Category: Language Learning

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Culture Language Learning

biāozhǔn

biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn [(conforming to)] mark[s] · standard[s] → [[(conforming to)] standard[s]; criteria] 标准 標準) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

In Western culture, especially American culture, it seems, the way to give the best compliments involves exaggeration. For example, one might say,

“That person gave 110%!”

In contrast, for a Mandarin field language-learner, the best compliment from a Chinese person is often

“Nǐ (you 你) shuōde (shuō·de speak · getting 说得 說得) hěn ({very much} 很) biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn (to be conforming to) mark · standard → [(to be conforming to) standard] 标准 標準)!”

That literally means that the language-learner’s speech hit the mark, and matched up to the standard well—matched, not exceeded.

Different cultures, different calibrations—understanding that will help us to take people’s comments the right way. For example, if you manage to move a Chinese person to say that your Mandarin is very “biāozhǔn (biāo·zhǔn [(conforming to)] mark[s] · standard[s] → [[(conforming to)] standard[s]; criteria] 标准 標準)”, the meaning is not that you are doing okay, so-so, but failing to excel. Rather, the meaning is that you are doing very well indeed!

Categories
Culture Language Learning Theocratic

chéngnuò

chéngnuò (chéng·nuò {bearing [of]} · promising → [promise (v or n)] 承诺 承諾) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), entitled “Features of This Revision”, discusses vocabulary changes that have been made in the current revision, words that have been translated differently than before. As noted in various entries in the excellent resource Referenced Theo. Expressions (RTE), Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwt) correspondingly discusses words that have been translated differently in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible, compared to how they had been translated before.

Since we base what we say in Jehovah’s service on his Word the Bible, the vocabulary used in it—and the way those vocabulary words are translated—should be reflected in how we speak in our ministry, at our meetings, etc. So, it is beneficial for us Mandarin field language-learners to be familiar with the latest thinking from the organization on how Bible terms should be translated into Mandarin.

Promises, Promises

Sometimes, some words just gradually get used less and less, and people turn to using other words instead. Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) gives these examples of English words that have fallen out of fashion so much that they may no longer be correctly or easily understood by modern readers, and the words that the English NWT Bible now uses instead of them:

The now obsolete meaning of “dumb” was replaced with “speechless.” (Matthew 9:32, 33) The term “harlot” was changed to “prostitute.” (Genesis 38:15) In this revision, “fornication” is usually rendered as “sexual immorality”; “loose conduct” as “brazen conduct”; and “revelries” as “wild parties.”

One example of a word used in the previous major revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible that may no longer be correctly or easily understood by modern readers is “yīngxǔ (promising 应许 應許)”. Now, “chéngnuò (chéng·nuò {bearing [of]} · promising → [promise (v or n)] 承诺 承諾)”, this week’s MEotW, is used instead in the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible.—Bǐdé Hòushū ((Bǐdé Peter 彼得) (Hòu·shū Later · Book 后书 後/后書) → [2 Peter]) 3:13.

Categories
Culture Language Learning Theocratic

zǔzhòu

zǔzhòu (cursing 诅咒 詛咒) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), entitled “Features of This Revision”, discusses vocabulary changes that have been made in the current revision, words that have been translated differently than before. As noted in various entries in the excellent resource Referenced Theo. Expressions (RTE), Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwt) correspondingly discusses words that have been translated differently in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible, compared to how they had been translated before.

Since we base what we say in Jehovah’s service on his Word the Bible, the vocabulary used in it—and the way those vocabulary words are translated—should be reflected in how we speak in our ministry, at our meetings, etc. So, it is beneficial for us Mandarin field language-learners to be familiar with the latest thinking from the organization on how Bible terms should be translated into Mandarin.

Reverse Curse

One relatively simple type of change that we should be aware of is that the ordering of the morphemes in some of the words used in previous versions of the Mandarin NWT Bible has become reversed in more modern usage.

Morphemes are the smallest units of language sound with meaning. Morphemes sometimes are words on their own, but not always. For example, “cat” is both a morpheme and a word. However, while the “s” at the end of “cats” is a morpheme (meaning that we are now talking about more than one cat), it is not a word on its own.

Regarding Mandarin morphemes, the introductions of Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resources point out the following:

In Mandarin, morphemes usually correspond with syllables, but some syllables are sound-only (without meaning) and thus not morphemes, and some morphemes have more than one syllable.

One example of a word that has had its morpheme order reversed in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible is “zhòuzǔ (cursing 咒诅 咒詛)”. Now, “zǔzhòu (cursing 诅咒 詛咒)”, this week’s MEotW, is used instead.—Chuàngshìjì (Chuàng·shì·jì {Initiating, Creating of} · World · Record → [Genesis] 创世记 創世記) 3:14.

As used in both “zhòuzǔ (cursing 咒诅 咒詛)” and “zǔzhòu (cursing 诅咒 詛咒)”, “zǔ (cursing | {swearing (an oath)} 诅 詛)” and “zhòu (cursing; swearing [→ [incantation; spell]] 咒 咒/呪)” both mean “cursing”, and whichever one is put first, together they also mean “cursing”.