我应该用多长的管子？

[rickqin]

“我应该用多长的管子？”
查了一些资料，看到翻译的英文很奇怪。比如：What a length of tubing should I use?

据我小时候学的，问“多长”，应该用How long。但是英文翻译用的却是What a length...

另外，What a length of tubing should I use? 给我一种感觉，就是“用”的是“长度”，而不是管子。尽管我问的是管子的长度，可现实情况中，我是要“用管子”而非长度。长度怎么用？长度是管子的属性，我能把管子接在水龙头上，可我怎么把“5米”接水龙头上？很不理解。

 

[Ida1]

What a length of tubing should I use?

This is a really bad translation.

据我小时候学的，问“多长”，应该用How long。

我应该用多长的管子？
How long tube should I use?

这个翻译软件完全按照字面顺序，和它理解的字义进行直译，非常糟糕。

 

[rickqin]

This is a really bad translation.

我应该用多长的管子？
How long tube should I use?

这个翻译软件完全按照字面顺序，和它理解的字义进行直译，非常糟糕。

我感觉也应该是How long the tubing should I use? 那个What a length啥的，我真的很难理解它的逻辑。

 

[Ida1]

我感觉也应该是How long the tubing should I use? 那个What a length啥的，我真的很难理解它的逻辑。

对头。我不是那么擅长英语，不过相信英语没有这样的表达。

 

[yhy]

1、用“what length”在English only论坛检索：
how long or what length

“我应该用多长的管子？”

根据上面的链接，可用表达有：
What length should I use?
How long should I use?
How much should I use?
学习了，以后我会试着多用第三种，因为它避免了how long表示时间的歧义。

2、

可我怎么把“5米”接水龙头上

虽然我看what a length 很奇怪，但我纠结的地方在于length是否可数，rickqin你说的这个在我看来是不别扭的。我觉得既然这句话是在问长度，（希望别人回答“5米”）那把重心放在长度上很正常。

3、
length可数吗？
柯林斯词典：Length definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
大部分义项是variable noun，我第一次听说可变名词。百度了一下https://www.cpsenglish.com/article/279按我的理解，可变名词就是可数不可数不重要，就像中文一样，你开心就好。
可数的义项都是那种，用某个东西的长度来丈量长度的。义项5没太懂。
你的翻译软件翻译的What a length 应该是基于义项4（可数，表示某种越长越有用价值越高的物体的长度多少）。但是义项4什么时候单数什么时候复数我不能理解。它给的例句有

...a 30ft length of rope.

You can hang lengths of fabric behind the glass.

看起来单数表示具体长度，复数表示“一些”，这完全是两种意思啊？

4、
我也在English only里检索了“what a length”，搜出来的东西看不太懂，大多数其实是a length。我猜测“What a length of tubing should I use?”是在问用这种管子还是那种管子，而不是长度。（大概率猜错）

 

[2PieRad]

What a length of tubing should I use?

What a length of tubing should I use?

What a length...

How long of a tube should I use?

How long the tubing should I use?

 

[2PieRad]

另外，What a length of tubing should I use? 给我一种感觉，就是“用”的是“长度”，而不是管子。

不应该误会的

 

[Ida1]

Thanks a lot 2pieRad.
Could i ask which one is more common used in English speaking countries？

 

[2PieRad]

How long of a tube should I use?
What a length of tubing should I use?

Both are fine. 👍The latter sounds a bit more formal, perhaps, but there’s not much difference.

 

[Ida1]

How long of a tube should I use?
What a length of tubing should I use?

Both are fine. 👍The latter sounds a bit more formal, perhaps, but there’s not much difference.

Thank you so much,2PieRad .
We are so familiar with the "how long" usage.

 

[rickqin]

How long of a tube should I use?
What a length of tubing should I use?

Both are fine. 👍The latter sounds a bit more formal, perhaps, but there’s not much difference.

请问，这个What length of tubing should I use?问句的完整回答应该是怎样的？就以5米为例。

 

[rickqin]

How long of a tube should I use?
What a length of tubing should I use?

Both are fine. 👍The latter sounds a bit more formal, perhaps, but there’s not much difference

我在工作中经常会遇到一些很难表达的情况，大多是对机械结构、特殊动作等的描述。非常非常头疼。
比如，
在玻璃弹珠上覆盖一层纸巾，在纸巾上形成的隆起的小鼓包该用什么词呢？bulge? uplift? bump?

这是向外凸起，那要是向内凹陷呢？是dent吗？比如：一块铁皮四个角向上弯曲导致铁皮中心向下凹陷，这个又是什么词呢？sunk inward吗？

 

[rickqin]

1、用“what length”在English only论坛检索：
how long or what length

根据上面的链接，可用表达有：
What length should I use?
How long should I use?
How much should I use?
学习了，以后我会试着多用第三种，因为它避免了how long表示时间的歧义。

2、

虽然我看what a length 很奇怪，但我纠结的地方在于length是否可数，rickqin你说的这个在我看来是不别扭的。我觉得既然这句话是在问长度，（希望别人回答“5米”）那把重心放在长度上很正常。

3、
length可数吗？
柯林斯词典：Length definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
大部分义项是variable noun，我第一次听说可变名词。百度了一下https://www.cpsenglish.com/article/279按我的理解，可变名词就是可数不可数不重要，就像中文一样，你开心就好。
可数的义项都是那种，用某个东西的长度来丈量长度的。义项5没太懂。
你的翻译软件翻译的What a length 应该是基于义项4（可数，表示某种越长越有用价值越高的物体的长度多少）。但是义项4什么时候单数什么时候复数我不能理解。它给的例句有


看起来单数表示具体长度，复数表示“一些”，这完全是两种意思啊？

4、
我也在English only里检索了“what a length”，搜出来的东西看不太懂，大多数其实是a length。我猜测“What a length of tubing should I use?”是在问用这种管子还是那种管子，而不是长度。（大概率猜错）

我觉得应该是“a 30ft-long tube”，就像“a five-year-old boy”一样。我感觉。

 

[yuechu]

re: How long of a tube should I use?
I would say this as well!

Even more 口语 (because you wouldn't write this in Standard English) is "How long + a tube + should I use?". (It's not a proper contraction but you'll hear this in spoken English sometimes, at least around here)

Once again, the most important form is the one that was already mentioned above by 2PieRad: "How long of a tube should I use?"
or the more formal: What length of tubing should I use?

 

[2PieRad]

请问，这个What length of tubing should I use?问句的完整回答应该是怎样的？就以5米为例。

"You should use five metres of tubing."
"How long of a tube...?" --> "You should use a five-metre (long) tube." "You should use a tube that's five metres (long/in length)."
(See tube vs tubing tubing vs tube )
But in practice, simply "five metres".

 

[Ida1]

Once again, the most important form is the one that was already mentioned above by 2PieRad: "How long of a tube should I use?"
or the more formal: What length of tubing should I use?

Thanks a lot yuechu.
I have known "how long" since I was a child. But I really didn’t know "how long of "or "what length of ".

May I ask one more question?
"How long is this tube?" mean 这个管子有多长,right?

 

[yuechu]

May I ask one more question?
"How long is this tube?" mean 这个管子有多长,right?

Absolutely!

 

[Ida1]

A tube refers to one specific item of known dimensions. A tube 5mm in diameter and 100mm long,

As Glasguensis said, "how long of a tube " would be incorrect ?

 

[Glasguensis]

It is correct: personally I use « how long a tube », without the « of », but that might sound odd to North American speakers.

We use the indefinite article when asking questions like this.

 

[Ida1]

It is correct: personally I use « how long a tube », without the « of », but that might sound odd to North American speakers.

We use the indefinite article when asking questions like this.

Thank you so much Glasguensis.
Excuse me for a follow-up question.
Is oral English not so strict or what Glasguensis said not so correct?

 

[Glasguensis]

If you’re referring to the « of », then it’s a regional variation, not the fact that it’s oral

 

[Ida1]

If you’re referring to the « of », then it’s a regional variation, not the fact that it’s oral

So sorry Glasguensis. I didn’t express my meaning clearly.
I try to distinguish a tube from tubing.

As you said:
"A tube refers to one specific item of known dimensions. A tube 5mm in diameter and 100mm long".
If so, the length of a tube is fixed.
So I am a bit confused.

 

[Glasguensis]

Tubing can’t have a length as it’s uncountable, the same way you can’t have a length of « wood ». What has a length is a piece of tubing, which can also be called a tube.

 

[Ida1]

I see now.Thanks a lot ,Glasguensis.