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Expert: - 8/29/2004


Question
Hi Terry, sorry to bother you again but I am still wrestling with my Mothers birthday wish! Could please tell me if the following would be acceptable. "qishi sui le. Qin aide mu shengri kuaile. Tangmu he An" Many thanks, Tom.

Answer
Hi Tom,
I would still use "gongxi qishi sui" instead of "qishi sui le". That version doesn't sound like a greeting, it's just a statement of fact and a rather bald one at that. We use "gongxi" for congratulating people on things.
The other part sounds A-OK to me, except you might want "muqin" instead of just "mu". Never heard "mu" used that way outside of classical Chinese.

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Terry Thatcher Waltz

Expertise

I specialize in Chinese technical translation and conference interpretation, and terminology. I can answer questions about these topics, Chinese language pedagogy and learning issues, Chinese grammar for learners, and general issue related to Taiwan.

Experience

Full-time translator and conference interpreter since 1987; long-time resident of Taiwan. Qualified State Dept. language contractor (interpreter and translator) with extensive government and private sector experience.

Organizations
American Translators Association; The Translators' and Interpreters' Guild; ATA Interpreters' Division; ATA Chinese Division.

Publications
AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters) website

Education/Credentials
Ph.D., Chinese; MA, Conference Interpreting

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