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棚子里有一张床板摆着各种题材的小人书,墙边还拉了几根绳子,一本本书翻开搭在上面,五颜六色的,很好看。

This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20. How to literally translate this: 一本本书翻开搭在上面?

At the moment, I am in this point: 一(a)本(classifier)本(classifier)书(book)翻开(unfolded)搭(put)在(in)上面(over).

As you can understand, it is unclear to me. For example why two classifiers 本?Maybe 本书 has a specific meaning? Ok, I would be able to understand in the begin: an unfolded book. But this: 搭在上面?is put in over? What does it mean?

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For the function of the duplicated classifier, Please read my answer here What does the second "幅” mean in the following sentence?

一本本书 = one book after another

一本本书翻开搭在上面 = one book after another, flipped open and hung on them (the ropes)

Basically, books are opened in the middle, and put on top of the ropes to display them like so many flags (no clips needed)

小人书 = Early Chinese comic books

enter image description here

Hanging on the ropes like so: enter image description here

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  • I still don't understand this part: 搭在上面. Why does it mean hang on? Ok 搭 means hang, but what about 在上面? Does it mean in above? 搭在上面 = 搭(hang)在(in)上面(above) = hang in above? How to make it make sense? Sep 23 at 20:55
  • See my edition.
    – Tang Ho
    Sep 23 at 21:46
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The double 本本 shouldn't trip you up, it's just a way of saying 'all'

一本本书: each and every book, all the books

她看着一张张专注的面孔。
She looked at all the intent faces.

棚子里有一张床板摆着各种题材的小人书,
In the shed there are many children's books covering all kinds of topics arranged on a bed board,
墙边还拉了几根绳子,
on the wall cords are drawn tight,
一本本书翻开搭在上面,
all the books are held open on the wall, (*behind the cords, I presume, to keep the books open)
五颜六色的,很好看。
looking multicoloured and beautiful.

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  • I suggest you read the sentence more thoroughly, the books are not behind the core but hang there between pages
    – Tang Ho
    Sep 18 at 7:33

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