This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Italian to English
  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

filo rosso

English translation: continuous thread which runs through it (in context)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:filo rosso
English translation:continuous thread which runs through it (in context)
Entered by: Valentina Diani

17:42 Feb 23, 2009
Italian to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Italian term or phrase: filo rosso
Come si rende in inglese l'espressione "rcostruire quel filo rosso"? Ecco la frase nel mio caso specifico:
La sua maestria quasi teatrale le ha permesso di raccontare l'arte in modo estremamente comunicativo e interattivo aiutandoci a *ricostruire quel filo rosso* che l'ha percorsa dalle anticipazioni delle avanguardie moderne fino alle più spinte manifestazioni del contemporaneo" :-O
Valentina Diani
Italy
Local time: 15:32
continuous thread which runs through it (in context)
Explanation:
"helping us to follow that continuous thread which runs through it from the first anticipations of ... "
Obviously "it" here is art.
This is how I usually deal with this one. Unfortunately, there is no way to get the colour red into the English without making it sound very odd (as far as I know).
Selected response from:

James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 17:32
Grading comment
thank you!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4continuous thread which runs through it (in context)
James (Jim) Davis
4 +2common thread
Nicholas Hunt
4 +1to re-establish (to restore) the central theme or leitmotif
Ellen Kraus
4Ariadne's thread
Tom in London
4to reconnect/renew the red thread
AeC2009
3 +1fil rouge
Sele


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Ariadne's thread


Explanation:
a "filo" (che sia rosso o di un altro colore) cannot be "ricostruito". The Italian is very poorly written, and after reading it several times I can't make much sense of it at all.

Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 227

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  AeC2009: it's much of a blah-blah..., probably the writer thinks much of himself..., on the other hand, Ariadne's thread has no meaning in this context, imho...
8 mins
  -> no, but neither has "red thread". I simply offered a translation of the term asked. I'm not going to do Valentina's job for her :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to reconnect/renew the red thread


Explanation:
Tom ha ragione, non puoi ricostruire un filo; però puoi "riallacciare il filo rosso":

http://books.google.com/books?id=ncaBFOPcL2MC&pg=PA67&lpg=PA...
Pag. 67

AeC2009
Italy
Local time: 15:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
continuous thread which runs through it (in context)


Explanation:
"helping us to follow that continuous thread which runs through it from the first anticipations of ... "
Obviously "it" here is art.
This is how I usually deal with this one. Unfortunately, there is no way to get the colour red into the English without making it sound very odd (as far as I know).

James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 17:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 303
Grading comment
thank you!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Tein: ciao, Jim. I like the word 'follow' for ricostruire, and I like 'continuous'
4 mins
  -> Hi Joseph, glad you like it. I think I've spent years ruminating over that darned red thread :-). It's just the minotaur metaphor.
agree  davenstephy
54 mins
agree  Umberto Cassano
3 hrs
agree  luskie
6 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
common thread


Explanation:
The meaning of the filo rosso in this context is the concept that there is some kind of connection or shared idea that somehow links the artistic schools of thought in time. Filo rosso I believe to be a translation of the French fil rouge, and often in Italian too the concept is left in French.

Hope this is of some use.

Nicholas Hunt
Italy
Local time: 15:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kate Chaffer: What about 'piece (back) together' for ricostruire?
1 hr
  -> I think that retrace or even uncover are more apt. One has to bear in mind the physical nature of a thread which cannot be "pieced back together" because it ain't got no pieces. Wonderfully English does not allow one to forget the physicality of things.
agree  luskie
6 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to re-establish (to restore) the central theme or leitmotif


Explanation:
would be my suggestion (the red thread being the central theme of sth.of the leitmotif.

Ellen Kraus
Austria
Local time: 15:32
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Susanna Garcia
1 hr
  -> thank you !
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
fil rouge


Explanation:
e un francesismo?

Sele
Local time: 15:32
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  luskie: why not?
2 hrs
  -> thank you
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search