Aug 12, 2009 20:13
14 yrs ago
English term
United States
quality and efficiency
Native in: Chinese
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English
all of them needed yesterday
English to Chinese
Tech/Engineering
Engineering: Industrial
The topic is related to die cast industry.
In one of the paragraphs:
HARDWARE: Low-cost fasteners, aesthetic applications, and complex special orders, all of them needed yesterday, made to specifications, and manufactured cost effectively. We have the tools and innovative engineers capable of filling your order.
What does "all of them needed yesterday" mean?
Thanks so much for any clue!!
In one of the paragraphs:
HARDWARE: Low-cost fasteners, aesthetic applications, and complex special orders, all of them needed yesterday, made to specifications, and manufactured cost effectively. We have the tools and innovative engineers capable of filling your order.
What does "all of them needed yesterday" mean?
Thanks so much for any clue!!
Proposed translations
(Chinese)
| 5 +1 | 昨天需要的; 很急 |
Michael Perkins
|
Proposed translations
+1
8 hrs
Selected
昨天需要的; 很急
There are two possible answers. First, the meaning may literally be that the products were needed yesterday.
However, judging from the tone, I think the idiomatic meaning is intended. In English, when somebody says, "I need this yesterday", it means "I need this as quickly as possible." It is not formal English and should not be included in a formal letter, contract or so on. Note: If a person says, "I needed this yesterday", the past tense indicate the meaning is literal, that is, the object was needed yesterday. On the other hand, in "I need this yesterday", the meaning is idiomatic, and "yesterday" means urgently.
However, judging from the tone, I think the idiomatic meaning is intended. In English, when somebody says, "I need this yesterday", it means "I need this as quickly as possible." It is not formal English and should not be included in a formal letter, contract or so on. Note: If a person says, "I needed this yesterday", the past tense indicate the meaning is literal, that is, the object was needed yesterday. On the other hand, in "I need this yesterday", the meaning is idiomatic, and "yesterday" means urgently.
Example sentence:
Mrs. Jones, I need this letter yesterday. Can you type it up quickly?
Note from asker:
| Thanks so much, Esempi!! That's very helpful:) |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Something went wrong...