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graffa

English translation: paperclip

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:graffa
English translation:paperclip
Entered by: Sarah Ponting

15:35 Jan 5, 2003
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary / Jewellery
Italian term or phrase: graffa
Hi folks
This stuff sounds very nice indeed, especially given the expensive erm construction materials. Trouble is, I'm not *totally* sure what it's all about (massive understatement).

"Cuori a graffa, e poi ancora due graffe, una tonda l’altra a tradizionale graffetta, i ciondoli in oro giallo con punto luce di brillante compongono la serie"

TIA
Derek
Derek Smith
Local time: 02:01
heart-shaped paperclips
Explanation:
I think they mean heart-shaped paperclip: I've got some but it's not easy to explain what they look like. Instead of being one inside the other, the two ends form the rounded upper parts of a heart and meet at the bottom.

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Note added at 2003-01-05 15:47:46 (GMT)
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It works as a paperclip because the two upper parts can be pushed infront or behind of the pointed lower part. I don\'t know if you can imagine it now, but if you like I can try putting one in the scanner and sending you the result!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-05 15:58:20 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Answer to your note: Possibly for banknotes, if they\'re money clips, otherwise used as pendants. I can assure you they are used! I\'m not sure of the best way to translate it - it might be better to say gold wire heart pendants with diamond(s) or something like that, but the form is the same of these heart-shaped paperclips I was telling you about.

Best of luck,

Sarah

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Note added at 2003-01-07 10:23:52 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I\'ve found another type of \"heart paperclip\", with photo. This shape could also be used as a pendant, although I haven\'t seen them.

\"Conversation Heart paperclip\"

http://www.memoriesoftherabbit.com/miscembellishments.html
Selected response from:

Sarah Ponting
Italy
Local time: 03:01
Grading comment
Thank you Sarah, you have an obvious feel for this subject: you were spot-on.
To clarify the situation for all, here is the site, where the company has published some pics (on the opening page) http://www.fope.com/
(I should add that I had checked the site previously but there was no mention of this product line.)
Thanks to Catherine, Angela and Simon for your creative input and head-scratching here. Adriana (thanks) in particular was right on the ball - I hope I have satisfied your curiosity.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words...
Maximum diamond-studded paperclips
Derek

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2heart-shaped paperclips
Sarah Ponting
3 +2setting
Catherine Bolton
4very much a long shot Derek...
Angela Arnone
3curly bracket/clip
Simon Charass
3I do not have an answer for you but...
Adriana Esposito


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
heart-shaped paperclips


Explanation:
I think they mean heart-shaped paperclip: I've got some but it's not easy to explain what they look like. Instead of being one inside the other, the two ends form the rounded upper parts of a heart and meet at the bottom.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-05 15:47:46 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It works as a paperclip because the two upper parts can be pushed infront or behind of the pointed lower part. I don\'t know if you can imagine it now, but if you like I can try putting one in the scanner and sending you the result!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-05 15:58:20 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Answer to your note: Possibly for banknotes, if they\'re money clips, otherwise used as pendants. I can assure you they are used! I\'m not sure of the best way to translate it - it might be better to say gold wire heart pendants with diamond(s) or something like that, but the form is the same of these heart-shaped paperclips I was telling you about.

Best of luck,

Sarah

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-07 10:23:52 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I\'ve found another type of \"heart paperclip\", with photo. This shape could also be used as a pendant, although I haven\'t seen them.

\"Conversation Heart paperclip\"

http://www.memoriesoftherabbit.com/miscembellishments.html

Sarah Ponting
Italy
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1626
Grading comment
Thank you Sarah, you have an obvious feel for this subject: you were spot-on.
To clarify the situation for all, here is the site, where the company has published some pics (on the opening page) http://www.fope.com/
(I should add that I had checked the site previously but there was no mention of this product line.)
Thanks to Catherine, Angela and Simon for your creative input and head-scratching here. Adriana (thanks) in particular was right on the ball - I hope I have satisfied your curiosity.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words...
Maximum diamond-studded paperclips
Derek

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  swisstell: sounds like a Marcus Neiman item
12 mins
  -> thanks
agree  karen_75
16 mins
  -> thanks
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
setting


Explanation:
Hard to tell from the description (guess that's what the problem is!), but it sounds like a gold setting to hold the diamond. The term "graffe" is also used to refer to the prongs that hold the diamond. If you want to keep it vague, however, I'd go with "setting".
If it's heart-shaped pendants you're after, see below.


    Reference: http://www.jewelrybestbuy.com/index.cfm?&fuseaction=browse&p...
Catherine Bolton
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 1906

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Antonella Andreella (X)
3 mins
  -> Thanks. As translators we have little use for diamonds and such, right? ;-)
agree  Mario Marcolin
1 day 2 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
very much a long shot Derek...


Explanation:
could they be earrings... no refs, just intuition.
Heart-shaped and traditional round studs, or something like that .... to match pendants?
Angela


Angela Arnone
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 3602
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
curly bracket/clip


Explanation:
GRAFFA =
s. f.
1 (edil.) grappa
2 segno che serve a unire più righe di scrittura o di stampa, o a racchiudere un'espressione matematica || Anche agg. : parentesi graffa = {
3 fermaglio per tenere uniti dei fogli; grappa. DIM. graffetta.

s.f.
1 (segno grafico) brace / parentesi -, curly bracket
2 (graffetta per carte) clip
3 (mecc.) (per cinghia di trasmissione) belt fastener, belt fastening claw.

CLIP = see nr. 3
s.
1 molletta; clip, fermaglio (a molla, per tenere insieme carte): hair -, forcina per i capelli; paper -, graffetta, fermaglio per fogli; bicycle -, molletta per fermare i pantaloni (quando si va in bicicletta)
2 (med.) graffa (per ferite); pinza (per graffare ferite)
3 CLIP, SPILLA
4 (tecn.) morsetto; anello d'attacco (per tubi); chiodo a gancio
5 (mil.) nastro (per armi a ripetizione).

In my opinion they are referring to the specific form of the parts that keep together the piece. I would use the definition given for the “parentesi graffa” = “ Curly bracket”.

An other possibility is “clip” and ignore their form or combine the two in “Curly clip”.


Simon Charass
Canada
Local time: 21:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 543
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
I do not have an answer for you but...


Explanation:
it's just to share my ideas. I think the Italian is a bit funny here.
First, "cuore a graffa". "Graffa a cuore" could have been a "heart-shaped stud" like Angela suggests, but this is not the case (unless the Italian is wrong).
But what is then a "cuore a graffa"? "Graffe" are normally the small prongs holding a precious stone, but they are really small and I have never seen heart-shaped ones. Plus in your case they also talk about one (and only one) "punto luce di brillante". A "punto luce" is typically a (very) small diamond used on a "plain" golden pendant, bracelet or the like. So it is unlikely that the whole heart is just a setting to hold such a small diamond.
Could it be then a heart pendant shaped like a clip, i.e. that you can also fit on a pocket or similar? Sorry, I am running out of ideas here.

Or, another possibility is that these pendants are inspired to the characters used by young people to exchange SMS on their mobile phones where XXX is used for kisses, as your text says. So, MAYBE, brackets are used in place of hearts, but this - also - I really ignore. Better to ask a teen-ager...:)

Obviously the best thing would be to have a picture... If they give you one, PLEASE let us know what they are I am REALLY curious! :)

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Note added at 2003-01-07 03:33:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And if it was something like this...

^ ^
\\ / () U
V


...To mean \"I love you\"? (Still I wouldn\'t call these \"graffe\"...)



Adriana Esposito
Italy
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in pair: 224
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