[General] They amuse me so I wanna share with you guys

[Silverobama]

Zoe shared two pictures of a fruit basket in our online group. The fruit basket is only used as pots for night urinating here in China but it's used as a fruit basket abroad.

She thinks it's very funny perhaps because she doesn't understand why people abroad use it as fruit baskets. When she shared that picture she said "They amuse me so I wanna share with you guys". Of course we laugh because we understand a fruit basket to be pots for urinating.

Is the italic sentence natural?

 

[jutfrank]

Before we answer your question, I should point out that you're using the wrong word with fruit basket. I think you might mean fruit bowl. You can't urinate into a basket because your pee would leak through the holes!

 

[tzfujimino]

The fruit basket is only used as pots for night urinating here in China but ...

Why is it called "fruit basket" then?

 

[Silverobama]

Before we answer your question, I should point out that you're using the wrong word with fruit basket. I think you might mean fruit bowl. You can't urinate into a basket because your pee would leak through the holes!

It wasn't me who used the phrase, jutfrank.

See if you can see one of the pictures Zoe shared.



The first one is used as (Piscean has already told me) chamber pots here in China.

Would you please help me with the sentence? ;-)

 

[Silverobama]

Why is it called "fruit basket" then?

I didn't coin that phrase, tzfujimino. I think someone PSed the picture for fun. But my question (the sentence) is based on this context. We're talking about language, aren't we?

 

[jutfrank]

In answer to the question, I'd suggest this:

This amused me, so I thought I'd share it with you guys.

Note that in my sentence, the words This and it refer to the picture, which is the thing that is being shared, rather than to the amusement, which I think is what you meant as being shared. Have I got that right?

 

[tzfujimino]

I didn't coin that phrase, tzfujimino. I think someone PSed the picture for fun. But my question (the sentence) is based on this context. We're talking about language, aren't we?

Yes, we are.
I don't normally associate a fruit basket with urination, hence the question.
Is it the English equivalent/translation of the Chinese word for that thing?

(What do you mean by "PSed"? Could it be an abbreviation for "photoshopped"?)

 

[Silverobama]

In answer to the question, I'd suggest this:

This amused me, so I thought I'd share it with you guys.

Note that in my sentence, the words This and it refer to the picture, which is the thing that is being shared, rather than to the amusement, which I think is what you meant as being shared. Have I got that right?

Exactly!

 

[Silverobama]

Yes, we are.
I don't normally associate a fruit basket with urination, hence the question.
Is it the English equivalent/translation of the Chinese word for that thing?

(What do you mean by "PSed"? Could it be an abbreviation for "photoshopped"?)

Very good question, tzfujimino. My answer to the first one is "No". The Chinese translation of fruit basket is "果篮", literally "guo lan", a basket for holding fruit. While "chamber pots" is "尿壶/夜壶", which means "pots for urination, pots used in the evening".

Yes, I am sorry for using the shortened version. It should have been "photoshopped".

 

[tedmc]

The same item is being shown as a wine bucket.

 

[tzfujimino]

I see. So, that thing isn't used either as a fruit basket or as a wine bucket in China - it's just a "尿壶/夜壶" for Chinese people.

(Quotation marks would have made it easier for me to understand you: Zoe shared two pictures of a "fruit basket" in our online group.)

I think I understand what you mean, Silver.
(Thanks, ted.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Zoe shared two pictures of a fruit basket in our online group. The fruit basket is only used as a pot for [STRIKE]night[/STRIKE] urinating at night here in China, but it's used as a fruit basket abroad.

That makes no sense at all! A fruit basket is full of fruit. Otherwise it's just a basket. Why piss on fruit? And why piss in a basket?

I think fruit basket might be the wrong term.

She thinks it's very funny, perhaps because she doesn't understand why people abroad use it as a fruit basket.

A basket isn't a fruit basket unless there's fruit in it. Fruit baskets (baskets with pretty wrapping that are full of fruit) are popular gifts in the US.

When she shared that picture, she said, "They amuse me, so I want to share them with you guys". Of course we laughed, because we understand a fruit basket to be a pot for urinating in.

Is the italic sentence natural?

Fruit basket and pot are singular. Fruit baskets and pots are plural. Keep them singular or plural in every sentence. Don't mix singular with plural.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I didn't coin that phrase, tzfujimino. I think someone PSed the picture for fun. But my question (the sentence) is based on this context. We're talking about language, aren't we?

No, of course you didn't coin it. It's an old term. Using one for urinating is unthinkable, regardless of the country.

And yes, we're talking about language. That includes vocabulary, and you're just using the wrong term. Whatever people pee in at night in China, they are definitely not fruit baskets!

Could you mean fruit bowl?