 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Western culture makes sentence unclear & meaningless?
Hi all. the other day I was told that the sentence: "I am deeply stirred by a Chinese saying '×ÓÓûÑø¶øÇײ»ÔÚ' which expresses the agony of a bereaved child who cannot practice filial piety when he/she finally succeeds in career after striving." is difficult to understand because it's long and the idea conveyed is "unusual" in western culture. May somebody throw some light on it? Thanks a lot. > Hi all. the other day I was told that the sentence: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > i"unusual" n western culture. May somebody throw some light on it? Thanks > ia lot. You already asked us about this. You'll find the discussion in the archives at Google Advanced Group Search: From: Ieyasu (kkleung@cse.cuhk.edu.hk) Subject: long sentence Newsgroups: alt.usage.english Date: 2003-12-30 19:45:45 PST Do you mean you know about those messages and there is still something different you want from us now?  SignatureBest wishes -- Donna Richoux Dear Donna Richoux, > Do you mean you know about those messages and there is still something > different you want from us now? Exactly as what you've written down. That is, "does it mean even the sentence is rephrased to be grammatically and semantically correct, its impact is weak due to cultural difference?" For "Western", I'm expecting people from Europe and North America to suggest since I'm an Asian. I really can't understand that by just looking at books. Thank you very much for your kind attention. > Dear Donna Richoux, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Thank you very much for your kind attention. In those messages in the archives, Rushtown (rushtown@aol.com) said some pretty clear things, beginning with a paraphrase: >> I am deeply moved by a saying which expresses the emotions of a bereaved >> child who cannot thank his parents for his successful career. >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >> life's goals---and their parents do not expect this. They just show >> gratitude. I'm not sure what else you are asking. My impression is that notions of "filial piety" (gratitude to one's parents) is very important and very basic in Chinese culture. So probably, yes, the idea of one's parents dying before one can express enough gratitude to them is probably an idea that would be more powerful and tragic to other Chinese people than to Westerners. In the West, we like to be on good terms with those who are dying, we tend to want them to forgive us for wrongs we've done them, and for them to know that we love them. We do want them to know that we are grateful for everything good they've done for us. So there's some overlap there, we are not total strangers to the notion of being grateful to one's parents! But it may be a weaker feeling than it is to you. Could you maybe tell us what that proverb was that started the whole idea? It just came across as meaningless symbols here. Perhaps you could translate it word-for-word into English. Even if it doesn't quite make sense, maybe it will convey some image or emotion. SignatureBest wishes -- Donna Richoux |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.