂto perform Ｄ. Ｅis the time when the event takes place. In this case, the speaker 我 will take 帶 his little brother 我的弟弟 to the zoo to play 到動物園玩 on the coming Sunday. Note 2: The placement of the comma after the phrase 這個禮拜天 can be explained by both the length and placement of the temporal adverb. Temporal adverbs are nomally placed after the subject and before the verb. Thus, the comma alerts the reader that abnormal word order is employed. Moreover, elements other than the subject found at the beginning of a sentence are often set off by commas, especially if they are long. Note 3: The phrasing 禮拜天 is very similar to the phrasing 星期日 which commonly used in spoken Cantonese. In the absence of some indication of a past event it is reasonable to assume that the phrasing 這個禮拜天 refers to the coming Sunday. Note 3: We have seen the pattern 到Ｃ去 and the more general pattern 到ＣＤmany times before. As before, Ｄis a verb of action that expresses what happens after one arrives at Ｃ. The pattern Ａ帶Ｂ到ＣＤ is a natural extension of the above base pattern. The use of the verb 帶 in this context is very similar to the English verb take used in similar contexts. Note 4: The phrase 動物園 fits the more general pattern Ｆ園 where the character 園 expresses some geographical location set aside for a special purpose usually associated with public recreation. Note 5: The phrase 我的弟弟 is perhaps excessive, as there is no reference to the existence of a little brother other than that of the speaker. In the absence of such a reference it would be perfectly correct to write 這個禮拜天，我帶弟弟到動物園玩. Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1560538

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