when

Hungarian translation: all correct, but :-)

08:43 Oct 19, 2006
English to Hungarian translations [Non-PRO]
Linguistics
English term or phrase: when
Hi everyone, my final stupid linguistics question for you... I promise!
If I ask "When did he leave?" ("Mikor ment el?"), I think you have different options for my answer "when you came":

"Akkor, amikor megjo"ttél te".
"Akkor ment el, amikor megjo"ttél te".
"Amikor megjo"ttél te".

Are they all alright? (I don't care about the presence of "te", as long as it's not completely wrong). If all three are ok, probably the second sounds very redundant, but if it does that's ok for my theory :)
What I would also like to know is whether in the first and second case, when you pronounce the answer it sounds like it has two accents, almost like two separate sentences; or does it rather have a much stronger accent on "akkor"? Thank you so much... I am not bothering you again with this stuff :))
Giorgio Testa
Italy
Local time: 11:56
Hungarian translation:all correct, but :-)
Explanation:
All version are correct, but using you (te) at the end of sentect is very-very strange (because of redundancy, as megjöttél already informsa about the person).

The first version is abolutely correct, is you want to emphasize that "akkor".

The second sound like a sample sentence in elementary school :-), you should not repeat "ment el". It may be fine if you want to emphasize that he/she "left" (and not made coffee, for example). But I can hardly imagine a situation when you answer this to "Mikor ment el?" question :-)

The third version is perfect, if you don't use "te" at the end.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-10-19 10:29:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

About stress:
You are right, in first version both "akkor" and "megjöttél" is stressed.
Selected response from:

László Kovács
Local time: 11:56
Grading comment
late, sorry
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1all correct, but :-)
László Kovács


  

Answers


23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
all correct, but :-)


Explanation:
All version are correct, but using you (te) at the end of sentect is very-very strange (because of redundancy, as megjöttél already informsa about the person).

The first version is abolutely correct, is you want to emphasize that "akkor".

The second sound like a sample sentence in elementary school :-), you should not repeat "ment el". It may be fine if you want to emphasize that he/she "left" (and not made coffee, for example). But I can hardly imagine a situation when you answer this to "Mikor ment el?" question :-)

The third version is perfect, if you don't use "te" at the end.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-10-19 10:29:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

About stress:
You are right, in first version both "akkor" and "megjöttél" is stressed.


László Kovács
Local time: 11:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
Grading comment
late, sorry
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks! I will remove those "te" :) and can you say anything about the stress in the first two sentences? (although that has nothing to do with translation, I know...)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tibor Lovasz: A possible use of "te": "Amikor te megjöttél". You might want to emphasize that "te" - e.g. to express that you were the reason, why he left - because he did not want to meet you.
57 mins
  -> Thanks! I forgot this case :-)
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.

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:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search