I'm afraid that "the first-past-the-inspection rate" is not comprehensible English. Do a Google.com search on "first time pass rate" (don't forget the quotes), and you'll see that it's a ubiquitous usage.
If I came across "first-past-the-inspection-rate" in an English document I wouldn't have a clue what it meant, and even with the benefit of context I would have wondered if it referred to, say, the first person who made it past something called the "inspection-rate"?
GTH did not give the right rendition and his version could be COMPREHENDED to mean something else. But to say it is not comprehensible English is exaggerating. Your second response also attests to my point.
I dont' want this to turn into a drawn-out argument...
作者(Author)：Don - 2001/09/25 03:03:27
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... but as a native English speaker I think I might know a little bit about what I'm talking about!! "First-past-the-inspection rate" makes absolutely no sense in English whatsoever. It is, de facto, an incomprehensible phrase. Even a person with an intimate knowledge of the subject matter at hand would give pause at that phrase, and would not necessarily equate it with "first time pass rate" at first glance.
I think I've made my point clear enough. I didn't try to equate it with the Chinese original. A native speaker who knows "first past the post" will comprehend "first past the inspection," although it's not the right equivalent of the Chinese original.
Okay, nobody would expect every native speaker comprehend every expression, as we know quite well not every native Chinese speaker knows all the Chinese expressions. Your idiomatic rendition is appreciated, but your judgment on "comprehensibility" and your subsequent assumption of authority based soly on your being a "native speaker" are rejected.
Now that we have both stated our respective opinions, loud and clear, there is no need to drag it on any longer. Let's agree to disagree. Thanks for sharing!
"I think I've made my point clear enough. I didn't try to equate it with the Chinese original. A native speaker who knows "first past the post" will comprehend "first past the inspection," although it's not the right equivalent of the Chinese original."
"First past the post"? Are you claiming that this means "first time pass"? Because it doesn't.
"...Your idiomatic rendition is appreciated, but your judgment on "comprehensibility" and your subsequent assumption of authority based soly on your being a "native speaker" are rejected."
Rejected? Is that so... is the decision final? Does this mean that somewhere out there there will be documents translated into English in which the phrases "first past the inspection rate" or "first past the post" are used?
If so, then we native speakers have just gained some further insight into why so much English coming out of China is incomprehensible!! I might add that as a C>E translator I end up proofreading or, indeed, re-translating much of what you and your ilk attempt to put into English.
Although I will say, Owen, that your written English is a cut above the grade, and far better than my written Chinese!
If anybody or anything needs to be forgiven at all, it's your poor comprehension.
作者(Author)：Owen - 2001/09/25 18:56:05
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I never claimed "first past the post" means "first time pass," but nevertheless that's "comprehensible English," which means something else in an electoral system, though. My point WAS: to say it means something else is okay, but to say it's unintelligible English is an exaggeration. You do seem to have problem comprehending different English expressions. But to err is human, to forgive divine. Take care!
"I never claimed "first past the post" means "first time pass, but nevertheless that's "comprehensible English," which means something else in an electoral system, though."
If you'll recall, I never said "first past the post" was incomprehensible. I did, however, say that "first-past-the-inspection rate" was. Owen, why can't you accept that to a native English speaker, these five words placed together make absolutely no sense? I'm a language professional. It's my job to make comprehensible English out of Chinese. I also am aware that too much English that comes out of China is incomprehensible to native speakers of English. This hurts Chinese businesses who wish to compete in English-speaking countries. My cousin maintains and repairs networks, and he complains loudly and longly every time he gets the "English" user manual for a product made in China, because he can't understand them.
"You do seem to have problem comprehending different English expressions."
Sigh... I'd thought this forum might be educational and useful, but I find not only am I contradicted on a fine point of English syntax by a non-native speaker who makes no persuasive argument but indeed confuses the issue (ie. why ever were we talking about "first past the post" in the first place? What do elections have to do with product inspection?), I'm now the object of thinly veiled insults as well.
I welcome argument and debate on any issue I raise, and I am hardly infallible, but a non-native speaker insisting to a native speaker that "first-past-the-inspection rate" is not incomprehensible is absolutely ridiculous!
I wish you the best on this list. You won't see me here again.
I meant to say GTH modeld his "first past the inspection" after "first past the post." It's not the right rendition of 一次通过, but still it's comprehensible English with different connotations.
Insults or not, I was only trying to respond to your followups in a hope to make my point clearer. If you wish to discuss "insults" with me in Chinese, I won't assume authority simply because I'm a native Chinese speaker; that would be way too ridiculous. Godspeed!
You have to learn how to disregard certain typically Chinese face-saving speech acts to feel insult-free in such a situation. Deplorable? Just brush it off, smile, and stay on wiser. Don't go away!