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 Translation - Chinese simplified-English - 大胖åå¼ è€é—·å„¿åˆ—ä¼ (The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang)
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Category Literature  This translation request is "Meaning only". | 大胖åå¼ è€é—·å„¿åˆ—ä¼ (The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang) | | Source language: Chinese simplified
她爹是个ç®æ¡¶åŒ ，外å·ã€Œèƒ¡å‡‘åˆã€ã€‚照规矩，ç®æ¡¶çš„木料很讲究，
è¾¹æ是边æ，心æ是心æ，有个统一，è§æ°´æ‰å‡ç§°ï¼Œä¸ä¸ƒæ‹§å…«æªçš„。
ä»–ä¸ï¼Œé€®ä½ä»€ä¹ˆç”¨ä»€ä¹ˆã€‚左看看，å³çœ‹çœ‹ï¼Œåˆ¨ä¸Šå‡ 刨，全用é“圈给ç®
上了。用上å年八年也ä¸è§åˆ«äººæ¥æ‰¾éº»çƒ¦é€€é’±çš„。
　　他说，井里的åŠæ¡¶ï¼Œè¦çš„就是这æ‚木的劲，ç»å¾—起摔碰。é½æ•´çš„
木æ，一撞就完。
　　街åŠèƒŒåŽå¼€ä»–玩笑；有一次从他那儿买å£æ¡¶å›žå®¶ä¸€çœ‹ï¼Œç«Ÿç„¶ä¸€ç‰‡
是屋瓦片ç®çš„。扯蛋ï¼å“ªæœ‰è¿™äº‹ï¼Ÿ
　　凡事都凑åˆè‘—使，所以人缘好。 | Remarks about the translation | Author: 黄永玉
Chapter1: 毛泽东请åƒé¥
This is a short passage from a novel, probably quite well-known in China, but as far as I know has not been translated into English. There is meant to be a joke/something humourous in it, but I am not getting it. Can anyone help?
British English, please.
url:
http://funsite.unc.edu/pub/packages/ccic/cnd/InfoBase/Literature/shortcut/fat-zhang/GB/oldfat01.gb |
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| The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang | TranslationEnglish
Translated by  cacue23 | Target language: English
Her old man is a carpenter who makes barrels, nicknamed "Can-Do Hu". According to the rules, the wood that can be used to make barrels is very particular. Whether it's sapwood or heartwood, it must be the right kind of wood and in the right place. Thus a unity is achieved - when soaked in water, the pieces of wood wouldn't fall apart, nor would the barrels crook or twist.
But he doesn't follow the rules - he uses whatever that happens to be at hand, checks to see if the pieces are all leveled, planes a little, encircles them all with an iron hoop, and done! Strangely, the barrels made by him can be used for quite a few years without being broken, and no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back.
He says that the strengh given by mixed wood is just what barrels need, so that when barrels are thrown into a well, they can survive hits and bumps better. Barrels made of neat timbers? One tiny hit and to Hell with it.
His neighbours joke about him behind his back: once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he got the barrel home, he discovered that a piece of wood is replaced by a roof tile. Nonsense! How can that be?
It seems that he is fine with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone. |
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Last messages | | | | |
19 May 2009 23:16 | | | Hi again cacue 
Does it really say "her old man"? It is not very respectful in English, somewhat "slangy".
It would probably be best to remove the text in Chinese from the title as it may lead to confusion.
It may also be better to write in full "would not" rather than "wouldn't" "does not" rather than "doesn't".
Does the source text use the French term "voilà "?
In the phrase "and never would someone make trouble with him to ask for money back." it would be better to put "no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back".
"barrels are in want of the strengh given by mixed wood" would be better as "barrels need the strength..."
"once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he took the barrel home" would read more easily if you put "once, someone bought... and when he got the barrel home".
I'm not sure what you mean by "a chip tile".
The phrase "It seems that he can do with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone." needs some working on. The phrase is totally unclear in English.
The rest is fine
Bises
Tantine | | |
31 May 2009 10:11 | | | Hi Cacue,
Could you please do the edits on this translation so as I can set a poll?
Bises
Tantine | | |
2 June 2009 01:38 | | | Well, sorry for my delayed response. Just to make it clear though that it may be a little "slangish" as you put it... but the original text isn't that formal either.
I'll do some of the corrections you mentioned. Hopefully it would be ok. | | |
2 June 2009 02:03 | | | Does it really say "her old man"? It is not very respectful in English, somewhat "slangy".
- That's just what it is.
It would probably be best to remove the text in Chinese from the title as it may lead to confusion.
- Correction made.
It may also be better to write in full "would not" rather than "wouldn't" "does not" rather than "doesn't".
- I don't think there's a need for that.
Does the source text use the French term "voilà "?
- Ok, it didn't in explicit words, but the meaning is implied, so I just changed the French into English, hopefully it'll look better.
In the phrase "and never would someone make trouble with him to ask for money back." it would be better to put "no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back".
- Correction made.
"barrels are in want of the strengh given by mixed wood" would be better as "barrels need the strength..."
- Your suggestion doesn't really convey the meaning, so I tried to reword it.
"once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he took the barrel home" would read more easily if you put "once, someone bought... and when he got the barrel home".
- Well, this event didn't really take place, it's more of a made-up tale, which is why I made it sound like a story.
I'm not sure what you mean by "a chip tile".
- Ok, I don't really know what it is called in English either. It's the tiles on the roof of a house.
The phrase "It seems that he can do with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone." needs some working on. The phrase is totally unclear in English.
- Correction done (to my best ability, but the meaning just doesn't come out, so it'll need some more attention). | | |
2 June 2009 02:04 | | | Thanks for your help. | | |
4 June 2009 22:26 | | | Hi Cacue
The corrections are great, the text reads really easily now.
Nice working with you, I have set a poll as my chinese...
Bises
Tantine | | |
14 July 2009 17:51 | | | some places are too complicated and too Chin-english. But some part is really good. any way, needs some modification i think. | | |
10 August 2009 02:18 | | | Can't understand what the original's meaning |
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