Jose Carillo's English Forum

English Grammar and Usage Problems => Use and Misuse => Topic started by: solid9 on August 17, 2016, 11:13:21 AM

Title: Get or Go ?
Post by: solid9 on August 17, 2016, 11:13:21 AM

Guys

Suddenly, I remember a phrase.

And in tagalog, It says this --> "Paano pumunta sa pinakamalapit na hospital?".

So which is correct below?

How to go to the nearest hospital? note: The average Filipinos say it this way.
or
How to get to the nearest hospital? note: this is my guess.


Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: youngmentor on August 18, 2016, 07:52:24 AM

My thought on this is that the first question "How to go to the nearest hospital?" is more on asking for directions and the second question "How to get to the nearest hospital?" is more on asking for the mode of transportation.

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: solid9 on August 18, 2016, 09:12:25 AM

What I'm asking is which is correct when you translate the tagalog sentence above?

By the way, this was shown on T.V. before in GMA.

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: youngmentor on August 18, 2016, 10:17:19 AM

Are you asking for the transliteration(a word for word translation) of the sentence you provided?

I'm sorry to say that it's impossible to do as the two languages, Filipino and English, have different grammatical structures. Translation of one language to another language is governed by grammar, syntax, and semantics.

As to the translations of the sentence you provided, I would say that the two sentences given would suffice the intended meaning you would want to send across your reader/listener.

The usage, for me, is a matter of preference.

Remember to translate meaning not words and observe appropriateness of the language to your target audience (reader/listener).

Let's wait for sir Joe. ☺

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: Joe Carillo on August 18, 2016, 11:02:51 AM

In real-world, day-to-day communications in any language, using the correct idiom is as important as correct grammar, oftentimes even much more so. Those who write or speak routinely taking this reality into account are the better communicators in the language being used. As they say, however, things could be lost in translation from one language to another, so this means that one has to be really good in both languages to do this with precision.

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: youngmentor on August 18, 2016, 11:06:13 AM

In addition, I'm not just quite sure if the omission of the subject in the sentences given is justifiable. Sometimes, in spoken English, some parts of responses are omitted for the expediency of communication.


1. How to go to the nearest hospital?
2. How to get to the nearest hospital?

My version would be:

1. How can I go to the nearest hospital?
2. How can I get to the nearest hospital?

What a perplexing language English is! lol ☺☺☺

Title: Re: Get or Go ?
Post by: youngmentor on August 18, 2016, 11:08:00 AM

Hi sir Joe! ☺☺☺

Thanks God and you're here! ☺☺☺