Another translation thing Sorry

[Xue Sheng]

I have been on this translation kick lately and I just happened to notice something yesterday that I thought was pretty funny. In the US and other places the following spellings of Taijiquan are used;

Taijiquan, Tai Chi Quan and Tai Chi Chuan

There is absolutely nothing wrong with them and they are all perfectly exceptable to a westerner but I was thinking what would the mean to a Chinese speaker trained in use pinyin

Here they are – I think

Taijiquan = Grand Ultimate Fist

Tai Chi Quan = Grand Eat Fist

Tai Chi Chaun = Grand Eat River (I believe)

 

[charyuop]

You see, not knowing Chinese at all I had always thought that Grand Ultimate Fist was a non literal translation from Chinese. Knowing that Chi is the inner energy and that Tai Chi is basically founded on it I had always thout the correct translation was actually the Grand Energy Fist.

 

[Xue Sheng]

You see, not knowing Chinese at all I had always thought that Grand Ultimate Fist was a non literal translation from Chinese. Knowing that Chi is the inner energy and that Tai Chi is basically founded on it I had always thout the correct translation was actually the Grand Energy Fist.

Qi is energy and pronounced chi.

The actual pinyin is Taijiquan and is actually pronounced more like Tie Gee chuan. Tai Chi is an English translation and qi or as we say chi is not in the pronunciation

But if you write Chi and show it to a Mandarin speaker it will be pronounced chr

 

[East Winds]

charyuop,

Xue is correct. The Chi in Tai Chi Chuan is not the same as the Chi in Chi energy. They are different characters. That is why is technically incorrect to talk about Tai Chi - that translates as Grand Ultimate. Grand Ultimate what?
T'ai Chi Ch'uan = Grand Ultimate Fist.

If I knew how to put Chinese characters up in my post, I could show you the difference. Perhaps Xue Sheng can help here?

Very best wishes

 

[Xue Sheng]

Taijiquan
Traditional Chinese - 太極拳
Simplified Chinese - 太极拳;

Qigong
Traditional Chinese - 氣功
Simplified Chinese - 气功

 

[zDom]

Hmmmm

if Tai = Korean Tae (fist)

and Chi = Korean Ki (inner power)

and Quan = Korean "Kwan" (school)

then it could be "The School of the Inner Power Fist"

Yea yea... I know it doesn't quite work that way.. but it was still fun

 

[Xue Sheng]

Hmmmm

if Tai = Korean Tae (fist)

and Chi = Korean Ki (inner power)

and Quan = Korean "Kwan" (school)

then it could be "The School of the Inner Power Fist"

Yea yea... I know it doesn't quite work that way.. but it was still fun

Actually since Tai CHi is an internal martial art "The School of the Inner Power Fist" is one heck of a lot closer than "grand eat river"

 

[East Winds]

This translation thing is very interesting. A while ago, I bought a video of Yang Zhen Duo and Yang Jun performing Yang Family Sword and Sabre forms. The translation was done by Coach Christopher Pei of the US Wushu Academy and was completely in keeping with the spirit and actions of what was going on. Recently the same video has been re-released on DVD with the commentary and translation being done by "some guy off the street". He clearly has no idea about CMA's and the translation in places is quite laughable. For instance "the 13 posture Sabre form" comes out as "the thirteen pithy postures" :rofl:
And so it goes on throughout the DVD. My Mandarin is not yet good enough to follow the original Chinese commentary (by Yang Zhen Duo), but when I listen to Chris Pei, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Very best wishes

 

[Xue Sheng]

This translation thing is very interesting. A while ago, I bought a video of Yang Zhen Duo and Yang Jun performing Yang Family Sword and Sabre forms. The translation was done by Coach Christopher Pei of the US Wushu Academy and was completely in keeping with the spirit and actions of what was going on. Recently the same video has been re-released on DVD with the commentary and translation being done by "some guy off the street". He clearly has no idea about CMA's and the translation in places is quite laughable. For instance "the 13 posture Sabre form" comes out as "the thirteen pithy postures" :rofl:
And so it goes on throughout the DVD. My Mandarin is not yet good enough to follow the original Chinese commentary (by Yang Zhen Duo), but when I listen to Chris Pei, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Very best wishes

I am wondering if this is not the same guy that did some translation for some of Chen Zhenglei's DVDs.

My Mandarin is not good enough to keep up with what Sifu Chen is saying but I was fairly certain what he was saying and what the translator was saying was wrong, So I asked my wife and it was wrong. I don't remember the exact error but I do remember the word "pithy" was involved.

 

[grappling_mandala]

I'll have one of those "eating a grand fists"