2025-02-08 手机 0
My Journey from Chinese to English: A Language Lover's Story
I still remember the first time I encountered "中译英" - a term that would become an integral part of my life. It was during my junior year in college when I decided to take on a new challenge: learning English as a second language.
Growing up in China, Mandarin Chinese is the dominant language spoken at home and in school. While it's an incredibly rich and expressive language, I always felt fascinated by the world beyond our linguistic borders. That's when I stumbled upon "中译英," or translating from Chinese to English.
At first, it seemed daunting. The grammar structures were different, vocabulary varied greatly, and even idioms had their own unique twists. But with each passing day, I found myself more drawn into this world of words and meanings.
As a beginner, every word counted - literally! Translating phrases like "你好" (hello) or "谢谢" (thank you) became milestones for me. Each correct translation gave me confidence to tackle more complex expressions like "我很高兴见到你" (I'm very happy to see you).
With practice came understanding - not just of individual words but also cultural nuances that often got lost in translation. For instance, while saying sorry might be enough in English-speaking countries, doing so three times ("对不起，请问一下，你能听懂中文吗？") is more polite in China.
Nowadays whenever someone asks me about my journey from Chinese to English, they always seem surprised by how far-reaching this process has been for me. It wasn't just about mastering two languages; it was about gaining insight into different cultures and ways of thinking.
So if there's one piece of advice for those embarking on their own middle-school-to-high-school journey through language acquisition - whether it be 中译英 or any other combination - it would be this: embrace your mistakes as stepping stones towards fluency; appreciate the beauty hidden within unfamiliar syntaxes; and most importantly enjoy the ride because once you start speaking with confidence no matter which tongue you use – well then nothing can stop you!
