21 Comments
Why is the article missing from the translation? Also I'm digging the reference ( ;
214
The article is missing for reference purposes. :D .. It's just not any one winter that is randomly coming, but a specific one.
Articles have different functions and meanings in Hungarian. It is used when giving general statements such as, I don't paint apples "Nem festek az almakat" This is the same situation
Ha! "Jön a tél" and "Jon Snow" go together very well. Perhaps a memory device like "Tell Jon, Jön a tél" would be helpful.
- 780
Looks like English contractions are not popular, thus not accepted. My translation, "Winter's coming." was considered wrong, but when attempting to report it I found the new software has deleted the option, "My answer should be accepted" and no substitute is offered. Contractions are very commonly used in English and form a big part of everyday speech.
- 214
Duolingo automatically accepts pronoun contractions like "it's" or "I've", and negations, "don't" or "can't". I don't think the programming is in place for anything more, so those extra contractions would need to be accepted as separate translations.
Generally I recommend not using contractions with this programme, since, after all, it's just a computer trying to interpret your writing. And even almighty Google still struggles with this.
There's another argument against writing "winter's coming", though. It might be interpreted as a genitive, and "the coming of winter", which would have a different translation in Hungarian.
Also it's not idiomatic. :D
EDIT: forgot about this. If you're on the web version of Duo, the "My answer should be accepted" option is still available if you hit "Report a problem". It's now just the last item on the list.
- 780
Many thanks, RyagonIV, for your patient and comprehensive explanation. I shall curb my instinctive use of contractions which, in everyday speech may be perfectly understood by fellow native speakers, and thus considered idiomatic. However, in a language course of this nature, keeping in mind and adapting to your audience (albeit a computer) is simply good practice.
To interpret "Winter's coming." as possessive case (genitive) had not occurred to me (nor would it, had you not suggested same) but doing so certainly illustrates an entirely different perspective from that which was intended.
On the technological issue when reporting - yes, I am accessing Duolingo via PC. It is perhaps just as well I was unable to report, as it would only have "thrown a spanner into the works", given the potential for misinterpretation.
Thanks again for your insight, RyagonIV, your linguistic knowledge and skill will continue to inspire not only me, but Duolingo students everywhere.
- 365
Why is "The winter comes" wrong?
Where can I see that I have to use the Present Progressive Form?
- 214
"Winter is coming" is just super idiomatic. :)
Also I'm not really confident that you'd say "The winter comes" in English. Usually you don't use the definite article with seasons (or months or days).
you'd translate that as "a tél jön", emphasising the winter part instead of the coming part. it's only a slight difference in meaning, probably enough to be acceptable as an answer, but you only use that version in rare cases, so it's not really useful.
