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文法b
１１）母親對孩子們說：「吃的東西，一定要洗得很乾淨才可以吃，你們知道嗎？」
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1) The mother asked her children,"Did you know that you must always wash your food well before you eat it?"
2) The mother asked her children, "Did you know that food must always be washed well before it is eaten?"
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is given by Ａ對Ｂ說：「Ｃ？」
Noteworthy is the phrase 對Ｂand its placement before the verb 說 indicating the person addressed by Ａ.
Note 2: The base pattern of the cited question follows a pattern that we have seen often: an observation that gives rise to a question. In this case Ｄ，Ｅ才Ｆ，你們知道嗎？where 「Ｄ，Ｅ才Ｆ」 is the observation and 你們知道嗎？is the question.
The question may be either rhetorical or confirmatory, as it is of the form Ｇ嗎？and commands a Yes/No response. In either case it serves to instruct or to remind.
Note 3 (return to Sentence #20, Note 2): The base pattern of the observation is 「Ｄ，Ｅ才Ｆ」where Ｄ functions as either the accusative object (first translation), or alternatively the passive-voice subject (second translation) of the verb phrasesＥand Ｆ.
As it is a mother talking to her children, the active voice construction probably offers the best interpretative alternative.
Setting off the (subject/object) by commas at the beginning of the sentence serves two useful purposes: one conceputal and one grammatical. Conceptually it places emphasis on the point of danger -- namely, things one consumes. Grammatically, the phrase 吃的東西 serves the same grammatical role for two subsequent verb phrases -- either the passive-voice subject or accusative object for the two verb phrase: 一定要洗得很乾淨 (must wash well) and 可以吃 (may eat).
In summary, a mother 母親 reminds 「知道嗎？」 her children 孩子（你們）that they must wash 一定要洗 their food 吃的東西 (literally, things that you eat) well 得很乾淨 before eating 才可以吃.
Note 4: As the word 才 has many interpretations in the Chinese language special treatment is worthwhile each time it appears.
If we assume the active-voice construction in which Ｄis interpreted as an accusative object of ＥandＦ, then 才 carries the meaning "not ＦＤ until ＥＤ", or alternatively, "ＥＤ before ＦＤ".
Other useful ways to interpret 才 into English in this context might be "ＦＤ, only if ＥＤ", or "ＦＤ, only when ＥＤ".
Other useful examples of this construction used with the word 先 for even greater precision are:
你先做好作業才能去。
Finish your homework first; then you can go.
你先訂好機票才上路。
He reserved a seat on the plane before setting out on his journey.
Adding the word 先 to our original sentence yields: 吃的東西，一定要先洗得很乾淨才可以吃。Clearly, 先 functions as a temporal adverb in all of these contexts. Whereas 才functions as a conjunction of sequence.
Note 5: As no other relationship is indicated, we must assume that the mother 母親 speaking and the children 孩子 listening are from the same nuclear family.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1632042
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1632046
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１２）這些衣服都是不乾淨的，現在不可以穿，等洗乾淨以後才穿吧。
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None of these clothes are clean and you cannot wear them. Wait until they have been washed and cleaned before you put them on.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence can be summarized as follows: Ａ，不可以Ｂ，等Ｃ才Ｂ吧 where Ａ is some condition that causes the speaker to prohibit Ｂ until after Ｃ has occurred.
In this case, the speaker tells the listener that his clothes 衣服 are dirty 不乾淨 and are not to be worn 不可以穿 until after they have been washed clean 洗乾淨.
Note 2: The base pattern of the Part Ａis that of a subject and a modified, understood, predicate noun of the form Ｄ都是Ｅ的（Ｄ）where Ｄ are all of the clothes indicated by the speaker, and Ｅ的 is their current state.
The phrase 這些Ｄ used in combination with the verb phrase 都是 (adverb + verb) can be interpreted as "all these Ｄ are".
Note 3: As the phrase 等Ｃ才Ｂalready carries the meaning "wait for C, before doing Ｂ" the word 以後 appears unnecessary. Its presence may be explained by two overlapping, interlocking patterns: one of time and one of action.
The pattern of time is given by the contrast 現在 (now) and 以後 (after, afterwards) -- namely, 現在Ｃ，Ｆ以後Ｇ.
The pattern of action is given by 不可以Ｂ，等Ｃ才Ｂ.
The words 才 and 就 are approximately interchangeable in this context, as both imply that Ｂcomes after Ｃ -- this is especially true when the otherwise seemingly redundant expression 以後 is employed.
Note 4: The phrase 洗乾淨 translates well into English as "wash clean" where clean functions as an adverb expressing the idea "until (they are) clean".
Note 5: The word 吧 functions here as an expression of command or strong warning -- in this case, not to engage in one activity until another has been completed.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1635784
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１３）這三個都是前天畢業的畢業生，他們打算今年九月去美國留學。
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These three students all graduated the day before yesterday and plan to study in the United States in September.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is that of two independent clauses combined with only a comma -- namely, Ａ，Ｂ。There is no conjunction as good English would require.
Note 2: The base pattern of the first clause is that of a subject and a modified predicate noun of the form Ｃ都是Ｅ的Ｄ. In this case, the subject is the modified pronoun 這三個 whose referent is the predicate noun 畢業生 (graduates).
The modifying phrase 前天畢業的 is in the form of a headless relative clause whose verb is 畢業 (graduate). The word 前天 (day before yesterday) serves as a temporal adverb that tells when the students graduated.
It is somewhat difficult to understand why the author chose the word 畢業生 rather than 學生 to describe the recent graduate, as the phrase 前天畢業的 clearly indicates that the former student is now a graduate and no longer a student. Surely, this is another example of the propensity for redundancy amongst Chinese speakers, even when the grammar of the language does not demand it.
Note 3: The base pattern of sentence part Ｂis, of course, Ｃ打算Ｆwhere Ｆis something that Ｃis planning to do, but has not yet done. Here, Ｃis expressed in the form of the plural pronoun 他們 whose referent is the completed pronoun subject of sentence part Ａ -- namely, 這三個前天畢業的畢業生.
The base pattern of the plan is given by （Ｃ）去ＧＨwhere Ｇis the place to where Ｃis planning to go in order to perform Ｈ. Ｃis the understood subject of the plan. As in the English phrase "plan to + verb phrase", there is no need to repeat the subject.
Notice that the temporal adverb 今天九月 is placed before the verb, and that the order of appearance of the words 今天 (this year) and 九月 (September) is from bigger to smaller.
Note 5: When asked why the author likely wrote
1) 這三個都是前天畢業的畢業生
instead of
2) 這三個畢業生都是前天畢業的
the answer was for the purpose of emphasis. Apparently both sentence structures are grammatically correct, but differ conceptually insofar as the first emphasizes the time of graduation and the second that there are three graduates. As in many languages what is stated first is considered more important than what follows.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1638232
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１４）去年本校的畢業生，一半在這裡就業，一半到外國去念書。
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Last year, half of this school's graduates found work locally and half went overseas to study.
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ，一半Ｂ，一半Ｃ where Ｂand Ｃare two activities between which Ａis divided.
In this case, half of 一半 last year's 去年的 graduates 畢業生 found work 就業 locally 在這裡 and half 一半 went overseas 到外國去 to study 念書.
Note 2: The subject of this sentence is the modified noun 本校的畢業生 and is of the form Ｅ的Ｄ where 本校的 can be translated as "our school" or "this school".
The phrase 本校 means the school of the speaker or the school that is the topic of discussion. 本Ｆis a general pattern that is observed frequently. Just about any noun can replace Ｆwithout any change in the meaning of 本.
Note 3: The two verb phrases corresponding to Ｂand Ｃare given by 在這裡就業 and 到外國去念書. The main verbs are 就業 which means "find employment" or "go to work" and 到Ｇ去念書 which means "go to Ｇ and study".
The phrase 在這裡 tells us where the work was found, or alternatively, where the employment took place. In conversation the word 在 is often omitted.
Note 4: The phrase 去年 does not mean the year to which one goes (next year); rather, it means the year that has just past (last year). It is used as an adverbial modifier and is placed at the beginning of the sentence before the noun with no comma separation.
The absence of a comma can probably be explained by the shortness of the phrase. Its placement before the noun is likely to avoid having to repeat it twice, once before each use of the dual conjunction 一半，一半.
Note 5: Although some would argue that the phrase 在這裡 should not be translated to mean "locally", in this particular context the term "locally" fits well, because the location of the speaker is the same as that where the students found work -- in all likelihood Hong Kong.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1644644
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１５）謝先生的兒子寄信給謝先生，叫他買一件大衣給他，因為那兒的天氣很冷。
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Mr Sze's son sent mail to his father in which he asked his father to buy him an overcoat because of the cold.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ，因為Ｃ where Ａ and Ｂ are two actions taken by the subject of Ａ because of some condition Ｃ.
In this case the son 兒子 of Mr. Sze 謝先生 sends 寄給 his father 謝先生 mail (letter) 信 in which he asks 叫 his father 他 (him) to buy 買 an 一件 overcoat 大衣 for him 給他. The reason 因為 cited by the speaker for the son's request is the cold 很泠 weather 天氣. The entire sentence is related to us by a third party.
Note 2: The base pattern for Part Ａis of the form Ｅ寄Ｆ給Ｇ where Ｆis something that Ｅsends to Ｇ. In this case, Mr. Sze's son 謝先生的兒子 sends his father 謝先生 a letter 信.
As the phrase 寄信 does not specify the number of letters 信 sent, it may be best to translate it as (send/sent) mail. Alternatively, the phrase 寄信 could be a fixed pattern that simply means to send a letter.
The verb 給 (give) when used in conjuntion with another transitive verb frequently serves to indicate the receiver of an action. Thus, 給Ｋoften translates as "to Ｋ" in English.
Note 3: The base pattern of Part Ｂis given by（Ｅ）叫Ｇ買Ｈ給Ｅwhere Ｈis something that Ｅasks Ｇ to buy for Ｅ. The subject of this sentence part is the same as that of Part Ａ.
The verb 叫 is frequently used to mean "ask" or "request". A politer expression, and perhaps more appropriate register for expressing the phrase 叫他買一件大衣給他 replaces the character 叫 with 請. One could also replace 叫 with the character 讓.
Note 4: The base pattern of Part Ｃ is, of course, that of a modified subject and its predicate adjective. Specifically, the weather 天氣 where Mr. Sze's son is located 那兒的 is very cold 很冷.
The word 那兒 functions here as pronoun meaning "there" or "over there". In conjunction with 的 this phrase serves as an adjective telling us the location of the cold weather -- i.e., the place from which the father's son sent his mail.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1646531
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1648868
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１６）你坐飛機去英國，看見白先生的時候，請記得替我問他好，謝謝你！
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When you board the plane for England and visit Mr. Bak, please do me a favor and remember me to him. Many thanks.
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is straight forward and takes the form Ａ，Ｂ的時候，請記得Ｃ，謝謝Ｄ！where the speaker thanks Ｄin advance for remembering Ｃ when Ａand Ｂoccur.
In this case, the listener （你） is expected to take a plane 坐飛機 to England 去英國 and visit (see) 看見 Mr. Bak 白先生. The speaker asks 請 that the listener 你 remember him to Mr. Bak 問他（白先生）好 when the listener and Mr. Bak meet.
Note 2: Though there is no clear grammatical link between the two sentence parts Ａand Ｂ, they are conceptually related as each contains a verb phrase that refers to the same subject -- namely, you 你 (the listener).
The base pattern of the verb phrase 坐飛機去英國 is 坐Ｅ去Ｆ where Ｅis just about any means of transport and Ｆis the destination of travel. The verb phrase 看見白先生 is 看見Ｇ where Ｇis a person whom one sees (in this instance, meets or visits).
Note 3: The phrasing 請記得Ｃis a polite request to remember Ｃ. The phrase 替我問他好 is what one is not to forget -- namely, to remember someone 我 (me) to someone 他 (him) on the first someone's behalf 我 (me).
The two verbs 記 and 得 hang together as a single verb 記得 meaning to remember.
The base pattern of this latter phrase is likely 替ＨＪwhere Ｊis something performed on Ｈ's behalf. The phrasing 問Ｊ好 appears to be a South China colloquialism for 向Ｊ問好 where Ｊis someone to whom 向Ｊone gives or sends one's regards 問好.
The phrase 替我向他問好 can be rendered into English in a number of ways that are not all appropriate in this context including "send my regards to him for me" (inappropriate), "give my regards to him for me", remember me to him for me", "say 'Hello' to him for me", etc.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1652500
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１７）你生病，當然應當聽母親的話快去看醫生，不看醫生怎麼會好呢？
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You have fallen sick, and should do what your mother has told you. Go and see a doctor as soon as possible. How will you ever get better, if you do not? (return to Note 4 of Sentence #18)
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ，不Ｃ怎麼會Ｄ呢？where Ａ and Ｂtogether create a situation that causes the speaker to wonder how Ｄcan be achieved, if Ｃis not performed.
Note 2: Here, the phrase 不Ｃ怎麼會Ｄserves as a rhetorical question that serves as a reminder to the listener to consider the negative consequences of not performing Ｃ.
In effect, the speaker asks the listener how he/she can get better （你）怎麼會好, if he/she does not see the doctor 不看醫生.
Note 3: The sentence Parts Ａ and Ｂwork together to create the situation that causes the speaker to pose his question. They share the same subject 你 (the listener).
The base pattern of Part A is Ｅ生病 where Ｅis someone who has fallen ill. It follows a pattern similar to that of Ｅ生氣 where the character following 生 expresses some condition of Ｅ. Still another use of this same pattern is the word 生意 (business).
Note 4: The base pattern of Part Ｂis （你）當然應當Ｆwhere Ｆis something the speaker tells the listener he should do. The word 當然 means "of course" or "naturally". Together with 應當 (should) it provides a compelling expression of persuasion.
In this particular case, the speaker encourages the listener to follow the advice of his mother 聽母新的話 and go to see a doctor 去看醫生 .
It is useful at this point to contrast the two phrases 聽話Ｈ and 聽Ｇ的話Ｈ. Whereas the first phrasing is used to encourage a child to perform Ｈ, the second is used to encourage someone (a child or an adult) to follow the advice of Ｇ and perform Ｈ.
Note 5: The adverb 快 appears before the verb 去 and expresses the idea of urgency with regard to the recommended action.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1655404
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1655410
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１８）我以為他當時一定覺得很滿意，要不然，他怎麼會滿臉笑容呢？
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1) He must have been very satisfied at the time; why else would he have been wearing such a happy face?
2) If he were not completely satisfied at the time, then how does one explain that he was wearing such a happy face?
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is somewhat complex and appears to be of the following form Ａ以為Ｂ一定Ｃ，要不然，Ｂ怎麼會Ｄ？, where given ＢＤ, Ａbelieves ＢＣ to have been true, but where Ａ is no longer certain or even wrong. In effect, Ａasks the question, if ＢＣwere not true, then how could one explain the occurrence of ＢＤ.
In this case the speaker 我 is talking about someone else 他 whom the speaker believes 以為 (now doubtfully) to have been very satisfied 很滿意 at some unspecified point of time in the past 當時. The speaker's reason for believing that the person was satisfied was the happy face 滿臉笑容 that he was wearing.
Note 2: The phrase Ａ以為Ｂ一定Ｃforms a single grammatical unit and bears the meaning: "Ａbelieves that ＢＣmust surely be true, but . . . " The word 當時 translates as "at the time" and places the entire thought into the past. Thus, ignoring the doubt cast by the word 以為 the phrase 我以為他當時一定覺得很滿意 can be translated as "he must have been very satisfied at the time".
The word 覺得 does not translate well into English in this context, as there is already a sense of doubt cast by the word 以為. Satisfaction is by its very nature a feeling. There is no need to translate the thought "I believe that he felt very satisfied"
Note 3: Although conceptually bound as a reasonable challenge to the doubt implied by the first part of the sentence, the phrases 要不然 and 他怎麼會滿臉笑容呢？appear to be grammatically independent. In effect, the sentence part 他怎麼會滿臉笑容呢？is a stand-alone question. The phrase 要不然, although clearly serving as a conjunction and logical transition between the question and the first part of the sentence, is in and of itself a verb phrase. How else does one explain the existence of the comma? Emphasis?
Note 4: The base pattern of the question Ｂ怎麼會Ｄ呢？, although similar to that observed in Sentence #17 above, is employed differently here. In Sentence #17 the question was rhetorical, here it is a serious defense of the speaker's claim and requires a response.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1658976
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１９）他很喜歡數學，我想二三十年以後，他一定會成為一個出名的數學家。
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He likes mathematics very much and in 20 to 30 years will surely become an accomplished mathematician.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ｃ，Ａ想Ｄ以後，Ｂ會成Ｅ where Ｅ is something that the speaker believes Ｂ will become after a designated length of time indicated by Ｄ. The speaker Ａ believes this because of what he observes in Part Ｃ.
Note 2: The base pattern of the observation made in part Ａis that of a subject + verb + object and should not pose a problem for English speakers. The subject of Part Ａ is the same as that of the phrase Ｂ會成Ｅ -- namely, 他. The combination of the characters 數 (number, count) and 學 (study, learn) forms the word 數學 (mathematics).
Note 3: The phrasing Ｄ以後，Ｂ會成 forms a single unit; it is what the speaker believes will happen. The placement of the comma between the phrases Ｄ以後 and Ｂ會成Ｅis difficult to explain. It could be to alert the reader that time has been placed before the subject rather than between the subject and the verb. Commas are also typically placed after a long phrase that precedes the subject.
In any case, the phrasing 二三十年以後 contains two base patterns: that of the postpositional phrase Ｆ以後, and that used to approximate a known value of things -- namely, 二三十Ｇ.
Note 4: Although there are several ways to translate the expression 二三十年, one can group them into two conceptual patterns: two to three years meaning in a range from 24 to 36 months; or two or three years meaning two years or three years, but not some amount in between. Then too, as the expressions two to three years and two or three years often mean the same thing in English, one cannot help but thinking that the same is true of the Chinese language.
The key to understanding the phrase 二三十Ｇ is the double numerical character 二三 before the digit 10 （十）, and what is counted -- in this instanceＧ. Indeed, closer examination reveals a more general pattern of the form ＭＮＫＧ where ＭＮ are any two consecutive digits, Ｋis some power of 10, and Ｇis a counter. Consider other examples of this phenomenon: 七八百元 (7 to 8 hundred yuan)，三四萬蚊 (30 to 40 thousand HK dollars)，一二千人 (1 to 2 thousand people). One can even write 兩三年 (2 to 3 years), 三五年 (a few years) and 三五七年 (some number of years).
Perhaps, you can now understand why, unlike in Japanese, it is so important in Chinese to write the characters 十, 百, 千, and 万 as digit place holders when writing numbers.
Note 5: The phrase 他一定會成為一個出名的數學家 is the object of the verb 想 and tells us what the speaker believes. Though resident in different, grammatically defined phrases the words 想 and 一定 work together to soften the meaning of 一定. If this were not true, the phrase 我想 would not only be unnecessary, but a contradiction and therefore wrong. The word surely is not as strong as are expressions such as with certainty, without doubt, certainly, definitely, etc.
The verb consists of both the modal 會 (can, will) and the main verb 成為 (become). The phrase 出名的 (renown) describes the object of the verb 數學家 (mathematician).
The base pattern of the noun phrase is, of course, 一個Ｒ的Ｓ where the phrase Ｒ的 is inserted between the noun and its adjectival counter.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1663426
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２０）張太太對她的兒子說：「洗臉一定要洗得乾淨。」
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Ms. Cheung said to her son, "When you wash your face wash it well".
Note 1: The base pattern to this question is, of course, Ａ對Ｂ說：「Ｃ。」where Ｃ is something said by Ａ to Ｂ as reported by the speaker. The construction 對Ｂ indicates the person who is told.
In this case, the person Mrs. Cheung 張太太 tells 說 her son 他的兒子 to wash his face 洗臉 well 得乾淨.
Note 2: The base pattern of what is told -- namely, 洗臉一定要洗得乾淨 -- is Ｄ（一定）要Ｅ where Ｄ is an act that must (prescriptive) be performed in a manner prescribed by Ｅ. The adverb 一定 (absolutely, without fail, definitely, etc.) appears optional in this construction and depends on the speaker's emphasis on the prescribed accompanying manner or act.
See Sentence #11, Note 3 above for further discussion with regard to possible grammatical interpretations of this pattern.
Obviously there are other uses of the pattern Ｄ要Ｅ, but in this situation Ｄ is always in the form of a gerund and thus easy to recognize. The grammatical form of Ｅ is more flexible. Consider a few additional sentences that utilize this pattern and their proposed translations.
1) 開車一定要小心。
Driving a car requires good attention.
2) 過馬路一定要看清楚。
Make sure the road is clear when crossing.
3) 上課一定要留心聽講。
Listen carefully when attending a lecture.
4) 洗手一定要洗干淨。
Always wash your hands thoroughly.
5) 刮臉要小心一點。
Shaving requires due caution
6) 刷牙要經常刷。
Brush your teeth regularly.
7) 你吃飯要吃飽。
Eat to your heart's content.
8) 穿衣要穿暖。
Dress warmly.
Note 4: The base pattern of the phrase 洗得乾淨 is not new and can be easily recognized as Ｇ得Ｈ where 得Ｈ serves as a preposition phrase telling the manner in which Ｇ is performed . It is not prescriptive in character.
Source: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1669620
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