See in Reader
78 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
78 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
|
|
||
|
|
### Description
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Most languages have a normal way of ordering the parts of a sentence. It is not the same in all languages. Translators need to know what the normal word order is in their language.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
### The Main Parts of a Sentence
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Most sentences have three basic important parts: subject, object, and verb. Subjects and objects are usually nouns (i.e., a person, place, thing, or idea) or pronouns. Verbs show action or a state of being.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
#### Subject
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The subject is usually what the sentence is about. It usually performs some action or is being described.
|
||
|
|
A subject may be **active**; it does something, such as sing, or work, or teach.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* <u>Peter</u> sings the song well.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
A subject may have something done to it.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* <u>Peter</u> was fed good food.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
A subject can be described or it can be in a **state**, such as being happy, sad, or angry.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* <u>He</u> is tall.
|
||
|
|
* <u>The boy</u> is happy.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
#### Object
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The **object** is often the thing that the subject does something to.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Peter hit <u>the ball</u>.
|
||
|
|
* Peter read <u>a book</u>.
|
||
|
|
* Peter sang <u>the song</u> well.
|
||
|
|
* Peter ate <u>good food</u>.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
#### Verb
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The verb shows an action or a state of being.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Peter <u>sings</u> the song well.
|
||
|
|
* Peter <u>is singing</u>.
|
||
|
|
* Peter <u>is</u> tall.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
#### Preferred Word Order
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
All languages have a preferred word order. The examples below show the order of the subject, object, and verb in "Peter hit the ball" for some languages.
|
||
|
|
In some languages, such as English, the order is Subject-Verb-Object.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Peter hit the ball.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
In some languages the order is Subject-Object-Verb.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Peter the ball hit.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
In some languages the order is Verb-Subject-Object.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Hit Peter the ball.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
#### Changes in Word Order
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Word order can change if
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* the sentence is a question or command
|
||
|
|
* the sentence describes a state of being (He is happy. He is tall.)
|
||
|
|
* the sentence expresses a condition, such as with the the word "if"
|
||
|
|
* the sentence has a location
|
||
|
|
* the sentence has a time element
|
||
|
|
* the sentence is in a poem
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Word order can also change if
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* there is some kind of emphasis on a certain part of the sentence
|
||
|
|
* the sentence is really about something other than the subject
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
### Translation principles
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
* Know which word order is preferred in your language.
|
||
|
|
* Use your language's preferred word order unless there is some reason in your language to change it.
|
||
|
|
* Translate the sentence so that the meaning is accurate and clear and so that it sounds natural.
|