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| User | Thread poster: Nancy Lynn Bogar Off topic: True Story! (Translating the word "weathered" into other languages) |
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Nancy Lynn Bogar 
Canada
Local time: 07:43
  Member (2002)
French to English
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MODERATOR |
A Canadian, an Italian and a Pole are standing before a magnificent old church in Barcelona.
Their common language is English.
The Canadian, admiring the stonework and in awe of its age, says to the Pole: "See how the stone is weathered here."
The Pole admires the adjective used: "Weathered. I love that word. It would take 7 words to express the concept in Polish."
The Italian agrees that it would take 7 words in Italian as well, to represent the concept of "weathered".
On reflection, the Canadian concurs that in Canadian French, the concept could be rendered in as little as - 6 words. One way to put it would be altéré par l'action des agents atmosphériques .
How could you describe it in your language?
Nancy
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xxxuldis
Latvia
Local time: 14:43
English to Latvian
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| | 3 words in Latvian | Mar 29, 2004 |
"Laika zoba sagrauzts"- "Eaten by the tooth of time"
Uldis
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Nancy Lynn Bogar
Canada
Local time: 07:43
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR TOPIC STARTER |
Uldis Liepkalns wrote:
"Laika zoba sagrauzts"- "Eaten by the tooth of time"
Uldis |
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I love it, Uldis! 
Nancy
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Geneviève von Levetzow
Germany
Local time: 13:43
Member (2002)
German to French
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| | German, one word | Mar 29, 2004 |
"verwittert" - the same
Geneviève
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PAS
Poland
Local time: 13:43
English to Polish
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NancyLynn wrote:
It would take 7 words to express the concept in Polish."
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Nadgryziony zêbem czasu - gnawed by the tooth of time.
That's three words in the Polish I learned...
A more literal translation of the word "nadgryziony" is "nibbled" (as in "mouse"), but this surely does not fit in such solemn context.
Cheers,
Pawel Skalinski
Of course a _totally_ literal translation is "zwietrza³y". Just one word.
[Edited at 2004-03-29 14:09]
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Harry Bornemann
Germany
Local time: 13:43
Member (2002)
English to German
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Gerard de Noord
France
Local time: 13:43
Member (2003)
German to Dutch
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| | Dutch: verweerd | Mar 29, 2004 |
In Dutch 'verweerd' can be said about a church as well as about the features of an old fisherman.
Gerard
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Sylvain Leray
France
Local time: 13:43
Member (2003)
German to French
| | 1 word in French... | Mar 29, 2004 |
but "érodés" is not so poetic, so I'd prefer "usés par le temps", or "polis par le temps"... 4 words.
Sylvain
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gianfranco
Brazil
Local time: 10:43
Member (2001)
English to Italian
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| | Three words in Italian | Mar 29, 2004 |
NancyLynn wrote:
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The Italian agrees that it would take 7 words in Italian as well, to represent the concept of "weathered".
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In Italian we can say it with three words:
"consunto (or segnato, usurato, corroso, logorato, eroso) dalle intemperie"
I can't remember any single word corresponding to "weathered"
Gianfranco
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Nancy Lynn Bogar
Canada
Local time: 07:43
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR TOPIC STARTER | | to take a hint from Eastern Europe... | Mar 29, 2004 |
Sylvain Leray wrote:
but "érodés" is not so poetic, so I'd prefer "usés par le temps", or "polis par le temps"... 4 words.
Sylvain |
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rongés par le temps had occured to me as well, but polished, Sylvain, is even nicer...
N
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Nancy Lynn Bogar
Canada
Local time: 07:43
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR TOPIC STARTER | | Several posts at a time | Mar 29, 2004 |
Harry_B wrote:
Several posts at a time 
How can time run so fast if it eats so slowly? 
[Edited at 2004-03-29 13:09] |
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It must be a subject close to our hearts! 
Nancy
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xxxsarahl
United States
Local time: 04:43
English to French
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Sylvain Leray wrote:
but "érodés" is not so poetic, so I'd prefer "usés par le temps", or "polis par le temps"... 4 words.
Sylvain |
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Surtout ne le dis à personne, on ne pourrait plus facturer un foisonnement de 30 % !
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louisajay
French to English
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| | I find this fascinating, | Mar 29, 2004 |
but all of your suggestions seem to be translating "weathered" in the time sense of the word. Your renderings as you explain them don't seem to convey the true meaning of weathered - that is, the effects of the elements (wind, rain, snow, heat) over a long period of time.
I may be reading these wrong but "gnawed by the tooth of time" doesn't make any reference to weather?
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Harry Bornemann
Germany
Local time: 13:43
Member (2002)
English to German
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| | All but two close relatives - and an ambiguous one | Mar 29, 2004 |
louisajay wrote:
but all of your suggestions seem to be translating "weathered" in the time sense of the word. Your renderings as you explain them don't seem to convey the true meaning of weathered - that is, the effects of the elements (wind, rain, snow, heat) over a long period of time.
I may be reading these wrong but "gnawed by the tooth of time" doesn't make any reference to weather? |
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"Verwittert" developed from "Wetter" (weather) and I think there is a similar relation with "verweerd", it might also be applied for an old fishermans face
And "le temps" may be weather or time, I wonder what is meant here - maybe both? 
[Edited at 2004-03-29 15:27]
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Nancy Lynn Bogar
Canada
Local time: 07:43
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR TOPIC STARTER | | back to 5, 6, 7 words, eh ? | Mar 29, 2004 |
louisajay wrote:
but all of your suggestions seem to be translating "weathered" in the time sense of the word. Your renderings as you explain them don't seem to convey the true meaning of weathered - that is, the effects of the elements (wind, rain, snow, heat) over a long period of time.
I may be reading these wrong but "gnawed by the tooth of time" doesn't make any reference to weather? |
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So in French we're back to "altéré par l'action des agents atmosphériques"...
N
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