Reply
Thu 26 Apr, 2012 11:45 pm
Solely based on Chinese text, I got (translated) this:
The then chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, five-star general Omar Bradley said "If we fight into China, we will wage a wrong war at a wrong time, a wrong place with a wrong enemy."
And then I checked out Wiki, I found:
In testimony to Congress Bradley strongly rebuked MacArthur for his support of victory at all costs in Korea. Soon after Truman relieved MacArthur of command in April 1951, Bradley said in Congressional testimony, "Red China is not the powerful nation seeking to dominate the world. Frankly, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this strategy would involve us in the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy."
I wonder whether "If we fight into China, we will wage a wrong war at a wrong time, a wrong place with a wrong enemy." is grammatically and rhetorically correct.
@oristarA,
There are no real grammatical errors in your version of the translation from a translation. But using the indefinite article makes the statement less strong, less emphatic and, somehow, doesn't sound right in spite of the fact that it is not wrong. Bradley's original statement, with the definite articles in place, iiiihas a much more solid ring to it. It's a matter of style rather than grammar.
One question remains:
"Soon after Truman relieved MacArthur of command in April 1951, Bradley said in Congressional testimony." How soon is soon? When exactly Bradley said this? Between April 1951 and May 1951?
Selected Answer
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace