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I notice some fics portray LWJ as so reticent that he drops words from his sentences, especially pronouns, like "I".
While Chinese is very forgiving with omitted pronouns in general, I don't think HGJ would ever tolerate improper grammar.
This is a rambling thread:
While Chinese is very forgiving with omitted pronouns in general, I don't think HGJ would ever tolerate improper grammar.
This is a rambling thread:
"食不言。吃饭不要讲话。"
These two sentences mean the same thing - "don't talk while you're eating". LWJ says the first instinctively, then remembers it is phrased formally, which is hard for a child to understand, and repeats himself in plainer language. https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272933411921948672?s=19
These two sentences mean the same thing - "don't talk while you're eating". LWJ says the first instinctively, then remembers it is phrased formally, which is hard for a child to understand, and repeats himself in plainer language. https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272933411921948672?s=19
Here, I have equated the words in 1st sentence to the words in the 2nd sentence
食 = 吃饭
不 = 不要
言 = 讲话
mean exactly the same thing. The difference is the 1st sentence is more elevated in tone (it's more formal, like 'consume' vs 'eat' i.e. no one talks like that irl)
食 = 吃饭
不 = 不要
言 = 讲话
mean exactly the same thing. The difference is the 1st sentence is more elevated in tone (it's more formal, like 'consume' vs 'eat' i.e. no one talks like that irl)
This is where the argument against dropping pronouns as a representation of how HGJ speaks efficiently starts. These two sentences have the exact same meaning, but neither of them have pronouns. They both translate LITERALLY to 'eat don't talk'. Who and when are both implied.
In short, it is not an accurate representation of Chinese to drop pronouns in English fic, because the pronoun being dropped is a characteristic of the language, not the character one is trying to write.
So how might one represent HGJ's speaking style in English?
So how might one represent HGJ's speaking style in English?
HGJ speaks formally, poetically. Anyone hearing him knows he is highly literate; he uses words in the way they mean when written in text, not said.
Text is always more sparse and dense in meaning than speech because writing material was a scarce resource for a long time.
Text is always more sparse and dense in meaning than speech because writing material was a scarce resource for a long time.
So: sparse but dense, poetic, heavy with meaning, very deliberate, very direct, and if he is ever lost for words he would choose not to say anything at all.
LSZ: "I don't know what to say."
LWJ: "Then don't say anything." https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272911675918868480?s=19
LSZ: "I don't know what to say."
LWJ: "Then don't say anything." https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272911675918868480?s=19
But just because HGJ is efficient doesn't mean he hates words. In the scene where he is teaching A-Yuan, he says the EXACT same thing TWICE. He states the precept, then explains it to the child in the way a normal person would say it, so the child understands and learns.
Generally, LWJ is a very good, communicative parent. This quick analysis of the audio drama scene where LWJ brings A-Yuan to play with rabbits shows he doesn't hate words, he just chooses when to use them, and who with. https://twitter.com/yibosbian/status/1183652976994291712?s=19
To me, the best principle to describe LWJ's speaking style is "le mot juste" - "the right word" at the right time, nothing more, nothing less.
But it is absolutely going to be proper and grammatical, given his high literacy and upbringing, unless he deliberate chooses otherwise.
But it is absolutely going to be proper and grammatical, given his high literacy and upbringing, unless he deliberate chooses otherwise.
Interestingly, this is the only time we see LWJ saying more than he intends to, much to his agitation :P
And he calls it 废话 - "why am I saying so much rubbish", but the word used here also implies "wasted words" https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272901878054113280?s=19
And he calls it 废话 - "why am I saying so much rubbish", but the word used here also implies "wasted words" https://twitter.com/yilinglans/status/1272901878054113280?s=19
tl;dr - reticence doesn't necessarily mean LWJ doesn't know how to talk, and dropping pronouns is probably not a thing he would do if he ever spoke in English.
This reminds me of fan depictions of Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing, which is showing my age, so this is where I say bye
This reminds me of fan depictions of Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing, which is showing my age, so this is where I say bye
GLOSSARY
Simp/Trad/HYPY/Eng
食不言。吃饭不要讲话。
食不言。吃飯不要講話。
shí bù yán. chī fàn bú yào jiăng huà.
Don't talk while you're eating.
废话
廢話
fèi huà
Talking rubbish. Used in isolation, it can also mean "duh" (the line between verbs and nouns in Chinese is v thin)
Simp/Trad/HYPY/Eng
食不言。吃饭不要讲话。
食不言。吃飯不要講話。
shí bù yán. chī fàn bú yào jiăng huà.
Don't talk while you're eating.
废话
廢話
fèi huà
Talking rubbish. Used in isolation, it can also mean "duh" (the line between verbs and nouns in Chinese is v thin)
