Urgent list question - anyone speak Chinese….?

An odd question, maybe, but does anyone out there in the ListMind either
speak Chinese, or have a friend/relative who does, and could answer a
quick question for me? I know I could use various online translators,
but I don't really trust them for something like this - I want something
that genuinely sounds right!

I need a believable name for Chinese military forces on the Moon in the near
future….. they are going to be the opposition for the USLM (United
States Lunar Marines)…. so what might they be called? I guess what
I need is a sensible term for them in English, and THEN the translation for
it?

Democratic Peoples' Space Forces?

Any help welcomed, whether you know the language or just if your
Google-Fu is strong today……?

Thanks!  :-)

Have a Chinese GF, will forward.
> On Nov 6, 2015 2:19 PM, "Jon Tuffley" <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> An odd question, maybe, but does anyone out there in the ListMind

> On 06/11/2015 19:19, Jon Tuffley wrote:
I don't speak Chinese, but if this version of China is a direct descendant of
today's PRC, then a space force is quite likely to be called something like
the People's Liberation Army Space Force (PLASF), along the same lines as the
People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), People's Liberation Army Air Force
)PLAAF) and People's Liberation Army
Marine Corps (PLAMC -- are you starting to see a pattern here?). To our
ears/eyes, the names are peculiar, to say the least, but the Chinese do
it that way. So you could well have the PLASF, or the PLA Space Marines (!),
or the PLA Space Marine Corps.

Alternatively, the space forces, both "naval" and "marine" could simply be
part of the PLAN and PLAMC, not unlike a VSF navy having both ships and
aeronefs. Your choice.

Phil

For English,  how about People's Liberation Army - Lunar Intervention
Force?

Or People's Liberation Army Off World Response Force

Or People's Liberation Army Lunar Peace Force (for the ironic among us) On Nov
6, 2015 3:26 PM, "Phillip Atcliffe" <atcliffe@ntlworld.com> wrote:

> On 06/11/2015 19:19, Jon Tuffley wrote:

I think he wants something specifically unit like the Lunar Domain or People's
Lunar Expedition. Actually, I'm less happy with USLM; ET Marines, Lunar
Expeditionary Brigade feels better.

Ah, I think Jason and I are of one mind.

Mind, what I actually came up with sounds like crap, just seems in a better
direction.

Wait, Jason, with the imperialistic aggression, OF COURSE, it's a peace
force. ;->=

Doug

[quoted original message omitted]

> On Fri, Nov 06, 2015 at 08:25:45PM +0000, Phillip Atcliffe wrote:

It sounds weird (there's even a People's Liberation Army Naval Air
Force) because it's basically a mistranslation - as I understand it
the word used as "Liberation Army" (Jiěfàngjà«n) would be
closer to "military force", it's just that when they started it they didn't
have much in the way of ships or aircraft and so they didn't feel a need to
say "ground forces" specifically. (See also the US Army Air Force.)

> On 6 Nov 2015, at 20:38, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:

> I think he wants something specifically unit like the Lunar Domain or

Nothing is set in stone yet (or in moon rock…), so happy to
consider alternative terms for the US forces….

I do quite like Phil's PLASF for the Chinese.

Jon (GZG)

> Ah, I think Jason and I are of one mind.

> On 6 Nov 2015, at 20:38, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:

> I think he wants something specifically unit like the Lunar Domain or

US Marine Corps Extra-Planetary Expeditionary Force - USMCEPEF…..??
;-)

Jon (GZG)

> Ah, I think Jason and I are of one mind.

Well,
 If the Americans are on the table...then how about MARLUN- Marine
Forces Lunar Space?
 Or, MFLS - Marine Forces, Lunar Space

> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 3:57 PM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> On 6 Nov 2015, at 20:38, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:

Wait...I said the same thing twice...lemme try that again...MFL- Marine
Forces Luna?

On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 4:04 PM, Jason Weiser <jason.weiser@gmail.com> wrote:

> Well,

I think at minimum you need to add the destination body (moon, planet,
asteroid, etc). Thus:

US Marine Corps Extra-Planetary Expeditionary Force Luna (USMCEPEFL)
US Marine Corps Extra-Planetary Expeditionary Force Mars (USMCEPEFMA)
US Marine Corps Extra-Planetary Expeditionary Force Ceres (USMCEPEFC)
etc

Mk

> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 4:02 PM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> On 6 Nov 2015, at 20:38, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:
;-)
> Jon (GZG)

> On 7 Nov 2015, at 07:48, Roger Bell_West <roger@firedrake.org> wrote:

Yes, our English terms PLA, PLAN, PLAAF etc. are artefacts of
not-very-wonderful literal translations. The People’s Liberation army
is 人民解放军 or
rénmínjiěfàngjà«n. To break that down,
rénmín means people in the sense of “We the
people”, jiěfàng means liberation, and jà«n
means army or more broadly military. The Chinese airforce adds
空军 (kàngjà«n), and their navy
海军 (hǎijà«n), which are “air
military” or “air force”, and “sea
military” or “sea-force” respectively. By extension, one would
expect a future “space force” suffix to be something
like 天军
(tiānjūn) or 太空军 (tàikōngjūn).

Tàikàng is “outer space” (literally
“highest sky”, and shēnkàng is
“deep space” (literally “deep
sky”), which sort of makes sense, since there’s no hard
line between atmosphere and outer space. I suppose the recent English coinage
of “taikonaut” for a Chinese astronaut is drawn from the
first five letters of tàikàng.

RB

PS. My apologies to anyone whose e-mail client can’t render Chinese
characters or pinyin-with-tone-marks correctly.

But is it an Expeditionary Force or is it Marine Camp/Marine Base Glenn
(Would you believe not a Marine in any of the Apollo crews?) by now?

On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 4:40 PM, Robert N Bryett <rbryett@gmail.com> wrote:

> > On 7 Nov 2015, at 07:48, Roger Bell_West <roger@firedrake.org>
wrote:
> > It sounds weird (there's even a People's Liberation Army Naval Air

> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> On 6 Nov 2015, at 20:38, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:
;-)
> [quoted text omitted]

It's been a long time since I played with Jarheads, but it probably would be
something like 73rd Marine Expeditionary Unit Luna Capable or 73rd MEU
LC....

Though My Bet would be that USAF will get that turf. Or a fork of Special
Operations Command...

> On Mon, Nov 09, 2015 at 09:56:38PM -0800, Evyn MacDude wrote:

"You're going to take over the moon with air traffic controllers and
paramedics?"

And that's when the fight started, your honour...

> On 10 Nov 2015, at 05:56, Evyn MacDude <evyn.macdude@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:
;-)
> It's been a long time since I played with Jarheads, but it probably

Hmmm…. Marine Expeditionary Unit Luna, MEUL, would be pronounced
"Mule" - I quite like that, but would the Jarheads object to the
acronym…?  ;-)

Was the "73rd" just plucked out of the air, or does it have some significance?

This somehow seems familiar...Put in the marching band and some crazy grav
tank commander and some precious isotopes in boarded up facility and then you
got something.

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 2:48 AM, Roger Bell_West <roger@firedrake.org>
wrote:

> On Mon, Nov 09, 2015 at 09:56:38PM -0800, Evyn MacDude wrote:

> On 10 Nov 2015, at 12:40, Bobby <hansuke@gmail.com> wrote:

> This somehow seems familiar...Put in the marching band and some crazy

Sorry, afraid I don't get the reference….?  :-/

Jon (GZG)

> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 2:48 AM, Roger Bell_West <roger@firedrake.org>
wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 09, 2015 at 09:56:38PM -0800, Evyn MacDude wrote:

Doug got it right. I was referencing Kelly's Heroes.:)

> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 7:08 AM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> On 10 Nov 2015, at 12:40, Bobby <hansuke@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 10 Nov 2015, at 14:42, Bobby <hansuke@gmail.com> wrote:

> Doug got it right. I was referencing Kelly's Heroes. :)

Ah, OK! Oddball did go through my mind briefly with the mention of the
tank commander, but I didn't connect the rest of it….  ;-)

Jon (GZG)

> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 7:08 AM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

"That's okay, I don't need you, 90 klicks of monofilament I can pick up
anywhere..."
      From: Bobby <hansuke@gmail.com>
 To: "gzg@firedrake.org" <gzg@firedrake.org>
 Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 7:40 AM
 Subject: Re: Urgent list question - anyone speak Chinese….?

This somehow seems familiar...Put in the marching band and some crazy grav
tank commander and some precious isotopes in boarded up facility and then you
got something.

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 2:48 AM, Roger Bell_West <roger@firedrake.org>
wrote:

> On Mon, Nov 09, 2015 at 09:56:38PM -0800, Evyn MacDude wrote:

"You're going to take over the moon with air traffic controllers and
paramedics?"

And that's when the fight started, your honour...

yes I was a bit off on the reference I think. I believe it was the
gravediggers that Kelly used. I need to find where I stashed the movie now.
:)

I think I saw some 15mm domed buildings with connectors online. I am beginning
to formulate a SGII scenario in the back of my mind now. I wonder if the moon
base could be hiding illegal genetically modified sheep instead of isotopes.
If so, then the attacking force would require some kind of interface craft
with a hold big enough for the sheep. The moving boxes would also have to be
enclosed and have some kind of equipment to keep the sheep alive during evac
and transport also.

Maybe the sheep were enhanced with some kind of space folding ability. Nope.
Maybe their milk tastes like almonds. Hmmm.

> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 9:24 AM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:

> On 10 Nov 2015, at 14:42, Bobby <hansuke@gmail.com> wrote:

I was thinking it was burial unit as well, but I think there was mention of
instruments. I was reading Wargames Illustrated back issue with an article
with a few scenarios.

Sheep?!? The horror!

Okay, I’ll settle down. Just as long as they don’t
produce Stroon. Don’t make me get the kittons.

Doug

From: Gzg [mailto:gzg-bounces@firedrake.org] On Behalf Of Bobby
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 12:39 PM
To: gzg@firedrake.org
Subject: Re: Urgent list question - anyone speak Chinese….?

yes I was a bit off on the reference I think. I believe it was the
gravediggers that Kelly used. I need to find where I stashed the movie
now. :)
I think I saw some 15mm domed buildings with connectors online. I am beginning
to formulate a SGII scenario in the back of my mind now. I wonder if the moon
base could be hiding illegal genetically modified sheep instead of isotopes.
If so, then the attacking force would require some kind of interface craft
with a hold big enough for the sheep. The moving boxes would also have to be
enclosed and have some kind of equipment to keep the sheep alive during evac
and transport also. Maybe the sheep were enhanced with some kind of space
folding ability. Nope. Maybe their milk tastes like almonds. Hmmm.

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 9:24 AM, Jon Tuffley
> <jon@gzg.com<mailto:jon@gzg.com>> wrote:

On 10 Nov 2015, at 14:42, Bobby
> <hansuke@gmail.com<mailto:hansuke@gmail.com>> wrote:

Doug got it right. I was referencing Kelly's Heroes.:)

Ah, OK! Oddball did go through my mind briefly with the mention of the
tank commander, but I didn't connect the rest of it….  ;-)

Jon (GZG)

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 7:08 AM, Jon Tuffley
> <jon@gzg.com<mailto:jon@gzg.com>> wrote:

On 10 Nov 2015, at 12:40, Bobby
> <hansuke@gmail.com<mailto:hansuke@gmail.com>> wrote:

This somehow seems familiar...Put in the marching band and some crazy grav
tank commander and some precious isotopes in boarded up facility and then you
got something.

Sorry, afraid I don't get the reference….?  :-/

Jon (GZG)

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 2:48 AM, Roger Bell_West
> <roger@firedrake.org<mailto:roger@firedrake.org>> wrote:

"You're going to take over the moon with air traffic controllers and
paramedics?"

And that's when the fight started, your honour...

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 2:27 AM, Steve Gill <Steve@caws.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> *From:* Gzg [gzg-bounces@firedrake.org] on behalf of Jon Tuffley [
wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Jon Tuffley <jon@gzg.com> wrote:
 ;-)
> It's been a long time since I played with Jarheads, but it probably
;-)
> > Was the "73rd" just plucked out of the air, or does it have some

Just a pair numbers that weren't in service or historical as far as I could
see.

> > Jon (GZG)

Not the ones I know....

On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 5:10 AM, Douglas Evans <devans@nebraska.edu> wrote:

> Don’t look at me; I’ve been at work since 0230 again. S...
That sounds like my week....

> On Thu, 12 Nov 2015, Evyn MacDude wrote:

> > Hmmm…. Marine Expeditionary Unit Luna, MEUL, would be pronounced

M.E.U.L. vs PLASMA

sounds like an 80 kids cartoon show created to showcase/sell toys.

Jon, you gonna make a cartoon to go along with the minis? Needs to have a 10
year old and his sheep sidekick too.

> On Tue, 10 Nov 2015, Bobby wrote:

> illegal genetically modified sheep

You have my attention...

> Maybe the sheep were enhanced with some kind of space folding ability.
Nope.
> Maybe their milk tastes like almonds. Hmmm.

Come on man! You can do better than *that*!

"The baaaas! You couldn't sleep for months afterword."

> Come on man! You can do better than *that*!

> "The baaaas! You couldn't sleep for months afterword."

"Speak for yourself! I had to count them!

I'd just get started, and dozed right off...'

C'mon, guys, were supposed to be giving serious feedback.

Jon, how is FTIII, (did you promise someone at some convention that it
would be out the first part of the coming year?), coming along? ;->=

If you meant Project Continuum, I have may have thrown a small spanner in the
works.