"Mountains enjoy.."

[stifled chortles]

Hello

I was in a translation class and the teacher asked us to translate the following:
تتميز الجبال بطبيعة خلابة
Which means
Mountains enjoy a splendid nature.

However, the teacher informed me that using "enjoy" is not right in this context and recommended using "have." I don't quite sense that there is anything wrong with the word "enjoy." Can you please advise?

Thanks,

Bassma

 

[bhaisahab]

Welcome to the forums, stifled chortles. I don't read Arabic but I can say that "Mountains enjoy a splendid nature." is not a meaningful English sentence.

 

[emsr2d2]

Your teacher is wrong too. "Mountains have a splendid nature" is not grammatically correct. Mountains might have specific characteristics (crags, steep slopes etc) but they are a part of nature.

"Mountains are/look splendid."

 

[Tarheel]

Enjoy

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...5D3C6E4B4B068EF&form=CONMHP&conlogo=CT3210127

 

[tedmc]

People can enjoy but mountains cannot enjoy.
People can have or own things, but not mountains.

You can say:
Mountains, as part of nature, are splendid/beautiful/majestic/awesome etc.

Not a teacher

 

[Matthew Wai]

'The hotel enjoys a magnificent view of the harbour.'── quoted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/enjoy
Why can a hotel enjoy something but mountains cannot?
Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

'The hotel enjoys a magnificent view of the harbour.'── quoted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/enjoy
Why can a hotel enjoy something but mountains cannot?
Not a teacher.

That is called personification, one of the figures of speech. It is used to describe buildings but it is uncommon to be used for things like the landscape.

not a teacher

 

[Raymott]

From above "[transitive] formal to have something as a benefit or advantage"
It's still not a natural sentence. Not all mountains enjoy a splendid nature. Some are just areas of ground higher than other areas of ground.

 

[Matthew Wai]

May I say that it is uncommon and unnatural but not ungrammatical to say 'mountains enjoy something'?
Is it grammatical to say 'The hill enjoys fertile soil'?

Not a teacher.

 

[Raymott]

Yes, that's right.

 

[Roman55]

May I say that it is uncommon and unnatural but not ungrammatical to say 'mountains enjoy something'?
Is it grammatical to say 'The hill enjoys fertile soil'?

Not a teacher.

I am not a teacher.

You are right, although I wouldn't say 'unnatural'. There is nothing wrong with 'mountains enjoy xxx' as long as it makes sense. Mountains don't/can't enjoy having people traipsing all over them, but they can enjoy a particular climate or lush vegetation etc.