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- "我的孩子爱英语歌。"
"我的孩子爱英语歌。"
Translation:My child loves English songs.
37 Comments
Am I correct in thinking that 英语 refers only to the language, or can it be used for nationality as well? I got this wrong the first time because I wrote 英国的 - as in songs from England (which would also generally be called "English songs" in English). I learned 语 is language, 国 is land or country, and 文 is culture (and language), so English (language) is 英语 or 英文, and English (person or something from the country) is 英国～.
"~语" only refers to languages :) However if you really use "French song" to mean "the song from France," it can really be "法国(的)歌," though this sense is less common. For "~文," it generally just means languages. "法语" and "法文" are interchangeable for most speakers. The others you mentioned are all correct :)
I think a more accurate translation would be "My child loves songs in English". "English songs" implies that the songs originate from England, whereas "Songs in English" means the lyrics are English, without specifying the origin.
Does the speaker's pronunciation of 英 in 英语歌 sound like "yeng" instead of "ying" to anyone else?
Like how do you pronounce it? I can't really tell with the automated voice.
1023
You could say "the English song," but in the singular "English song" is wrong without an article.
Strictly speaking, English song is correct. "Song" can be a collective noun, as in the expression "song and dance."
Hmm, interesting. I agree that one could (but only rarely would) say "he likes English song," with "song" referring to something more general (i.e. music or 'song and dance' rather than particular songs). Does the Chinese sentence support this translation?
For the answer I wrote “My child loves British songs” which was considered incorrect。I am therefore assuming that ”English“ refers to the language rather than the nationality。As in ”My child loves songs that are in English“。
- 1023
I think "songs in English" should be accepted. Honestly "English songs" isn't a good translation anyway. If you say "English songs" it sounds more like songs from England specifically, 英国哥. American songs and Kiwi songs can also be 英语歌 but nobody would call them "English songs" even if that's technically correct.
@Doug - why are you calling American and Kiwi songs 英语歌? They would be sung in American English or New Zealand English, won't they? If they are sung in normal English then the above Chinese sentence is correct anyway.
- 230
The pronunciation practice for Chinese hasn't worked since yesterday. Italian pronunciation works, though.
- 1023
If you want to use it in the singular it has to have an article, "the English song." It doesn't have to have the article in the plural.
It would need either a particle "an English song" or "the English song" to be correct in the singular, but I can't see any reason why that would not also be a valid translation.
