Anyone Know Why Chen Uses Translator When He Speaks and Understands English!

[TonySoprano]

Understanding your confusion isn't the same as sharing it.

So do you go on French TV or not?

I'm sure they want to hear about the various sauces you prepare.

That analogy works if the people interviewing him weren't asking about baseball. Your implication is the english Chen knows is largely baseball vocabulary.

[Can_of_corn]

That analogy works if the people interviewing him weren't asking about baseball. Your implication is the English Chen knows is largely baseball vocabulary.

I am guessing the vernacular used in the locker room and on the field varies from what reporters will be using.

There is also, as others have mentioned, the rather larger stakes associated with doing a TV interview and talking among co-workers.

[George Zuverink]

I think I understand why Chen chooses to use a translator for interview situations. I took French for seven years in high school and college, about 50 years ago. Read novels in French, attended lectures in French, and wrote papers in French. Still can read and right it well and speak effectively when I'm in control of the subject matter. Probably studied and mastered that language far more than Chen has worked with English. However, I just spent a month in France and found that if a native tried to initiate a conversation with me, I was at a total loss. Overhearing a conversation, I could pick up the gist and random words. Their is a hierarchy of difficulty in reading, writing, speaking, and hearing a language. Being confident that I would be able to understand and responded appropriately to questions from an excited sports commentator who would be speaking colloquially while my adrenaline was still pumping would be a sheer impossibility.

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[TonySoprano]

I am guessing the vernacular used in the locker room and on the field varies from what reporters will be using.

There is also, as others have mentioned, the rather larger stakes associated with doing a TV interview and talking among co-workers.

Varies slightly. The reporters ask him what pitches were working for him etc. which I would expect is the same discussion Chen has with Dave Wallace, Buck, his catchers. Again, my theory is he's being overly careful not to misspeak as a polite courtesy.

[SteveA]

That analogy works if the people interviewing him weren't asking about baseball. Your implication is the english Chen knows is largely baseball vocabulary.

Not necessarily. I heard an interview recently with non-native-English speaking Jon Schoop the other day where the reporter asked about how the Orioles seemed to be very resilient in how they bounced back from adversity.

A normal question for a reporter to ask, but I'll bet Jon Schoop could have spent the last 7 years in locker rooms and practice fields with 18-30 year old athletes talking about baseball, sex, money, food, video games, etc, and become very fluent in the basics of discussing those topics, and yet still have had practically no exposure to the words "resilient" and "adversity". Same for Chen.

[Going Underground]

Listen, my reply to the OP in the second post said all that needed said about this issue. OP broke no rules. That does not mean that I am pleased with the undertones of this all.[

The Undertones were an underrated band.

[MDtransplant757]

I think I understand why Chen chooses to use a translator for interview situations. I took French for seven years in high school and college, about 50 years ago. Read novels in French, attended lectures in French, and wrote papers in French. Still can read and right it well and speak effectively when I'm in control of the subject matter. Probably studied and mastered that language far more than Chen has worked with English. However, I just spent a month in France and found that if a native tried to initiate a conversation with me, I was at a total loss. Overhearing a conversation, I could pick up the gist and random words. Their is a hierarchy of difficulty in reading, writing, speaking, and hearing a language. Being confident that I would be able to understand and responded appropriately to questions from an excited sports commentator who would be speaking colloquially while my adrenaline was still pumping would be a sheer impossibility.

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My grandmother is the same. I have to explain things to people because her english is so broken. I get where he's coming from, and I don't care.

[weams]

My grandmother is the same. I have to explain things to people because her english is so broken. I get where he's coming from, and I don't care.

Where is she from originally? What language is native for her?

[Old#5fan]

Listen, my reply to the OP in the second post said all that needed said about this issue. OP broke no rules. That does not mean that I am pleased with the undertones of this all.[

The Undertones were an underrated band.

Good one as I have no idea what is even talking about with that comment!

[weams]

Good one as I have no idea what is even talking about with that comment!

I think he just messed up the quote function.

[Can_of_corn]

I think he just messed up the quote function.

Not sure why folks don't fix it when that happens.

[OFFNY]

There is a *world* of difference between talking informally with your teammates/co-workers, and giving answers which are being recorded and quoted in the media, sometimes out of context.

Imagine if Chen were speaking to reporters about Jim Palmer and says out of complete humility, "There is nothing I can learn from a man like him", meaning Chen cannot physically do the things that Palmer did even if he tried. That would most likely be interpreted as being arrogant and disrespectful. Headlines: "Chen snubs Palmer".

You have to at least have a rudimentary understanding of how nerve-wracking it can be trying to communicate in another language and how easily you can say the wrong thing.

This makes perfect sense and an excellent response also!!

You really needed that to be explained to you?

Sorry I don't share your esteemed NY brilliance nor the need and ability to issue snide remarks your honor !

It doesn't take brilliance to understand the simple explanation/comment given by the poster, which is much more plausible than presuming that Chen is (for whatever reason) playing games with the media by using an interpreter, as you suggested earlier.

[mdbdotcom]

I don't understand why he needs a translator after games when he routinely talks to his catchers and I have seen him talking to other teamates inside the dugout numerous times! :scratchchinhmm:

People seem to have a difficult time understanding your posts. Have you ever considered using a translator?

[Old#5fan]

It doesn't take brilliance to understand the simple explanation/comment given by the poster, which is much more plausible than presuming that Chen is (for whatever reason) playing games with the media by using an interpreter, as you suggested earlier.

Check back and you may actually see I did understand that post and complimented the poster on it- you even show this in your own quote so what point are you trying to make! I did understand and complimented the poster! There was a post before that which was as good or better that I said was the best on the thread so quit acting like my wife and hammering me for something I don't need to be hammered on!

[Old#5fan]

People seem to have a difficult time understanding your posts. Have you ever considered using a translator?

I usually have to translate them myself but sometimes there are helpful people here who actually do a better job than I do!