Hey, 你可曾听过容祖儿的小小
HOW TO GET AN ENGLISH VERSION OF THE CHINESE SONG YOU LIKE AND MAKE IT SOUND NATURAL
Hey, 你可曾听过容祖儿的小小
The most important part to make a Chinese song singable and natural in English is to get each original beat in Chinese covered by the syllable in English. And rhyme at the end of the sentence may add aesthetic feeling to the lyrics.
There must be a corresponding matchup between the lines to make the lyrics sound beautiful in a balanced way.
Here are the steps applicable.
1 Take each Chinese character as one syllable. Pause is deemed as syllable, and it could be one, or two or three syllables based on the time it takes. Figure out how many syllables there are.
2 Match the syllable of English to that in Chinese. Make sure that the syllable quantity for both is the same.
3 Make the English lyrics as neat and brief as possible with mainly noun, verb and prep. Leave out the subject if possible.
4 Rhyme the last word of a line with that of another line close to it.
Take the first two lines below for example.
回忆像 个 说书的人
memory , storyteller
8 syllables in total: 8 in Chinese, 7 in English+1 pause
用充满 乡音的口吻
Talks to me like native speaker
8 syllables in total: 8 in Chinese, 8 in English
Rhyme in storyteller and speaker
回忆像个说书的人
Memory, storyteller
用充满乡音的口吻
Talks to me like native speaker
跳过水坑 绕过小村
Cross the puddle, round the village
等相遇的缘分
Await our first meet
你用泥巴捏一座城
Shape the mud into castle
说将来要娶我进门
Tell me that you'll marry me
转多少身 过几次门
How may times, how many rounds
虚掷青春
Never been mine
小小的誓言 还不稳
Infantile as the promises
小小的泪水 还在撑
Down with the shining tears
稚嫩的唇 在说离分
Immature lips for farewell
小小的感动 雨纷纷
Innocent touch in rains
小小的别扭 惹人疼
Moody mind with smile
小小的人 还不会吻
Young of age too young for kiss
我的心里从此住了一个人
You have been in my heart for a while
曾经模样小小的我们
Back in years since we were four or five
那年你搬小小的板凳
Little wooden stool in your hand
为戏入迷我也一路跟
With you in eyes we are side by side
我在找那个故事里的人
I've been in search for that man in tale
你是不能缺少的部分
You are the part that could never miss
你在树下小小的打盹
Down the tree you take a little nap
小小的我 傻傻等
Young and foolish I await
当初学人说爱念剧本
Read the script like a lover did
缺牙的你发音却不准
Not articulated without front teeth
我在找那个故事里的人
I've been in search for that man in tale
你是不能缺少的部分
You are the part that could never miss
小小的手牵小小的人
Little hand in hand yours and mine
守着小小的永恒
Keep the little wish in mind
