Quote:
Originally Posted by princessmarisa
Being a nosey thread hijacker here
コンピューターの電源を切る
コンピューターを切る
to me reads as "(to) cut the computers power." and shortened "to cut out the computer."
which works fine in English, all be it a bit slangy, as a synonym for turning off the computer.
Is it OK to always remember 切る as the English use of cut, or will it just confuse me later, and should I now see it as turn off as well?
I also end up reading 電気を入れる as to insert the light, can this be compared as "to insert power into the light"
or will thinking in these ways just really harm my learning.
Thanks!
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Thinking in that way will just really harm your learning. You can't think so literally about translation; rarely is it completely accurate. There are even connotations or cultural things that make seemingly literal translations end up being slightly different.
I think 甘い is a good example. There are things you'd describe as 甘い in Japanese that I sure would never describe as "sweet" in English. The first that comes to mind is the sweet red bean that goes in mochi.