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  3. Construction / Civil Engineering

autore

English translation: rephrase it

06:35 Nov 1, 2006
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Construction / Civil Engineering / tunnels
Italian term or phrase: autore
The context:
"ha permesso all’autore di cogliere numerosi significativi successi."
The author is the person actually writing, it is "I"
The dilemma: to refer to youself as "the author" seems too pompous to me in 21st century English, even for a sixty year old. However the alternative "me" or "I" would seem like boasting too much, too immodest. Can any one see another alternative.
Its a style issue, rather than, a technical issue.
James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 17:36
English translation:rephrase it
Explanation:
As this is an issue, why not simply avoid all reference to the author and rephrase as follows: "this led to considerable success" or similar (the exact translation would depend on the context)
Selected response from:

Sonia Hill
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:36
Grading comment
Its a long book and he keeps referring to himself. Its a manual, containing illustrative history. I think, this is the most useful answer. When the "author" is singing his praises I phase him out, In other places I put in a "me".
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5me, the author/me
gioielli
4 +1the undersigned
Victor Cauchi
4 +1rephrase it
Sonia Hill
4the present writer
Science451
2 +1the designer
Mara Ballarini


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
me, the author/me


Explanation:
"has allowed me, the author, to recieve much significant recognition"
or just plain old "has allowed me to revieve..."


gioielli
Italy
Local time: 15:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Me, is boasting too much. I'm looking for an alternative.

Asker: Ahhl I hadn't looked well at the way you put it. "me, the author" An idea

Asker: Thank you

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the undersigned


Explanation:
Even though he may not have signed the document, the meaning is transparent.

Victor Cauchi
Malta
Local time: 15:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in MalteseMaltese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: The undersigned is the same as author, Its too pompous, too old-fashioned.

Asker: Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Katherine Zei
19 mins
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the present writer


Explanation:
ADRIANO - MARIO PILATI... da indurre l’autore di queste note a definirlo senz’altro un genio. ... leading **the present writer** not to hesitate in regarding him as a genius. ...
www.rodoni.ch/pilati/pilati.html - 46k
__________________________________

HTH


    Reference: http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&rls=GGLJ%2CGGLJ%3A2006-28%...
Science451
Italy
Local time: 15:36
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 39
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you

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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
rephrase it


Explanation:
As this is an issue, why not simply avoid all reference to the author and rephrase as follows: "this led to considerable success" or similar (the exact translation would depend on the context)

Sonia Hill
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Its a long book and he keeps referring to himself. Its a manual, containing illustrative history. I think, this is the most useful answer. When the "author" is singing his praises I phase him out, In other places I put in a "me".
Notes to answerer
Asker: You jump on the side of good old British modesty too Russel? It seems their is no way of sitting on the fence, here, a problem with no ready made solution.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Russell Jones: That's how I do it too.
6 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the designer


Explanation:
is he the tunnel designer? than it shouldn't be too pompous or anything calling himself with the right 'name'

just an idea... :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2006-11-02 07:38:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi James. Well, if there's nowhere, where he actually introduces himself as the design engineer of that history, and you can't add it either (like in brackets or so), maybe you could make that clear in another way, something like 'allowed me, the design engineer, to..' or even 'allowed the design engineer (me) to achieve..' I'd go for the latter, if the pompous style is what I was worried about - me is not first, but the fact that he's the design engineer is important, so he's saying what he's saying from the engineer's point of view. - I don't know if I was actually clear enough.. :-) And even though you wouldn't probably use a style like that in classical literature, this is still a technical manual - so a technical style like that could probably work.
I just wanted to point out, however, even if the style might seem pompous in Italian, it could actually give the idea that he doesn't want to talk about 'me, me, me' but simply about the author, instead of someone else, because someone must be, and of course it must be him, if he's talking about it... But you're right, the same form in English wouldn't work, it would probably even have a contrary effect...
sorry, if my explanation was a bit confusing... I should have probably waited a couple of hours...coz I've just jumped out of bed.. :-) HOpe it helped though

Mara Ballarini
Australia
Local time: 23:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 36
Notes to answerer
Asker: You mean something like, "allowed the design engineer to achieve"? If so the idea is nice, but it wouldn't work, because it wouldn't be clear from the text that the design engineer is him.

Asker: Thank you


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Russell Jones: Nice idea
9 hrs
  -> thanks Russell!
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