merletti

English translation: Hi Sarah

10:21 Jan 17, 2004

Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Architecture / architecture

Italian term or phrase: merletti

Good morning, folks.

I need help to settle a doubt over the following phrase in a text describing castles:

"Diversi tra loro, i castelli della Valle d’Aosta - coronati da pesanti merlature medievali, o ingentiliti da **merletti** gotici, o impreziositi da grazie rinascimentali e capricci barocchi - raccontano secoli di architettura."

I'm unsure whether "merletti" here refers to merlons (IT "merli") or tracery. I'm inclined to think that it's the second, as merlature is obviously battlements and so merlons would seem a repretition (although I must admit that it is quite possible, seeing as the text is talking about different buildings). However, I've always seen tracery as "trafori" in Italian, and although "merletti" would seem nicely descriptive, I'm not sure whether it could actually in this sense.

What do you think?

TIA

Sarah

Sarah Ponting KudoZ activity Questions: 292 (none open) (2 closed without grading) Answers: 2513 Italy
Local time: 05:37

English translation:Hi Sarah

Explanation:
I think the author is playing with the root word "merlo".
It's possible to do it in Italian but rather clumsy in English.
It appears that the Medieval style is more robust and definitely of military architecture, therefore crenellations or even battlements.
While the Gothic style comes across as more delicate - not just decorative and therefore not really tracery, but less imposing.
I might go for using "merlons" twice and call them "sturdy Medieval merlons" and "refined Gothic merlons" or some such.
Cheers
Angela

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Note added at 1 hr 18 mins (2004-01-17 11:39:39 GMT)
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BTW - if you have the names of the castles it\'s worth looking them up as a picture might clear your mind and check this link - it\'s quite interesting.
http://www.marconinet.it/laguna/venezia/

Selected response from:

Angela Arnone
Local time: 05:37

Grading comment

Thanks.
In the end I used "merlons" to be on the safe side, but I'm not actually sure what the author means so I've added a note to my translation.

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

Hi Sarah

Angela Arnone

yes, you are right

orietta l'abbate

Answers

1 hr confidence:

merletti (in questo contesto) yes, you are right

Explanation:
Gothic (marble) tracery is a decoration with no functionality. I have translated it with lace-like, marble decoration in other jobs.

orietta l'abbate
Local time: 05:37
Native speaker of:

English,

Italian

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

merletti (in questo contesto)

Hi Sarah

Angela Arnone
Local time: 05:37
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 144

Grading comment

Thanks.
In the end I used "merlons" to be on the safe side, but I'm not actually sure what the author means so I've added a note to my translation.

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English translation: Hi Sarah

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