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love your work

English translation: = "I love your work."

14:17 Nov 8, 2009

English to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

English term or phrase: love your work

“You’ve reached the voice mailbox of Laura Stahl,” says the message Jacob knows by heart, because its mocking tone has always annoyed him. “I either can’t or won’t answer. So don’t take it personally when you hear the beep, okay? Love your work. Peace.” A long beep follows.

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is this a quotation i don't know? does "love your work" sound at all appropriate recorded like this on an answering machine? what does she mean to say, in other words?

thanks!

zmejka KudoZ activity Questions: 1483 (none open) (7 closed without grading) Answers: 403 Russian Federation
Local time: 18:20

English translation:= "I love your work."

Explanation:
It's a pseudo-Hollywoodish, or in any case New York-art-scene-ish pose. This sentence is added to make it easier to handle the fact that Laura is not picking up the phone.

It's not entirely 'appropriate' as you say -- or more precisely not a normal component of phone messages. But it's in the same category of pose-memes like "You look maahvelous, daahling."

Selected response from:

Jim Tucker
United States
Local time: 10:20

Grading comment

thank you for your help, everyone!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +9

= "I love your work."

Jim Tucker

4 +6

Love your work

Carol Gullidge

2 +2

enjoy your working day (exhortation)

Mark Nathan

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +9

= "I love your work."

Jim Tucker
United States
Local time: 10:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 28

Grading comment

thank you for your help, everyone!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Michelle Plaistow: I also think it's something like "I love you" not directly to any person, just that she cares about anyone who might be calling her. It's just a little joke. Does any surrounding or earlier context suggest this?

7 mins

agree

Jack Doughty

12 mins

agree

John Detre: The reference to "mocking tone" in the preceding sentence is probably a cue to how the message is to be read. I think "love your work" is a brush-off here, a pat phrase pretentious Hollywood types might use to appease someone they are rushing past.

29 mins

-> "Brush-off" is good.

agree

Tony M: I think it's the classic brush off, like "I love your work... but I'm not about to buy it / hire you, etc." Said globally like this, it becomes all the more mocking; almost like saying "Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested in buying it"

49 mins

-> good stuff; thanks.

agree

airmailrpl: just that she cares VERY LITTLE about anyone who might be calling her

2 hrs

agree

Jenni Lukac: Jim has described it perfectly.

3 hrs

agree

Vicky Nash

5 hrs

agree

JaneTranslates: I'm sure this is it.

12 hrs

-> Me too - thx.

agree

Soledad Caño

1 day48 mins

29 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

enjoy your working day (exhortation)

Explanation:
Is another interpretation, i.e. to love one's work is a good thing, so I urge you to love your work.

I agree with others that is slightly odd thing to say in a phone message - but then perhaps this person is supposed to be slightly odd.

Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 16:20
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 72

30 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

Love your work

Explanation:
I think it means just that. Along with the "Peace", it just sounds like a rather "hippy" command to love the work you do. Enjoy the life you live, etc.

Perhaps somewhat akin to the "Enjoy" served up in restaurants?

Whatever it is, as this is an answering message, it must be somethng that could be addressed to the world at large, and not just one particular person

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

John Detre: I think that's the point of the joke, Carol -- that in a certain circle the term is used indiscriminately, whether you know the person's work or not.

37 mins

-> sounds totally daft to me, but you could be right :O) I wonder if anyone knows for sure, rather than all this conjecture about what it might mean...

agree

Sheila Wilson: Possibly, possibly not - but I certainly second your reply above

1 hr

-> many thanks Sheila!

agree

lirka: I agree with your interpretation because of the addition "peace"

2 hrs

-> many thanks lirka!

agree

Annett Kottek: I also feel that it's not necessarily insincere, especially as the speaker is reassuring the caller not to take it personally when she doesn’t answer the phone and offers the ‘Peace’ greeting at the close.

5 hrs

-> many thanks Annett!

agree

Marju Galitsos: With lirka and Annett

5 hrs

-> many thanks Marju!

agree

Joyce A: I agree that this interpretation covers a variety of callers. I like your describing it as a "hippy" command. :-) Makes me want to hum some 60's songs.

12 hrs

-> many thanks Joyce!

agree

urbom: It's an outgoing message that any caller will hear, not addressed as an insincere compliment to a particular person. I agree that it comes across as a "hippy"-style exhortation to "be in the moment" and be more "Zen" about things.

17 hrs

-> many thanks urbom!

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