What is the best Chinese translation of "ahead of her time"?
September 16, 2009 6:31 AM Subscribe
Chinese Translation Filter: What is the best translation of, "a woman ahead of her time."
The dedication in my dissertation is to my Grandmother, and I want it to basically say, "To my wonderful Grandmother, (name), a woman who continues to be ahead of her time."
She only speaks Chinese, and I do not speak any. I got this translation from a Chinese professor friend of my parents', but I am afraid that it may miss important parts of the sentiment. Namely, the idea that she is a *woman* ahead of her time. Does this translation contain that exact sentiment? Do you have any better translations?
献 給 我 非 凡 的 祖 母 , 余 美 芳 ,
一 個 永 遠 走 在 時 代 前 面 的 人
The dedication in my dissertation is to my Grandmother, and I want it to basically say, "To my wonderful Grandmother, (name), a woman who continues to be ahead of her time."
She only speaks Chinese, and I do not speak any. I got this translation from a Chinese professor friend of my parents', but I am afraid that it may miss important parts of the sentiment. Namely, the idea that she is a *woman* ahead of her time. Does this translation contain that exact sentiment? Do you have any better translations?
献 給 我 非 凡 的 祖 母 , 余 美 芳 ,
一 個 永 遠 走 在 時 代 前 面 的 人
Agree with jstarlee about 位 and 女性; here's my effort. I'm not a native speaker but have just bullied one into agreeing this might do!:
献给我尊爱的祖母余美芳，一位永远领先于时代的女性。
posted by Abiezer at 10:23 AM on September 16, 2009
献给我尊爱的祖母余美芳，一位永远领先于时代的女性。
posted by Abiezer at 10:23 AM on September 16, 2009
Response by poster: I have gotten a few opinions from native speakers, and they all seem to prefer either of these options to the original one. Google translate back from the Chinese into English is hilarious:
"Dedicated to my extraordinary grandmother, Yumei Fang, bit always walk in the era of the female tip".
I will let you know which one I choose! Thank you so much for the efforts.
posted by hybridvigor at 11:55 AM on September 16, 2009
"Dedicated to my extraordinary grandmother, Yumei Fang, bit always walk in the era of the female tip".
I will let you know which one I choose! Thank you so much for the efforts.
posted by hybridvigor at 11:55 AM on September 16, 2009
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一 個 永 遠 走 在 時 代 前 面 的 人
I would change the second sentence to
一 位 永 遠 走 在 時 代 先 端 的 女 性
Comparison:
一個 vs 一位
一個 could be used for many things and not just people.
一位 is (as far as I know), only used when counting people.
前面 vs 先端
前面 lit. in front of, front side of;
先端 the front tip of(?) - To me this word is used more often in literature than 前面, which is used more in conversation.
人 vs 女性
人, person, human;
女性, female, woman.
Background - 18 years of traditional Chinese (which seems to be what you are using) speaking/writing. Feel free to mail me if you have any question.
posted by jstarlee at 6:49 AM on September 16, 2009