[General] I read a Chinese in English, which is meaningful and insightful...

[Silverobama]

I read a Chinese in English, which was very well written in English. The sentence literally goes like "Someone was trapped in deep valley but never forgets to look up to the sky". It roughly means "Someone might go through a tough time but still being optimistic". The sentence is very encouraging. I then wrote a sentence to express the idea:

I read a Chinese in English, which is meaningful and insightful.

Is the italic sentence natural?

 

[teechar]

I read a Chinese [STRIKE]in English,[/STRIKE] sentence/proverb which was very well [STRIKE]written[/STRIKE] translated into English. [STRIKE]The sentence[/STRIKE] It literally goes like "Someone was trapped in a deep valley but never [STRIKE]forgets[/STRIKE] forgot to look up to the sky". It roughly means "Someone might go through a tough time but still [STRIKE]being[/STRIKE] be optimistic". The sentence is very encouraging. I then wrote a sentence to express the idea:

I read a Chinese proverb translated into English, [STRIKE]which is[/STRIKE] and I found it quite meaningful and insightful.

Is the italic sentence natural?

See above.

 

[Silverobama]

Much appreciated, teechar.

I made a mistake in the prologue. It should be:

I read a Chinese in English, which was very well written in Chinese....

The sentence was well written in Chinese but not translated (I tried to translate it) into English. So, the sentence needs to be corrected. How about the following one:

I read a Chinese sentence/a sentence in Chinese and I found it quite meaningful and insightful.

 

[Rover_KE]

I made a mistake in the prologue. It should be:

I read a Chinese in English, which was very well written in Chinese....

No, it shouldn't. I don't know why you think 'I read a Chinese in English' is meaningful.

Incidentally, this may have been in Oscar Wilde's mind when in 1892 he wrote “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” (Lady Windermere's Fan).






(Lady Windermere's Fan).

 

[Silverobama]

I'm deeply sorry. I must have had a brain f*rt at that time.

I read a sentence (written by Oscar Wilde's) in Chinese. I tried to translate it into English.

I think it's meaningful and insightful. Is my new sentence natural now?

I read a sentence today and I found it quite meaningful and insightful.

I don't think "Chinese sentence" is good.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm sure Oscar Wilde never wrote anything in Chinese. If you mean that you found a Chinese translation of something he wrote in English, then why did you try to translate it back, and badly, into English? :shock:

Regarding your sentence, I don't think it's good to say I read a sentence because it really doesn't matter that what you read was a sentence.

I read a quotation by Oscar Wilde today and I found it quite meaningful and insightful.

 

[Silverobama]

I'm sure Oscar Wilde never wrote anything in Chinese. If you mean that you found a Chinese translation of something he wrote in English, then why did you try to translate it back, and badly, into English?

Much appreciated, jutfrank.

I hear that quote from time to time but I didn't know it was written by Oscar Wilde. Today, when I finished giving my speech and on my way home, I thought of it and I think it's inspiring because it describes things happening in my city. Many people have already given up while others are still struggling just to make it a bit better.

I read a quotation by Oscar Wilde today and I found it quite meaningful and insightful.

Thank you very much, jutfrank. I know how to change it "I read a quotation today and I found it quite meaningful and insightful. It turned out to be written by Oscar Wilde".

 

[Rover_KE]

I'm not at all sure that Wilde actually coined the phrase.

It may well come from ancient Chinese—it sounds like something Confucius might have said.

 

[Tdol]

I think the two are sufficiently different to suggest different sources. It's just the idea that is similar.

 

[Tarheel]

Much appreciated, jutfrank.

I hear that quote from time to time but I didn't know it was written by Oscar Wilde. Today, when I finished giving my speech and on my way home, I thought of it and I think it's inspiring because it describes things happening in my city. Many people have already given up while others are still struggling just to make it a bit better.

It's unclear what that means. It is especially unclear what "it" refers to.

Thank you very much, jutfrank. I know how to reword it. "I read a quotation today that I found [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] quite meaningful and insightful. It was written by Oscar Wilde".

~ R