"A língua é um código cuja função é a comunicação."
Translation:The language is a code whose function is communication.
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Do you use 'whose' with things? I thought it was for people only. And pets, maybe.
The free dictionary:
"There is extensive literary precedent for the use of "whose" with inanimate antecedents, as in: "The play, whose style is rigidly formal, is typical of the period.
Those who avoid this usage employ of which: 'The play, the style of which is rigidly formal, is typical of the period.' But substituting of which may produce a stilted sentence."
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It's very possible that there is extensive literary precedent (difficult to define/qualify that, by the way), but that doesn't make it good English. Stilted or not, "Language is a code, the function of which is communication" should still at least be accepted as a correct translation (of what is a somewhat awkward sentence in itself), IMHO.
I see why I think the English is wrong, it's the punctuation. The function of language is communication. Generally the function of code, or encoding, is limit that communication, né ?
Ah, today I was in Bandol, and the fella in front of me spoke beautiful English accented French, but when he spoke English he was stopping his glot everywhere. Very amusing.
Well, yes, but the function of code is communication on a more discrete level.
"Stopping his glot"...Imagine choosing to speak that way. That's worse than "you guys."
Like! You guys!! (emphasis on guys) sounds odd too, that, it has crept or galloped into UK English.
Way back in the day, the Irish born mother of my Freundin used to say youse when speaking in the plural.
I wish "youse" were accepted and hope it eventually will be (popular usage always leads to change). We need some way of distinguishing singular and plural "you", as all languages that I know of do. "Youse" is common in Scotland and Australia.
Yes, you can't push a river, but you can certainly cry one. I think I'll go back to sleep, now, on that (blue) note.
Got that! Blue Note and, of course, Cry me...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZSyQdOCJk
That was fast! Thanks! I have always used 'of which' with objects, but now I know that's not necessary :)
I wondering if the "a" is necessary in this sentence? Considering the english translation doesn't include the word "the" before the word "communication".
In Portuguese it makes more sense. Função + infinitve or função + o, a, os, as
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@Paulenrique
"The language is a code whose function is the communication" was marked wrong.
I am not an English native speaker (German) but how the heck shall I ever remember when to translate the article "a" back to English or simply drop it?
In most other sentence cases it is perfectly valid when the PT requires the "a" article as you pointed out.
If it is not allowed in this case (PT requires "a" but the English sentence only works 100% without it) what is the reason?
Can a native English speaker maybe explain why "the" before "communication" must be dropped?
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To be honest, if the sentence is suggesting that the function of language is to communicate, then the "the" before "language" should probably be dropped as well. As for your question, the "the" before "communication" should be dropped because otherwise it becomes a single communication (one specific letter or message or telephone call etc.) "The" is the definite article...
"cujo" agrees with the word that comes after it. Função is a feminine noun, so you should use "cuja".
i disagree cuja should refer to codigo, the word that comes before it if it should refer to lingua cuja would be correct in this case it should be cujo
This statement makes virtually no sense in English unless you're referring to a specific language, such as a computer language.
Ideally the sentence should be translated as "Language is a code....etc" (as suggested by Michael238101). All languages, computer or otherwise, are codes, the function of which is communication.
Very glad to see cujo/cuja coming back into lessons. This wascthe first time i have seen it since it was taught several months snd checkpoinfs ago.