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叫

English translation: ask | request | order (food)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:叫
English translation:ask | request | order (food)
Entered by: Roddy Stegemann

10:25 Nov 21, 2006
Chinese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Linguistics / Grammatical Analysis
Chinese term or phrase: 叫
Sentence: 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。

Second Attempt: Mr Sze's son sent mail to his father in which he asked his father to buy him an overcoat because of the cold.

Question One: I have decided that Sentence #15 (above) of the Tsong Kit website requires more thought. In particular I am concerned by the phrasing（Ａ）叫Ｂ買Ｃ給Ａ. Is this an appropriate way for someone to describe a son's request for help?

Question Two: I have translated 叫 to mean ask, but it seems that there are other, politer expressions for a third party to speak about a father and his son. Isn't 叫 what one uses when placing an order at a restaurant?

Question Three: If this is an inappropriate expression, what would be a better way to express the idea of a son asking his father for assistance.

Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p... for further reference.

As always you are welcome to comment on other parts of the sentence, if you find them in error or would like to suggest an improvement.

Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 13:11
asked, requested
Explanation:
> Question One: I have decided that Sentence #15 (above) of the Tsong Kit website requires more thought. In particular I am concerned by the phrasing（Ａ）叫Ｂ買Ｃ給Ａ. Is this an appropriate way for someone to describe a son's request for help?

It is fine in Chinese to say 叫 to mean request or ask.

> Question Two: I have translated 叫 to mean ask, but it seems that there are other, politer expressions for a third party to speak about a father and his son. Isn't 叫 what one uses when placing an order at a restaurant?

another option is to say 让他買一件大衣給他 which basically means the same thing.

The most polite way to express this is 请他買一件大衣給他. The English translation would remain the same though.

Yes, 叫菜 is the term for ordering in a restaurant. The other alternatives are 订菜、选菜、要菜.

> Question Three: If this is an inappropriate expression, what would be a better way to express the idea of a son asking his father for assistance.

叫 is not an inappropriate expression. A mother could say to her child, "去叫爸爸吃饭", meaning "go ask your dad to come to dinner" or "go get your dad for dinner". To say "去请爸爸吃饭" is also fine, but a little too polite and formal.

In this instance it is a third party describing what a son asked the father to do for him. I'd say 请他買一件大衣給他 is the most preferable way of expressing this.

Selected response from:

wherestip
United States
Local time: 15:11
Grading comment
Final Rendering: Mr Sze's son sent mail to his father in which he asked his father to buy him an overcoat because of the cold.

Acknowledgment: I would like to thank both Lu Wang and wherestip for their entries, as both confirm the notion that 叫 is not wrong and does bear the meaning of "asking someone to perform on one's behalf". I would, however, find it difficult to translate the phrase 叫買 as "make buy", as making anyone do anything borders on the coercive. A son does usually command his father, and I see no reason to suspect arm-twisting, blackmail, or even seduction in this instance.

On the other hand, wherestip did provide his usual highly appreciated explanations and answered all three of my questions with both precision and clarity. Moreover, after reading wherestip's entry one can know three ways to order food, and three ways in two registers to describe asking someone to perform for them. Such responses are difficult to beat.

Finally, my thanks to Denyce for her confirmatory support -- all three of them!

Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-3b-g.html#s15 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.

My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1asked, requested
wherestip
3make
Lu Wang


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
make


Explanation:
the son made a request to buy him something by sending a letter to the father; the son wrote a letter making his father buy him something

Lu Wang
Local time: 04:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
asked, requested


Explanation:
> Question One: I have decided that Sentence #15 (above) of the Tsong Kit website requires more thought. In particular I am concerned by the phrasing（Ａ）叫Ｂ買Ｃ給Ａ. Is this an appropriate way for someone to describe a son's request for help?

It is fine in Chinese to say 叫 to mean request or ask.

> Question Two: I have translated 叫 to mean ask, but it seems that there are other, politer expressions for a third party to speak about a father and his son. Isn't 叫 what one uses when placing an order at a restaurant?

another option is to say 让他買一件大衣給他 which basically means the same thing.

The most polite way to express this is 请他買一件大衣給他. The English translation would remain the same though.

Yes, 叫菜 is the term for ordering in a restaurant. The other alternatives are 订菜、选菜、要菜.

> Question Three: If this is an inappropriate expression, what would be a better way to express the idea of a son asking his father for assistance.

叫 is not an inappropriate expression. A mother could say to her child, "去叫爸爸吃饭", meaning "go ask your dad to come to dinner" or "go get your dad for dinner". To say "去请爸爸吃饭" is also fine, but a little too polite and formal.

In this instance it is a third party describing what a son asked the father to do for him. I'd say 请他買一件大衣給他 is the most preferable way of expressing this.



wherestip
United States
Local time: 15:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Final Rendering: Mr Sze's son sent mail to his father in which he asked his father to buy him an overcoat because of the cold.

Acknowledgment: I would like to thank both Lu Wang and wherestip for their entries, as both confirm the notion that 叫 is not wrong and does bear the meaning of "asking someone to perform on one's behalf". I would, however, find it difficult to translate the phrase 叫買 as "make buy", as making anyone do anything borders on the coercive. A son does usually command his father, and I see no reason to suspect arm-twisting, blackmail, or even seduction in this instance.

On the other hand, wherestip did provide his usual highly appreciated explanations and answered all three of my questions with both precision and clarity. Moreover, after reading wherestip's entry one can know three ways to order food, and three ways in two registers to describe asking someone to perform for them. Such responses are difficult to beat.

Finally, my thanks to Denyce for her confirmatory support -- all three of them!

Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-3b-g.html#s15 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.

My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Denyce Seow: Agree, agree, agree! :)
23 hrs
  -> Thanks, Denyce. I guess that's one for each question. ;-)
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