Thread: Let anyone have their own ways

I think translation is one thing, and conversation is another. Sometimes people get the two things mixed up.

In translation (depending on the situation of course) it can be critical to be precise - to use exactly the word which most correctly conveys what is being said.

In conversation though, I think we as linguists tend to be too nit-picky. The way I see it, if I understand the sense of what they said, and the grammar is correct, then it's good enough!

Originally Posted by Deborski

I think translation is one thing, and conversation is another. Sometimes people get the two things mixed up.

In translation (depending on the situation of course) it can be critical to be precise - to use exactly the word which most correctly conveys what is being said.

In conversation though, I think we as linguists tend to be too nit-picky. The way I see it, if I understand the sense of what they said, and the grammar is correct, then it's good enough!

I'm trying to be more flexible. I think in the end sometimes a word can be indispensable, but as I'm learning one can't sacrifice the comprehensible for the sake of retaining word order or exact translation.