This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Chinese to English
  3. Journalism

KudoZ question not available

English translation: demand an explanation

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:讨说法
English translation:demand an explanation
Entered by: Denyce Seow

20:06 Dec 27, 2006
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Journalism
Chinese term or phrase: 讨说法
从今年八月初到现在，反战母亲辛迪希恩先是在布什总统的农场前安营扎寨讨说法， 然后又乘大巴参加环美反战巡游。
Denyce Seow
Singapore
Local time: 10:44
suggestion
Explanation:
讨说法 alone usually means the person who wants to 讨说法 would like an explanation on a certain problem or a problem solved. I am not sure what would be a good translation here. "take issue with" might work, but it is not exactly what the Chinese means. Yet, your sentence is probably a translated version from English. So you might want to allow some flexibility here.
Selected response from:

isahuang
Local time: 22:44
Grading comment
Thanks. Since this article talks about Cindy Sheehan, I think "demand an explanation" should work. A few of you suggested this answer, but since Tingting was the first one to come up with it, I will give the points to her. I hope all of you are fine with this.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3suggestion
isahuang
3 +3demanding justification
Fang Sheng
5demand an audience with the president
Shaojie Huang
3 +1ask for an answer
franksf
4demand a hearing from the Present
Ming Fu, Qi
3appeal
pkchan
3讨说法令 = protest; demonstration
chica nueva


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
suggestion


Explanation:
讨说法 alone usually means the person who wants to 讨说法 would like an explanation on a certain problem or a problem solved. I am not sure what would be a good translation here. "take issue with" might work, but it is not exactly what the Chinese means. Yet, your sentence is probably a translated version from English. So you might want to allow some flexibility here.

isahuang
Local time: 22:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in category: 19
Grading comment
Thanks. Since this article talks about Cindy Sheehan, I think "demand an explanation" should work. A few of you suggested this answer, but since Tingting was the first one to come up with it, I will give the points to her. I hope all of you are fine with this.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  franksf: " ... unless she could *QUESTION* him about the war that claimed the life of her 24-year-old son Casey"- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9137815/
17 mins
agree  chica nueva: http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=bush ranch cindy shee...
3 hrs
agree  zenlee: Yes, I think "explanation" is good enough
13 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
demanding justification


Explanation:
I think here she want's Bush to provide justification for his policies. Also possible is to "demand an explanation".

Fang Sheng
Canada
Local time: 22:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wilman: I would go with demand explanation
1 hr
agree  chica nueva: http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=bush ranch cindy shee...
2 hrs
agree  licullen: asking for or demanding an explanation
1 day 5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ask for an answer


Explanation:
ask for answers, ask for reasons

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2006-12-27 20:23:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

demanding an answer

franksf
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  chica nueva: http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=辛迪希恩 讨说法&btnG=Search&...
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Lesley.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
appeal


Explanation:
Human Rights in China- [ Translate this page ]昝爱宗获释，将向国家新闻出版总署讨说法, Detained reporter Zan Aizong released, plans appeal to the General Administration of Press and Publications over ...
www.hrichina.org/public/contents/30508 - 33k - Cached - Similar pages


pkchan
United States
Local time: 22:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 8
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
讨说法令 = protest; demonstration


Explanation:
http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=辛迪希恩 讨说法&btnG=Search&...

'安营扎寨'讨说法 is one word, a kind of protest or demonstration



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2006-12-27 23:56:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This must be similar 'model' to the Tian'anmen Square protest/demonstration in 1989, the Anti-Vietnam War peaceful 'sit-ins', and the aboriginal nationalist embassy encampment outside Government House in Canberra.

Of course in imperial times, the Emperor's subjects used to travel to Beijing to petition the Emperor over injustices. Somewhat similar, but not identical, I would suggest. A different Chinese term is used (and I can't remember what it is right now...)

'petition' - you could consider using 'petition' perhaps, but it would not be understood, in the light of the other use of the term petition in the West. It might lead to confusion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2006-12-28 00:06:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

petition = a request signed by a lot of people made to a government or other official group 请愿书
petition = to make a request in the form of a petition 请愿;请求
(朗文进阶词典)

I believe this is a 请求 petitioning situation. But 讨说法 goes beyond that.
哭,闹,上吊' -> this is '闹' - she is described by the media as that 'annoying mother'. it seems she is troublesome, a 'thorn in the side' of the Bush administration.

(interesting story. This Mothers against War protest movement in the States hadn't registered with me until now. I haven't been keeping up with the news recently).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2006-12-28 00:16:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:HRaaJRPGEP4J:en.wikipedi...

安营扎寨讨说法 = peace camp protest; peace camp vigil in the above text.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2006-12-28 00:26:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

consider 'vigil'

vigil = staying awake, especially at night, in order to be with an ill person, or to express especially political disagreement, or to pray. eg Supporters of the peace movement held an all-night candlelit vigil outside the cathedral. (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
vigil = (常指在夜间的)监视;戒备;值夜 (朗文进阶词典)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2006-12-28 00:33:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.google.co.nz/search?lr=lang_zh-CN&cr=&q=安营扎寨 peac...

dear me, 安营扎寨 is not 'peace camp', it is 'to pitch a camp' -> camp (or encampment) protest/demonstation



chica nueva
Local time: 14:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
demand an audience with the president


Explanation:
cnn.com

Also workable: demand a meeting with the president; demand an answer on why President Bush continues to wage an unjust war on Iraq (washingtonpost.com)


    Reference: http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/31/sheehan.arrest/index....
    Reference: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08...
Shaojie Huang
China
Local time: 10:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
demand a hearing from the Present


Explanation:
Demand a hearing from the Present.

Ming Fu, Qi
China
Local time: 10:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search