Problem or Question

Let me answer this “question” first. In terms of 阿義有健康問題，of course, we should use “problem” instead. Therefore, its English translation is: He has a health problem. (Not: “He has a health question.”) Because most probably there’s something wrong with his lung, or heart, or… you name it. However, before his health problem is clearly confirmed and during the interview between 阿義 and his doctor in the clinic, the doctor might ask him: Doctor: Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure? Are you allergic to any medicine? How long has it been since you last took an X-ray of your lung? As you can see they are all health ‘questions’ instead of ‘problems’. In Chinese, both “question” and “problem” are all translated as “問題”, which is indeed quite confusing for ESL learners. So, let’s get down to the bottom of the the most fundamental difference between these two words: A problem is, according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a situation that causes difficulties. For example: As a person, we might have a health problem with our kidney/bladder/brain/ breathing/sleep..); we could also have a money relationship/communication/language….problem). As a government entity, they could have problems of housing (social security/race/gang/tax/pollution/contamination…) Under a business setting, companies may need to deal with problems such as management (marketing/cash-flow/internal control/hardware/software/technology…) At schools, the educators endeavor to tackle the bullying problem or slow-learners’ reading difficulty problem. As for question, it can be defined as a sentence or phrase that asks for information, so that if we ask somebody a question and in turn he or she answers to that question. What the doctor asked about 阿義 in the clinic falls into this definition. That is, all he had to do is to say either Yes/No or a period of time.
..../to be continued

2011-08-29 21:55:43 補充：
真不懂 為何都貼不上補充 (system bug?)

2011-08-29 22:00:21 補充：
只好改貼在 意見 了

2011-08-29 22:03:29 補充：
In all, we have to choose the right word to use between these two depending on the context (情境) in which the 「問題」occurs.
-個人、政府單位機關、公司行號、學校等，經常要面對許多problems；它通常較棘手、麻煩、具挑戰性，須要花較多時間、金錢、腦力、耐力等才能減緩或解決的。

2011-08-29 22:04:31 補充：
-至於測驗單位、老師、老闆、家人、同事、網(朋)友等，經常會問我們questions，大多數這種questions，我們可能有或沒有答案，但都是很快能決定、答覆的。

-當然同一個或類似的questions我們長期都不會時 (譬如: 老師問我們 I 後面要接am or is)，別人就會問What’s the problem with you? 那時，我們很可能就有learning difficulty而給爸媽或老師造成problem了。

Hopefully, my answer helps clarify your ‘question’ a little bit.

Ahhh,
It must be one of the comments from my evil twin...

Question是「問題」，problem是「難題」、「麻煩」的意思。

這樣的解答您滿意嗎？
Does such solution satisfy you?

希望這樣的解答對您有幫助。(可以幫助到您)
Hope this solution will help you.

26535 asks a question to solve a problem.

You 『answer』 a question and 『solve』 a problem.

if you are referring to this Q, then I already knew the answer.
http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1611081811069

2011-08-28 23:55:15 補充：
Houston, We've Got a Problem.

2011-08-31 13:45:57 補充：
Objection! You can NOT choose Mr. Pony.
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We got a problem here: Mr. Pony did NOT answer your question.
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But if you pick Lady Pony, then it should be fine.

Questions just need answers or facts.
Problems need solutions which request some actions.

In Taiwanese, they could both be translated into "[noun] 問題"。
But the better ways should be question - 問題 & problem - 麻煩。


Above are my thoughts...

2011-08-29 15:32:53 補充：
question 跟 problem 在英文中的差別很明顯，應該不會搞亂。
翻譯時本來就不能逐字翻，而是要按照整句，甚至前後文意思來翻。

阿義有健康問題=阿義有"健康問題"，
阿義 has health problem.

阿義有健康問題=阿義有"關於"健康"的"問題，
阿義 has questions related to health.

a question is more like a doubt and uncertainty in terms of thinking, sensation or any other aspects.


Is there any smoking section in this restaurant? (question)
Should nukes be closed down? This question can be answered by lawmakers

a problem is a serious matter arise potentially that bring a negative impact.

Smoking causes the risk of lung cancer. Then this is a health problem.
Nuke plant contains radioactive chemicals which affects our health. Then it is a problem of our worries.

Hello,
I thought question is more close a doubt or a query,but problem is more close a matter or a quaere.

E.g.:It's is most interesting,no doubt;but quaere,is it true?

hope it's useful:)