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Exceptions to Word Order in Chinese
So I know that in Chinese the correct word order is Subject Time Place Verb Object. But why can the following sentence from an audio tape be grammatically correct? A: 我的太太在这儿不要吃饭. 她要在那个餐馆吃饭.
Why is 要 placed both before and after the place?
Why is 要 placed both before and after the place?
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coz 要 = will, auxiliary, expressing the wish equals to future time
while 吃饭 is a verb
我的 太太 在 这儿 不 要 吃饭, 她 要 在 那 个 餐馆 吃饭
Subject 我的 太太
Time
Place 在 这儿
Verb Object 不 要 吃饭
Subject 她
Time 要
Place 在 那 个 餐馆
Verb Object 吃饭
while 吃饭 is a verb
我的 太太 在 这儿 不 要 吃饭, 她 要 在 那 个 餐馆 吃饭
Subject 我的 太太
Time
Place 在 这儿
Verb Object 不 要 吃饭
Subject 她
Time 要
Place 在 那 个 餐馆
Verb Object 吃饭
So I know that in Chinese the correct word order is Subject Time Place Verb Object.
I'm afraid rules like this won't help you. Because it is not correct.
The word order is determined by the meaning you want to convey. In your case, she doesn't want to eat here, she wants to eat over there.
他不要在这里吃饭 = she doesn't want to be here, eat.
他在这里不要吃饭 = she, being here, doesn't want to eat.
Depending on the exact meaning you want to convey you can choose either of these sentences. Forget that cumbersome rule.
I'm afraid rules like this won't help you. Because it is not correct.
The word order is determined by the meaning you want to convey. In your case, she doesn't want to eat here, she wants to eat over there.
他不要在这里吃饭 = she doesn't want to be here, eat.
他在这里不要吃饭 = she, being here, doesn't want to eat.
Depending on the exact meaning you want to convey you can choose either of these sentences. Forget that cumbersome rule.
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