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Italian to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Architecture / Romanesque cathedral
Italian term or phrase:spioventi
It's clear that the word refers to a sloping structure, and the cathedral itself can be seen in http://www.cartantica.it/content/Collabrecensioni/Cattedrale... where the "spioventi" give the cathedral its unique shape... but here is the phrase - I'd like to use a word that fits in nicely with "racchiudono" if possible:
"Ruvo, inoltre, offre la visita di una delle più note e interessanti cattedrali romaniche di Puglia, caratterizzata dall’insolito campanile e dagli spioventi, che racchiudono la facciata e il rosone, molto inclinati."
Spioventi does, as you rightly say, mean a sloping roof, so you could use that, or alternatively "pitches". However, looking at the photo, your text seems to refer to the upper part of the roof, which encloses the rose window. I'd call that a gable.
Thanks Sarah for giving me the term I used, and of course a special mention to Danilo for such an in-depth analysis! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Gable: timpano, frontone (Picchi). Timpano:spazio triangolare o mistilineo,compreso tra la cornice e i due SPIOVENTI del frontone. Frontone: coronamento triangolare della facciata di un edificio, spec. del tempio greco, con tetto a 2 SPIOVENTI(Zingarelli)
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Answers
16 mins confidence:
steeply sloping roof
Explanation: I think this is a fairly elegant way of phrasing it, and *enclosing ...* would be a logical way of continuing.
The cathedral chapel was completed in 1856 and the cathedral foundation in 1888. ... The steeply sloping roof, buttressed by three pointed arch doorways, ...
Spioventi does, as you rightly say, mean a sloping roof, so you could use that, or alternatively "pitches". However, looking at the photo, your text seems to refer to the upper part of the roof, which encloses the rose window. I'd call that a gable.
HTH
Sarah
Sarah Ponting Italy Local time: 14:53 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
Thanks Sarah for giving me the term I used, and of course a special mention to Danilo for such an in-depth analysis!
4 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): -1
weathered
Explanation: Viene solitamente usato in architettura
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 25 mins (2007-03-15 10:25:06 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
sorry, I misread the sentence.
This might help you, it's from Dizinario Zanichelli: "verge"
[EDIL] parte del tetto sporgente dal frontone
The edge of a sloping roof which projects over a gable.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 47 mins (2007-03-15 10:47:19 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Anthony, I've found this on Picchi Dictionary :
weathering - noun m. (arch.- edil.) "spiovente"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 55 mins (2007-03-15 10:55:48 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2007-03-15 11:48:44 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Yes, I do. Don't be mislead by the verb "racchiudono". The sentence is a bit intricate. Here they mean that, when you watch the front wall, the bell-tower an the weatherings enclose (racchiudono) this wall an the front window. It's to be thought about in a sort of pictorial way, not literally.
Danilo Carnevale Italy Local time: 14:53 Works in field Native speaker of: Italian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Danilo - thanks but unfortunately in this case it's not projecting over a gable at all: see the picture
Asker: yes, thanks Danilo - you're quite right about the term: the weathering is the upper surface of the sloping roof, but do you think the text is talking about that?
Asker: Danilo - thanks for doing all this work on my behalf!
I think a certain amount of the confusion arises from the writer slightly misusing the term, but the main thing is that this is just a light tourist brochure attracting English-speaking people to stay in a trullo, and I for one wouldn't understand the technical term "weathering" if I read it, whereas "gable" I have known since I was a small boy
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
