Jul 12, 2010 15:30
13 yrs ago
Italian term
Colin Ryan (X)
polvere d'acqua
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
From a historical novel set in 17th century Holland.
This is a difficult one. I can't quite get the metaphor the author is driving at here.
Un vento cattivo spinge le onde del mare verso il suicidio, le innalza e le infrange contro la terra, le annienta portandosi via la ___polvere d’acqua___ e cancellando così ogni traccia dell’esistenza di quella individualità chiamata onda.
I've translated it as something like:
A malicious wind drives the waves of the sea to suicide, lifts them and dashes them against the land, annihilates them by taking away the ___polvere d’acqua___ and erasing all trace of the existence of the individuality called wave.
This is a difficult one. I can't quite get the metaphor the author is driving at here.
Un vento cattivo spinge le onde del mare verso il suicidio, le innalza e le infrange contro la terra, le annienta portandosi via la ___polvere d’acqua___ e cancellando così ogni traccia dell’esistenza di quella individualità chiamata onda.
I've translated it as something like:
A malicious wind drives the waves of the sea to suicide, lifts them and dashes them against the land, annihilates them by taking away the ___polvere d’acqua___ and erasing all trace of the existence of the individuality called wave.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
2 hrs
Oliver Lawrence
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Works in field
Italy
Texts with zest by a Chartered Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
158
Italian term (edited):
le infrange contro la terra, le annienta portandosi via la polvere d’acqua
Selected
dashes them to dust against the land, carrying off the remains of the spray
I think 'dashing to dust' works well, partly with a bit of alliteration and all that, and once you've said that, you've actually said the 'annienta' bit as well.
To me, what the metaphor is getting at is almost akin to cremation, to reducing something to ashes, dust, the nearest thing to no-thing.
HTH :).
To me, what the metaphor is getting at is almost akin to cremation, to reducing something to ashes, dust, the nearest thing to no-thing.
HTH :).
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Maria Vita Licata
: very elegant choice...
5 hrs
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| agree |
BdiL
: Better. You have to forget the original (phrases) to get there, and IMO you did. Yes, akin to cremation. Maurizio
15 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Congratulations, Oliver! You beat no fewer than 11 competing answers. This is what I went with (or a version thereof). Thanks to all the others, there were some really good ideas in there. Much appreciated to all."
+2
3 mins
Sarah Jane Webb
Native in Italian
&
English
Specializes in field
Away with words
Native in: Italian (Variant: Standard-Italy) 
, English (Variant: UK)
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
88
pulverised water
might work in this context
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Colin Rowe
: I like this image
7 mins
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thanks Colin :-)
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| agree |
Sonia Hill
18 mins
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thanks Sonia :-)
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6 mins
William Murphy
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Specializes in field
Italy
The right word at the right time.
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
the watery remains
an idea..
+4
4 mins
Giuseppe Bellone
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
Works in field
Italy
Anything worth doing is worth doing well
Native in: Italian
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian
Related KudoZ points
:
12
mist of water
A simple suggestion, but you might like ti. :)
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Note added at 7 min (2010-07-12 15:37:39 GMT)
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I imagined the tiny drops of water making mist. Even them, yet so tiny, are taken away, erased. :)
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Note added at 7 min (2010-07-12 15:37:39 GMT)
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I imagined the tiny drops of water making mist. Even them, yet so tiny, are taken away, erased. :)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mr Murray (X)
: I also thought 'mist' based on the translation so far.
4 mins
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Thanks Mr Murray, but I don't understand why you're hinting at German, sorry..., or I missed s.th. perhaps. :)
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| neutral |
Colin Rowe
: He means that the German word "Mist" translates into English as "Sh*t"...
22 mins
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Ok, I see. Thanks for the explanation, but here the problem is only English and Italian, so I'm on the safe side! :)
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| agree |
Angie Garbarino
: I like it
31 mins
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Grazie/Thanks Angio. :)
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| agree |
Fabrizio Zambuto
: piace anche a me (ricordati in futuro di non postarla in forum tedeschi:)))
2 hrs
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Grazie Fabrizio. Non corro quel rischio per il poco tedesco che so, lo conosco solo per non morire di fame, ma non oltre! :)
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| agree |
dandamesh
2 hrs
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Grazie/Thanks! :)
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9 mins
Dondule
Works in field
Italian term (edited):
polvere d\'acqua
water drops (droplets)
le goccie d'acqua... credo che in questo caso si pensa cosi.
Note from asker:
| How did you submit two answers?! |
13 mins
Dondule
Works in field
Italian term (edited):
polvere d\'acqua
splash
something like water dust
42 mins
watery dust
So this is watery dust we're talking about here – or dusty water? ;-) ... could this same dusty water* /watery dust be the case for Mercury? ...
blogs.discovermagazine.com/.../change-of-address-for-lcross/
blogs.discovermagazine.com/.../change-of-address-for-lcross/
44 mins
Daniela Zambrini
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
&
English
Italy
Handling words with care since 1998
Native in: English , Italian
Works in: English to Italian, Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
20
watery haze
another alternative
take a look at this picture, I think it describes the image quite well
http://www.artistrising.com/products/371643/water-haze.htm
ciao, D
take a look at this picture, I think it describes the image quite well
http://www.artistrising.com/products/371643/water-haze.htm
ciao, D
57 mins
watery spirit
"annihilates them by taking away their watery spirit" sounds best IMHO in terms of what the author wanted to express
1 hr
Colin Rowe
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Works in field
Germany
Par Excellence Translations
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Italian to English, and 3 more.
dying surf
carrying away the dying surf...
... another possibility.
"surf", i.e. the remains of a wave after it has crashed/broken
"dying" fits the general tone here
... another possibility.
"surf", i.e. the remains of a wave after it has crashed/broken
"dying" fits the general tone here
Example sentence:
From the Caribbean rose the whisper of a dying surf, slower and fainter than the respirations of a sick man...
I really should've taken my camera today, there was a lovely dying surf on the bank and as low water approached lots of interesting gulleys ...
Reference:
http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/46754/
http://www.east-anglia-sea-angling.co.uk/Archive-2007/SEP07.html
+2
1 hr
polyglot45
Native in English
Native in: English , French
Works in: English to French, French to English, German to French, and 4 more.
spray
methinks
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Colin Rowe
: methought also, but then I wondered if "spray" might not be what blows off the top of the wave before it crashes...
9 mins
|
| agree |
philgoddard
: Spot on, and concise.
16 mins
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| agree |
Wendy Streitparth
24 mins
|
-1
1 day 7 hrs
Translation Pro
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
A Professional Translation Service
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Italian to English
mineral water
polvere suggests the minerals that can be found in water
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Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2010-07-14 14:30:39 GMT) Post-grading
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in the sense that the water contains powder/minerals/ has been reduced.. I do prefer pulverised though.
mineralize [ mínnərə līz ] (3rd person present singular mineralizes, present participle mineralizing, past and past participle mineralized) or mineralise [ mínnərə līz ] (3rd person present singular mineralises, present participle mineralising, past and past participle mineralised)
verb
Definition:
1. transitive verb impregnate something with minerals: to impregnate something such as water or organic matter with minerals
2. transitive and intransitive verb make or become mineral: to transform organic matter into a mineral, as happens in petrifaction, or to be transformed in this way
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2010-07-14 14:30:39 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
in the sense that the water contains powder/minerals/ has been reduced.. I do prefer pulverised though.
mineralize [ mínnərə līz ] (3rd person present singular mineralizes, present participle mineralizing, past and past participle mineralized) or mineralise [ mínnərə līz ] (3rd person present singular mineralises, present participle mineralising, past and past participle mineralised)
verb
Definition:
1. transitive verb impregnate something with minerals: to impregnate something such as water or organic matter with minerals
2. transitive and intransitive verb make or become mineral: to transform organic matter into a mineral, as happens in petrifaction, or to be transformed in this way
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Colin Rowe
: Mineral water is what one buys in bottles.
10 hrs
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usually, not always: Encarta; 'water with mineral salts: a drinkable water with a high mineral salt or gas content, either obtained from a mineral spring or with minerals added. It is usually sold in bottles.' in case you hadn't noticed case was closed.
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Discussion