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1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Tuesday, 30-Jan-2018 05:24:18 EST ∑ XahLee

   你不想学扬琴了
   你说了不算
   为什么
   因为是它指引你来到世上的
   陪伴了你11年
   这是你跟他前世今生的缘分
   现在你不想要它了
   但是他对你也有感情
   你跟他商量一下吧
   如果它同意你不用跟妈讲
   妈没意见

   English transltion:

   you can say you want to quit learning yangqin,
   but it's not up to you
   why
   it guided you to this world
   you've been together for 11 years
   you are destined to be together
   you may not want it
   but you are all its got
   talk to your yangqin
   if it agrees, then that's it
   i won't object

   闪光少女 (Our Shining Days), Cosplay Culture, and Chinese vs Western Music
   http://xaharts.org/arts/cosplay_culture.html

   1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Tuesday, 30-Jan-2018 13:46:14 EST ∑ XahLee

      in reply to

      when doing translations, there's a tricky business. There's literal translation, and at the other extreme is translation by the intended meaning, which may have NOTHING to do with the words uttered. (called “pragmatics” in linguistics)

      In most “good” translations, eg big movie's subtitle, the latter is done. By that, you can readily enjoy foreign films, but you are completely robbed from seeing how Chinese say things, and any cultural references are necessarily removed.

      1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Tuesday, 30-Jan-2018 14:17:43 EST ∑ XahLee

         in reply to

         here's a more literal translation:

         you don't want to learn yangqin anymore
         but what you say doesn't count

         why?

         because it guided you to the world
         together for 11 years
         it's your karma
         now you don't want him anymore
         but he has feelings for you

         talk to him.
         if he agrees, no need to tell mom
         mom won't object

         1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Tuesday, 30-Jan-2018 14:54:44 EST ∑ XahLee

            in reply to

            Note the word “karma” and “reincarnation” used. If you are a nerd hipster, you probably knew what it means. But to most English speakers, it's a blank.

            It fact, the actual word used is 缘分 (“yuanfen” in English), and Chinese language colloquial usage actually don't have or use the word “karma”.

            If you are a Chinese, you would hear and use word 缘分 yuanfen, several times a month, thru out your life. It's a Chinese folk concept tied to bddhism and taoism. It is applied to relationships.

            1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Tuesday, 30-Jan-2018 14:55:02 EST ∑ XahLee

               in reply to

               缘分 yuanfen means:

               together by destiny
               natural affinity to be together
               fortuity, that binds people together