[General] how to put that into English

[Silverobama]

Hi teachers.

If I don't know how to say something in English. Which sentence is natural?

I don't know how to put that into English.
I don't know how to put it in English.

 

[Rover_KE]

It's more natural to say 'I don't know how to say that in English;.

 

[jutfrank]

When you have something to say, you say it with words.

When you have a prelinguistic thought, you put it into words.

If you have a Chinese thought, you put it into English.

Although put it in English sounds natural too, put it into English is a bit better, in my opinion, because there is a sense of transformation.

 

[Silverobama]

When you have something to say, you say it with words.

When you have a prelinguistic thought, you put it into words.

If you have a Chinese thought, you put it into English.

Although put it in English sounds natural too, put it into English is a bit better, in my opinion, because there is a sense of transformation.

Can I understand from your comment that these two sentences are also natural?

I don't know how to put that into English.
I don't know how to put it in English.

 

[Raymott]

Yes, but it might not be a linguistic transformation.
Patient to doctor: "I have a strange feeling. I don't know how to put it in English."
The Chinese phrase might be untranslatable. So, he's not trying to put that phrase into English; he's trying to express his feeling in English.

Crosspost. Reply was to jutfrank's post.

 

[jutfrank]

Can I understand from your comment that these two sentences are also natural?

Yes.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, but it might not be a linguistic transformation.
Patient to doctor: "I have a strange feeling. I don't know how to put it in English."

Yes. In this case, I think the verb put gives a sense of expression rather than transformation.

I think it's grammatically different, too. I think the in English part here is a non-essential adjunct whereas in the examples in post #4, it's an essential complement.

I have a strange feeling, and I don't know how to put it. :tick:
The in English part is not required.

I know how to express this thought in Chinese but I don't know how to put it. :cross:
This doesn't make sense. The in English part is necessary to complete the 'transformative' meaning.

The Chinese phrase might be untranslatable. So, he's not trying to put that phrase into English; he's trying to express his feeling in English.

Possibly, but I have a feeling that Silverobama is trying to translate here.

 

[Silverobama]

Possibly, but I have a feeling that Silverobama is trying to translate here.

I appreciate your help, teachers. I first heard of "put it in English" in some movies or from some native speakers I spoke to face to face. Then I picked up the phrase and used it for a long time. I read "put that into English" two years ago, and yes, it was in Chinese-English dictionaries, in some, not just one dictionary.