<p>For 爸爸的笔 / dad's pen, it's not coincident. In linguistics, most languages sentences are in the form of Subject + verb + object. Chinese and English are not genetically related to each other, but they have the same sentence form grammatically. </p>

<p>For 生日/ birthday, I really can't comment on the universal aspect this in sense, as I only understand 3 languages, Chinese, English and Malay. In Malay, it's called "Hari Jadi" which literally means "Day Birth"(In Malay language noun comes first and adjective second). Therefore, I think most languages have some form of "Day" and "Birth" phrases to describe "Birthday". Not just Chinese and English. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T15:36:53.770Z
thank you for answering, for "爸爸的笔" I was talking about the possession aspect with 的 and 's. you say this is not a coincident but you're not telling why, you're just tell me "the same sentence form grammatically", I'm trying to understand the origin of this similarity.
Christophe Debove
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T16:02:38.973Z
Sorry I don't really understand their origin. From my experience, I think it's just the way human need a word to reflect on "possession".

Take Chinese and Japanese for example. They are completely not related to each other. But the word "的“ and "の” function exactly the same.
Steven
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T16:22:36.397Z
there are many language that don't have this particle, like french use only mon, ma, mes, english there is my as well, spanish have mi mis. but not such "'s" or "的" .
Christophe Debove
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T22:45:39.727Z
In Spanish 生日 is cumpleaños = complete  years, which torpedoes the thought that birthday will always be the combination of birth + day in any given language. You may have to scratch deeper in the dust of time for an answer.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T15:28:56.063Z
2015-09-01T15:36:43.377Z
2015-09-01T15:36:43.377Z
Steven
<p>There is a lot a gramma points/words in chinese similar to english</p>

<p>生日/ birthday</p>

<p>爸爸的笔 / dad's pen</p>

<p>I would like know if it's a radom linguisitic fact or if it could have a chinese influence on english or an english influence on chinese.</p>

<p>I know it is not a simple question but maybe there is studies(thesis...) about that. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T13:51:40.070Z
You mean this? 爸爸的笔
Universal Electricity
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T13:53:02.033Z
I was about to fix it.
Christophe Debove
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T15:00:22.053Z
Why would these be different? Just because it's an other language, that does not mean that things have to be totally different.
imrek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T15:07:48.820Z
"Why would these be different?" this is not my question, you're juste answering my question Why by Why not.... so you seem to be thinking it's just a random linguisitic fact or this a natural humain way to saying things, don't you? this is a fact that some language can influe to another, my question is, these is the  case here or not, and by which way.
Christophe Debove
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T18:01:18.320Z
From the examples they are quite universal, meta-language constructs. You may get more thoughtful answers on Linguistics SE.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-02T14:06:55.830Z
You gave three choices:
(1) a radom linguisitic fact
(2) a chinese influence on english
(3) an english influence on chinese
For (2) (3),  influence between the two languages is very limited.
For (1), your question refers to the facts of **similarity**. So, to answer your question, we need to describe such similarity in more details (to what extent are they similar?), and a well-accepted standard of **randomness** (how do we distinguish a random fact from other **non-random** fact?)
I am pessimistic in regards to having an answer in Chinese StackExchange. (and why different ≈ why similar)
HYC
<etymology><history>
Chinese vs English
# Chinese vs English

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-01)

There is a lot a gramma points/words in chinese similar to english

生日/ birthday

爸爸的笔 / dad's pen

I would like know if it's a radom linguisitic fact or if it could have a chinese influence on english or an english influence on chinese.

I know it is not a simple question but maybe there is studies(thesis...) about that.

**Tags:** etymology, history

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You mean this? 爸爸的笔  
> **username_0**: I was about to fix it.  
> **username_2**: Why would these be different? Just because it's an other language, that does not mean that things have to be totally different.  
> **username_0**: "Why would these be different?" this is not my question, you're juste answering my question Why by Why not.... so you seem to be thinking it's just a random linguisitic fact or this a natural humain way to saying things, don't you? this is a fact that some language can influe to another, my question is, these is the  case here or not, and by which way.  
> **username_3**: From the examples they are quite username_1, meta-language constructs. You may get more thoughtful answers on Linguistics SE.  
> **username_4**: You gave three choices: (1) a radom linguisitic fact (2) a chinese influence on english (3) an english influence on chinese For (2) (3),  influence between the two languages is very limited. For (1), your question refers to the facts of **similarity**. So, to answer your question, we need to describe such similarity in more details (to what extent are they similar?), and a well-accepted standard of **randomness** (how do we distinguish a random fact from other **non-random** fact?) I am pessimistic in regards to having an answer in Chinese StackExchange. (and why different ≈ why similar)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-09-01. Score: 2

For 爸爸的笔 / dad's pen, it's not coincident. In linguistics, most languages sentences are in the form of Subject + verb + object. Chinese and English are not genetically related to each other, but they have the same sentence form grammatically.

For 生日/ birthday, I really can't comment on the username_1 aspect this in sense, as I only understand 3 languages, Chinese, English and Malay. In Malay, it's called "Hari Jadi" which literally means "Day Birth"(In Malay language noun comes first and adjective second). Therefore, I think most languages have some form of "Day" and "Birth" phrases to describe "Birthday". Not just Chinese and English.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thank you for answering, for "爸爸的笔" I was talking about the possession aspect with 的 and 's. you say this is not a coincident but you're not telling why, you're just tell me "the same sentence form grammatically", I'm trying to understand the origin of this similarity.  
> **username_5**: Sorry I don't really understand their origin. From my experience, I think it's just the way human need a word to reflect on "possession".  Take Chinese and Japanese for example. They are completely not related to each other. But the word "的“ and "の” function exactly the same.  
> **username_0**: there are many language that don't have this particle, like french use only mon, ma, mes, english there is my as well, spanish have mi mis. but not such "'s" or "的" .  
> **username_6**: In Spanish 生日 is cumpleaños = complete  years, which torpedoes the thought that birthday will always be the combination of birth + day in any given language. You may have to scratch deeper in the dust of time for an answer.  

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