「隔壁車廂」英文該怎麼說

You are right, "drink water in the next car" is not all correct. I would say "drinking water is in the adjacent carriage".

The difference between "neighboring" and "adjacent" is

"Neighboring" has a wider area to be included than "adjacent". When I say "my neighbor", it can include up to one block (the area between two street), if the block is not too big, say within 5 to 10 houses. If it is bigger than that, then you will say "my neighborhood". "neighborhood" can include several blocks.

"Adjacent" can only be used to describe the one right next to you. This is why I use "adjacent carriage". By the way, "adjacent" can include both sides (right or left side) of the reference object. On the other hand, "next" usually used to describe the one after the reference object. We usually say "the next bus", "the next train", but never "the adjacent bus", "the adjacent train" (unless these buses or trains are being put next to each other). Even though sometimes, both "adjacent" and "next" are mixed in usage. Now, back to the question you have, with the above explanation, you can tell why right here "next" and "adjacent" all seem to be correct, because these carriages are being connected one after the other, so using "next" or "adjacent" doesn't really make that much difference.




2011-12-21 04:00:12 補充：
I need to re-emphasize I didn't say "next car" is wrong. In fact, in my explanation, I said " ....so using "next" or "adjacent" doesn't really make that much difference".

2011-12-21 04:01:31 補充：
The part I think is "not all correct" is "drink water". It is better to use "drinking water".

2011-12-21 04:08:31 補充：
Sorry that I have said too much and made you guys confused with my point. I shall have briefly stated like in my supplement answer.

2011-12-21 06:04:14 補充：
I thought English is more precise language than Chinese. Look like I was wrong! For a person with no sense of direction, I think I should rely on my nose and eyes!

2011-12-21 07:15:10 補充：
Prisoner! I fully understand your saying. As amateur mechanics, I need to make sure which side is right or left. Usually, it uses the driver who sit in the car as a reference to indicate right or left.

2011-12-21 07:18:43 補充：
Sometimes, people just said the "drive side" or "passenger side". For the same token, "aft" and "forward" is also very clear.

2011-12-21 07:19:15 補充：
However, people still confuse with left or right. I think you are familiar with "the other left" or "the other right" and why ?!

2011-12-21 07:21:51 補充：
Suddenly, we all become a bunch of politicians who can NOT agree with anything.

2011-12-21 07:41:15 補充：
Yes, I think someone ought to invent the same thing like "little green man" for the traffic light to be placed in the train, so people know where to drink the water.
BTW, is it advisable to drink the water on train?

2011-12-22 05:22:37 補充：
Thank you Prisoner! your reminding me makes me realized it; it is like "put on your cloth next time you come out of your room".

2011-12-22 05:24:07 補充：
Look like, my answer is nothing good but just the part about "neighboring" and 'adjacent". :-( ... Any more comment on this part too ?

2011-12-22 08:50:11 補充：
Not showing off, but to be BOLD to let master know I got it ! Yes, you are right about "who cares?", one thing for sure is I probably learned more than poster. At least, I did change my thought from this sentence "drink water in the next car"!

2011-12-22 08:51:56 補充：
I thank masters Jim, RJ, and Prisoner who gave me very inspirational explanations.

2011-12-26 02:53:08 補充：
I wonder which rating is more popular nowadays? We shall should produce what is popular for the general public, so people can enjoy it instead of worrying about the rating!

2011-12-26 02:54:54 補充：
By the way, "隔壁車廂" gives too much imagination to people! Maybe, it is a good title for a future movie!

2011-12-26 02:57:39 補充：
It has been a nice discussion section, yet someone came to shout "fire"! It is really annoying!

2011-12-26 04:50:52 補充：
I guess I am like my name: DaSaGwa who needs someone to remind about a joke! Thanks for reminding!

From drinking water to showing off one's mellons?! Almost rated R....

2011-12-26 04:35:20 補充：
OMG, where's your sense of humor?! I didn't mean anything bad. You're the one who's reading too much of it.

2011-12-26 04:41:09 補充：
Good nickname btw.

台鐵的車上有個標示：飲用水在隔壁車廂
A marking on the rail car: drinking water in the next compartment

Drinkable water is provided in the next carriage.

有個可能情況是

toilet aft - 不論火車/地鐵的行駛方向˙ 當你正面看到這個指示牌˙ 廁所在你後面的方向˙ 所以必須轉身往另外一個方向去廁所˙

toilet forward - 當你正面看到這個指示牌˙ 廁所在你正前方˙ 你必須繼續往前走去廁所

When I learned some of these terms when I took the flight lessons:

toilet aft - toilet is at the direction toward the tail of the vehicle.
toilet forward - toward the head of the vehicle.

2011-12-21 04:55:36 補充：
By the same token for the drinking water, they should be

1. if at the same car toward the tail of the train - drinking water aft
2. if at the same car toward the head of the train - drinking water forward

2011-12-21 04:57:59 補充：
3. if diff car - dirinking water car aft (or forward) - this one does not make a lot of sense for train for cars could be arranged randomly for such static direction.

Also, because cars in train could run in either direction, so 1,2 may not make sense either.

Now the princess is confused...

2011-12-21 07:00:08 補充：
Without good nose and eyes, I would bring my guide dog on board on my next trip.

2011-12-21 07:04:31 補充：
Also, aft or forward is usually not in reference to the viewers' orientation.

aft must be toward the tail
and
forward must be in the direction to the head.

It is customary in navigation.

2011-12-21 07:09:24 補充：
As for neighbouring and adjacent, I think the former is too static and adjacent is too ambiguous. The next car is right even though the (forward, aft) direction is not clear.

2011-12-21 07:32:19 補充：
Even a princess is confused, so no commoners shall be blamed for the confusion!

2011-12-21 10:09:19 補充：
Even though they claimed that the water is potable, I would only drink my own bottled water.

2011-12-22 03:45:27 補充：
Just to excite Big Mellon a little bit - "Drink water in the next car." is grammatically OK, althought semantically diff from the Taiwanese writing.

It meant, It is NOT allowed to drink water in this particular car but it is in the next one.

2011-12-22 07:18:45 補充：
Hmm,
are you trying to show off your mellons, not putting your clothes on?
Mines may not be as big, but they are all genuine!

As for the answers to the post, who cares? Figuring out whose mellons are better is much more important.

2011-12-26 02:47:59 補充：
Maybe rated others will be coming up if waiting for a little longer,

I concur with Master RJ.

There's nothing wrong with the "next car".

I am pretty sure the posting is correct.

You probably heard of the expression "the girl/boy/couple next door".

Drinking water indicates that the water is good enough for consumption.

2011-12-22 10:22:07 補充：
I missed the "drink water" part. Agree with DSG, should have been "Drinking water".

"Drinking water" or "Drinking fountain"??

"next" car - this is perfectly fine, no need to change that (as my opinion)

for grammar, it can be improved too. but I won't get involved