Is it normal in English?

A section to discuss matters not related to Chess in particular.
soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:45 pm

Hi.
Is it normal in English to say to someone: "The rest of your email was gibberish"?

Thanks in advance

Michael Flatt
Posts: 1235
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:36 am
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Michael Flatt » Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:52 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: Is it normal in English to say to someone: "The rest of your email was gibberish"?
Taking your previous posts into account, I would interpret that as a rhetorical question.

Barry Sandercock
Posts: 1356
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:52 am

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Barry Sandercock » Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:57 pm

Soheil Hooshdaran wrote:
Is it normal in English to say to someone: "The rest of your email was gibberish"

Yes, that's fine,

Especially if it was.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:35 pm

Michael Flatt wrote:
soheil_hooshdaran wrote: Is it normal in English to say to someone: "The rest of your email was gibberish"?
Taking your previous posts into account, I would interpret that as a rhetorical question.
Well, it's not polite in Iran to say "Why do you invent gibberish?", but maybe it is at least neutral in Britain. If I am not mistaking the meaning of 'gibberish'.

MartinCarpenter
Posts: 3053
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 10:58 am

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by MartinCarpenter » Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:50 pm

Oh no one said it was terribly polite :)

Useable in polite company but fairly strong. Not entirely surprising if you've really annoyed someone.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:56 pm

MartinCarpenter wrote:Oh no one said it was terribly polite :)

Useable in polite company but fairly strong. Not entirely surprising if you've really annoyed someone.
He could've said what annoyed him.

User avatar
Michael Farthing
Posts: 2069
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:28 pm
Location: Morecambe, Europe

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:03 pm

Whether he was annoyed or not I don't but he did say what he thought was wrong with your Email, namely that it was gibberish, namely that the words made no sense.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:16 pm

Gibberish means exactly that, and also implies the speaker lacks the power to reason.

I'm beginning to think I have lowered myself too much.

Andrew Bak
Posts: 835
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:48 am
Location: Bradford

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Andrew Bak » Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:24 pm

I don't think gibberish implies the lack of ability to reason. Gibberish is used simply to mean that something that is incomprehensible. Typically it's related to poor vocabulary, grammar and/or sentence structure but it can also refer to the poor logicality (is that gibberish? ;)) of an idea.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:02 pm

So gibberish means unclear words?

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5247
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:18 pm

That is a fairly good approximation, yes.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:27 am

Matt Mackenzie wrote:That is a fairly good approximation, yes.
Is this gibberish?
در زمانه مر تو را سه همرهند//آن یکی وافی و این دو غدرمند
You will have 3 companions during the time
one is loyal to you, two are malign
آن یکی یار است و دیگر رخت و مال//وین سوم وافی است أن حسن‌الفعال
one is companion, the other, tangible possession
and the third is loyal, and is rightful action
مال ناید با تو بیرون از قصور//یار آید لیک آید تا بگور
Your property won't be your company out of a palace
the companion will be with you, but to the grave
جون تو را روز اجل آید به پیش//یار گوید از زبان حال خویش
When the last day of life comes unto you
Your companion's mannerism would tell you
تا بدینجا بیش همره نیستم//بر سر گورت زمانی بیستم
I won't be with you any further
temporarily l stand by your grave and linger
فعل تو وافي است زو كن ملتحد//كه در آيد با تو در قعر لحد
Your deed is loyal to you, take it as shelter
It gets with you to the bottom of death chamber
گفت پيغمبر كه بهر اين طريق//با وفاتر از عمل نبود رفيق
Hence the prophetic saying that for this reason
There is no friend more loyal to you than action
گر بود نيكو ابد يارت شود//ور بود بد در لحد مارت شود
If good, it will be in your company forever
and if bad, it will trouble you in sepulcher

«جلال‌الدین محمد بلخی(رومی)»
Rumi

harrylamb
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:33 am

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by harrylamb » Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:46 am

Soheil

This is a religious quote. Your audience may not realise this. Asking your audience if a religious quote is giberish is an ill advised action.
No taxation without representation

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:49 am

No, it is a poem, that I tried to translate, not a religious quote.

Michael Flatt
Posts: 1235
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:36 am
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Is it normal in English?

Post by Michael Flatt » Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:24 am

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:No, it is a poem, that I tried to translate, not a religious quote.
It may be a poem in your own language but it hasn't translated well.

A literal translation does not do it justice; it has lost something.