大咖福利影院

This translation doesn't reflect your exact wording, but as your student is 10 years old, your meaning is more important than the word choice.

What is the name of this letter? = 膼芒y l脿 ch峄� g矛?

What is the sound of this letter? = Ch峄� n脿y ph谩t 芒m nh瓢 th岷� n脿o?

Listen to the sound this letter makes. = Nghe ph谩t 芒m c峄�a ch峄� n脿y.

Listen to the word I am about to say. = Nghe ch峄� t么i s岷痯 n贸i 膽芒y.

The difference in meaning of 'l岷痭g nghe' and 'nghe'? 聽 It's the same difference as between 'listen' and 'hear'.聽 L岷痭g nghe = listen.聽 Nghe = hear.

Dear Ciambella,

Thank you so much! I tried using Google Translate but when I showed my student the translation he shook his head to indicate it didn't make sense (usually he smiles and nods).

In this sentence, which is the word for sound?
Ch峄� n脿y ph谩t 芒m nh瓢 th岷� n脿o?

Sometimes I'd like to be able to point to a letter and say 'Sound?' (a quick way of asking 'What is the sound of this letter?).

I'd also like to be able to point to a letter and say 'Name?' (a quick way of asking 'What is the name of this letter?)

If I wanted a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter name, could I say 'T锚n?'

If I wanted to a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter sound, could I say '脗m thanh?

RiaCarte wrote:

I tried using Google Translate but when I showed my student the translation he shook his head to indicate it didn't make sense (usually he smiles and nods).

In this sentence, which is the word for sound?
Ch峄� n脿y ph谩t 芒m nh瓢 th岷� n脿o?

Sometimes I'd like to be able to point to a letter and say 'Sound?' (a quick way of asking 'What is the sound of this letter?).

I'd also like to be able to point to a letter and say 'Name?' (a quick way of asking 'What is the name of this letter?)

I added the sentence to my last reply "This translation doesn't reflect your exact wording, but as your student is 10 years old, your meaning is more important than the word choice."聽 Your new question is the reason I translated it that way instead of a literal translation.聽

Name:聽 t锚n.聽 However, you don't say 'T锚n c峄�a ch峄� n脿y l脿 g矛?' (What's the name of this letter?) because it doesn't sound right.聽 You simply ask, '膼芒y l脿 ch峄� g矛?' (What's this letter?)

There are 2 reasons I gave you the translation 'Ch峄� n脿y ph谩t 芒m nh瓢 th岷� n脿o?' (How is this word/letter pronounced?) instead of the literal translation 'Ch峄� n脿y c贸 芒m thanh g矛?' (How does this letter sound?)

1-聽 'Ch峄�' is Vietnamese for both 'word' and 'letter' (alphabet).聽 The translation you get from Google is 'th瓢' (mail)

2-聽 'Sound' is '芒m thanh' or 'ti锚蛠ng 膽么蹋ng' (noise).聽 '脗m thanh c峄�a ch峄�' is a poor translation for 'the sound of a word/letter'.聽 Sound and pronunciation (ph谩t 芒m) are very closely related, if not interchangeable to a Vietnamese student of foreign language.

RiaCarte wrote:

If I wanted a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter name, could I say 'T锚n?'

If I wanted to a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter sound, could I say '脗m thanh?

No to both.

For the first: 'Ch峄� g矛?' (What's the letter?}

For the second: 'Ph谩t 芒m?' (Pronounce?) or '膼峄峜 膽i!' (Read!)

Sorry it can't be easier.

Thank you again, Ciambella. I am really appreciative of your explanation. Now I understand why the google translations didn't convey the 'meaning' of what I was trying to say.

My student will be thrilled with your new translations. He always beams when I'm able to communicate with him (accurately) in Vietnamese. He spends his school days in a sea of English words - it's the only language his classroom teacher and classmates speak. I can only imagine the relief he must feel when someone can communicate with him in his mother-tongue.

Thank you!

Maria

Ciambella wrote:

RiaCarte wrote:

If I wanted a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter name, could I say 'T锚n?'

If I wanted to a quick way to point to a letter and ask the letter sound, could I say '脗m thanh?

No to both.

For the first: 'Ch峄� g矛?' (What's the letter?}

For the second: 'Ph谩t 芒m?' (Pronounce?) or '膼峄峜 膽i!' (Read!)

Sorry it can't be easier.

Thank you. That's very helpful!

It's really lovely to see helpful cooperation on this forum, there are so many snarky comments and bad manners on the Internet generally, that I find this dialogue very refreshing. Thank you both.