LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF

Things have come to a pretty pass Good times are just like memories

Our romance is growing flat Ordinary

For you like this and the other Because you have what you love

while I go for this and that I have what I love

Goodness knows what the end will be

I don't know where I'm at

It looks as if we two will never be one It seems that we are finally destined for each other

Something must be done. But we can't just sit back and let love fend for itself

You say either You say maybe

And I say either I say maybe

You say neither You say neither

And I say neither I say neither

Either, either, neither, neither Maybe, maybe; neither, nor

Let's call the whole thing off Let's just forget about it

You like potatoes You love potatoes

And I like potatoes I love potatoes

You like tomatoes You love tomatoes

And I like tomatoes I love persimmons

Potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes Potatoes, potatoes; Tomatoes, persimmons

Let's call the whole thing off Let's just forget about it

But oh, if we call the whole thing off If we call it a day

Then we must part And oh, if we ever part Then that might break my heart

So it you like pajarnas and I like pajamas So if you love pajamas, I love pajamas

I'll wear pajamas and give up pajamas I'll wear pajamas and no longer wear pajamas

For we know we need each other Because we know that we can't live together in the end

So we'd better call the calling off, off Just don't talk about parting ways

Let's call the whole thing off So if you go for oysters So if I eat scallops

And I go for oysters you eat lobster

I'll order oysters and cancel the oysters Okay, stop arguing, let's order lobster

For we know we need each other Because we know we can't live together in the end

So we'd better call the calling off, off Let's call the whole thing off It's better to stop here

Song Appreciation

"Parting Ways" is a jazz song composed by two brothers, George Geshwin and Ira Geshwin, in 1937 for the musical comedy "Just Dance." What the song itself expresses is that a man and woman who were originally in love could not withstand the challenges of ordinary life, and began to look for all kinds of noble reasons for breaking up. However, when it was time to break up, I realized that even my hateful partner was still involved in my unbroken friendship.

But what really makes this jazz song famous and has been sung for more than half a century is not the theme of love and marriage between parents. What makes it unique is that there are probably not many songs in the world that make a fuss about English pronunciation.

There are many repeated words in this song, such as either, neither, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. The secret is that these words have multiple sounds in English. Although different pronunciations have exactly the same meaning, they represent different regional accents and are even important symbols of their status, identity, and class.

And when it comes to translating songs from English to Chinese, I really feel the embarrassment that can be imagined or unspeakable. Although the different accents of English can be replaced with Chinese synonyms, the playfulness, humor and mechanics are greatly reduced. But it is precisely the many untranslatable factors in the song that more vividly reflect that the lonely beauty of one language is likely to become an embarrassing obstacle for another language. This is true in English translation, and it is also true in Chinese translation into English. I don’t know how many words I need to use in English to reflect the beauty of “colourful falling flowers”, and how much ink I need to spend to explain clearly the meaning of “Steamed rice cakes on August 15th—as early as possible (jujubes)”.

Languages ??are all beautiful and complex, and it is the extremely complex and untranslatable part that is an important symbol that highlights its personality and unique beauty.

(Information is taken from "New Oriental English")