Question
Updated on
20 Oct 2021
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) Near fluent
-
English (US)
-
English (UK)
-
French (France)
Question about English (US)
Have you heard of this rhyme?
If not, do you think it is an original English one (i.e., composed by someone from English speaking countries) or a translated work?
Big head, big head
No worry on a rainy day.
When others need an umbrella,
My head will block the way.
Have you heard of this rhyme?
If not, do you think it is an original English one (i.e., composed by someone from English speaking countries) or a translated work?
Big head, big head
No worry on a rainy day.
When others need an umbrella,
My head will block the way.
If not, do you think it is an original English one (i.e., composed by someone from English speaking countries) or a translated work?
Big head, big head
No worry on a rainy day.
When others need an umbrella,
My head will block the way.
There is a Chinese rhyme that goes exactly the same as this one. I'm just wondering which one is translated from which one else, or whether this is an amazing coincidence.
Answers
20 Oct 2021
Featured answer
- English (US)
I haven't heard this before, and based on the wording it is possible that a non-native English speaker wrote it
Was this answer helpful?
Read more comments
- English (US)
I haven't heard this before, and based on the wording it is possible that a non-native English speaker wrote it
Was this answer helpful?
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) Near fluent
- English (US)
@prochesseur Sure! While poetic writing is often slightly unnatural, usually to fit the rhythm of the poem, I can still tell you that "no worry" is a slightly unnatural phrase, and we'd more likely say "Not a problem on a rainy day". "My head will block the way" is also unnatural but it was written that way to rhyme. "My head will keep them dry" is more natural.
Was this answer helpful?
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) Near fluent
@sinkparfait Thank you so much for the further explanation! I really appreciate it! In fact, this is quoted from a book of an English publisher, which is why some of my friends believe that it must coincidentally exist in English speaking countries as well as in China, but I feel that there's something unnatural about it though I can't tell exactly what it is. Do you think the pattern of rhyming is problematic too? (The second and the fourth sentences rhymes while the first and the third don't, which is quite common in Chinese poems, but I'm not sure if it's okay in English poems.)
- English (US)
The rhyme is ok as it is. The only grammatical thing I can think of that may feel unnatural is saying “no worry.” “No worries” seems like it would have been the word of choice of a native speaker. It would still fit the cadence and sounds more natural.
Was this answer helpful?
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) Near fluent
- English (US)
@prochesseur It is common for the first and third lines to not rhyme, even when the second and fourth do :D
Was this answer helpful?
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) Near fluent
- English (US)
[News] Hey you! The one learning a language!
Do you know how to improve your language skills❓ All you have to do is have your writing corrected by a native speaker!
With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by both native speakers and AI 📝✨.
With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by both native speakers and AI 📝✨.
Sign up
Related questions
Recommended Questions
- {題名} *提供いただきたい資料一覧 {Excelの項目} *提供いただきたい資料 *資料有無 *(資料有の場合)資料名 Excelの項目で、短くビジネス用語で書きたい場合...
- "We walked to the station in 10 minutes." This sentence was on a textbook, and it said it mean...
- Does this sentence sound natural? (Is the relative pronoun "that" okay?) If there's someone that...
- 1. Thanks to you, I had a much better understanding. 2. Thanks to you, I gained a much better un...
- why the AI is available to premium now? it's honestly disrespectful for the long time Hinative su...
Topic Questions
- (at an ESL class) "Please check your answers against your partner's ones." Hello! Do you thin...
- Is “hands down” a synonym for “definitely” or “absolutely”?
- 📍Do these have the same meaning and sound natural? The perception of how the word sounds like wo...
- These revisions maintain the same meaning while providing a smoother flow to the sentences. Is t...
- Does this sound natural? "People tend to get quite flustered when they stumble over their words o...
Newest Questions
- 못봤어요
- "Take one and give them to the back." Hello! Do you think the sentence above sounds natural? "...
- Could someone transcribe?
- What does “super duper” mean? Like more than super? And is it outdated already?
- チークブラシは、cheek brush or blush brush どちらが自然ですか、両方ともokですか
Previous question/ Next question
Thank you! Rest assured your feedback will not be shown to other users.
Thank you very much! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.