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German to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Music / Mahler documentary
German term or phrase:tugendhaft keusch.
I'm translating the subtitles of a documentary on Mahler from English to Italian. The text has already been translated from German into English, and I'm translating from the English version, which, however, does not always make much sense. Therefore I need to refer to the German version as well. But since my knowledge of German is very limited, I'm asking for your help. Here is the context in which the expression occurs:
"Mahler verweist auf das heiße Liebesstreben.
Es ist ein erotisches Bild und doch ist es ein spirituelles Gedicht.
Der Eros weckt in uns liebevolle Zuwendung.
Ich denke, wir können das nachempfinden.
Wenn wir uns nicht leidenschaftlich zuwenden, wenn unser innerstes Verlangen nicht beteiligt ist,
dann schwebt Spiritualität erhaben herum, und ist nur tugendhaft keusch.
Explanation: Right, I'm going to try to see what I can make of this:
First of all, let's get the vocabulary sorted out. Tugendhaft means virtuous, and keusch means chaste (these words are actually quite a bit more loaded than that, and there is some overlap between the two, but I think that these two words render them quite well).
I think that the gist of the argument is that the artistic/spiritual elements transcend the mundane eroticism. When it is art, it is not "dirty", so to speak.
So I would render this as "pure and chaste".
In the sentence, something like: With considerable artistic licence!
When we do not turn to each other in passion, when our innermost lust is not aroused, spirituality rises up beyond [us/this/...], and remains pure and chaste.
But there may be other, better solutions, and I may have misunderstood things/missed nuances, as the German is quite difficult.
All suggestions were applicable, so I selected one that would best fit the Italian text. The suggestions were very "illuminating". Thank you to all! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
I believe that the author is fully serious about what he's expounding - at least it reads like that to me. So I would be really cautious in using phrases that could be taken ironically.
Have you considered rephrasing the sentence? ...."when we are not distracted by our deepest desires, the nobility of purely virginal spirituality wafts about us." Das Wort zum Sonntag!! (joking)
That's fine - I personally don't claim to know anything about Mahler, and everything that I suggested was extrapolated from the context. Hopefully the ideas that I (and others) provided will be enough to help you out though!
I agree with the various translations, but not with the interpretation. Knowing Mahler, I think that what he is saying is that without passion (Eros), spirituality remains only a weightless (floating) "virtuous chastity" (chaste virtue, or any other combination of words you may have suggested. I don't think that Mahler conceived spirituality withour Eros. My interpretation, however, does not impact your suggestions.
I don't think that there is any negative connotation from the context. I think the "nur" is simply saying that this desire is only chaste, as opposed to other types of desire which would be ambiguous - a simultaneous mixture of down-to-earth lust and "higher" sentiments.
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Answers
42 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
virtuously chaste
Explanation: I think the straight translation will work here - even though from the context there seems to be some negative connotation (*only* virtuously chaste).
Explanation: Right, I'm going to try to see what I can make of this:
First of all, let's get the vocabulary sorted out. Tugendhaft means virtuous, and keusch means chaste (these words are actually quite a bit more loaded than that, and there is some overlap between the two, but I think that these two words render them quite well).
I think that the gist of the argument is that the artistic/spiritual elements transcend the mundane eroticism. When it is art, it is not "dirty", so to speak.
So I would render this as "pure and chaste".
In the sentence, something like: With considerable artistic licence!
When we do not turn to each other in passion, when our innermost lust is not aroused, spirituality rises up beyond [us/this/...], and remains pure and chaste.
But there may be other, better solutions, and I may have misunderstood things/missed nuances, as the German is quite difficult.
Joshua Pepper Local time: 03:18 Native speaker of: English, French PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
All suggestions were applicable, so I selected one that would best fit the Italian text. The suggestions were very "illuminating". Thank you to all!
Explanation: If it actually refers to the "spirituality" of the phrase before, one might adjust the word class. No disagreement with the other suggestions.
Horst Huber Local time: 22:18 Native speaker of: German
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
