Answers
Nov 22, 2017 - 01:47 PM
Like any language, context also drives the literal meaning of a word.
Take the word "que" for example. As a conjunction it means: that, than, whether. When used as a pronoun it can mean: that, which, what, whom. Adverb: how. In the context of some of the sentences in the program it meant "as", que vous (as you), que moi (as moi).
Then there is the problem of not everything from language to language can be translated literally word for word and can be a bit conceptual, such as your example "C'est AU dernier etage". It the literal translation was based on au meaning only at / to the, the idea of something "It's at the last floor" gives you the same information, plus the context of what you are talking about would clear it up even more.
Take the word "que" for example. As a conjunction it means: that, than, whether. When used as a pronoun it can mean: that, which, what, whom. Adverb: how. In the context of some of the sentences in the program it meant "as", que vous (as you), que moi (as moi).
Then there is the problem of not everything from language to language can be translated literally word for word and can be a bit conceptual, such as your example "C'est AU dernier etage". It the literal translation was based on au meaning only at / to the, the idea of something "It's at the last floor" gives you the same information, plus the context of what you are talking about would clear it up even more.
Nov 24, 2017 - 12:13 AM
I do agree with mshideler, arty. At times I translate "on the last floor" to "at the last floor," and then the "au" makes sense.
I know we've said this before, but definitely have some flexibility with learning French (and others as well),
I wish at times learning languages could be like a math equation (I'm a math teacher in Hawaii), where we just plug in the exact words for the exact phrases.
But it won't always work like that.
Prepositional phrases are always for me one of the hardest to learn and to be flexible. At the restaurant. Near the hotel. In/close to/on/at/on top/on the bottom/behind the. Every language that I've learned has their own way of saying at/in/on, and it can be confusing. I mean, even in our language English, at times I don't know the difference between at/on/in on certain phrases!
Keep going Arty!
I know we've said this before, but definitely have some flexibility with learning French (and others as well),
I wish at times learning languages could be like a math equation (I'm a math teacher in Hawaii), where we just plug in the exact words for the exact phrases.
But it won't always work like that.
Prepositional phrases are always for me one of the hardest to learn and to be flexible. At the restaurant. Near the hotel. In/close to/on/at/on top/on the bottom/behind the. Every language that I've learned has their own way of saying at/in/on, and it can be confusing. I mean, even in our language English, at times I don't know the difference between at/on/in on certain phrases!
Keep going Arty!
