Italian: omeni selvadeghiEnglish translation: uomini selvatici (wild/barbaric men) 
KudoZ The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators ... More  |
|
| GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW) | | Italian term or phrase: | omeni selvadeghi | | English translation: | uomini selvatici (wild/barbaric men) | | Entered by: | xlationhouse |
| Options:
- Contribute to this entry |
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Folklore | | Italian term or phrase: omeni selvadeghi | For an article in a tourist magazine about the Clock Tower in St. Mark's Square, Venice. The term, among others, is used to describe the "Moors" that strike the great bell on the hour with hammers.
From the few occurrences I could find (see links below), I guess these are sort of mythological, or imaginary, figures. Is this dialect? (I don't think it's Latin.) Here is the context:
Intanto, nella pancia della Torre, la macchina di Rainieri macina minuti ore giorni anni secoli; i due automi di bronzo – omeni selvadeghi, schiavi, progenitori come Caino e Abele? – incatenati alla loro ciclopica piastra di pietra annunciano al mondo lo scorrere delle ore, l’avvicendarsi delle stagioni...
http://www.aprisogni.it/laboratori/batarprimavera.html
http://thuler.net/phorum/read.php?1,2344,2344,quote=1
http://www.tellusfolio.it/index.php?prec=/index.php&cmd=v&le... |
| | Clarification request(s) and responsecocotier: 2:39pm Jan 8, 2007: I confirm the venetian dialect from the answers. If my memory is good enough, the Moors were from Africa and considered as uneducated (I think in a religious point of view). Latin "silva" = forest, from which "selvatico" is derived.
|
|
| | uomini selvatici (wild/barbaric men) | Explanation:
I am not sure they are mythological figures, but this is the dialect form of "uomini selvatici", "barbaric/wild/uneducated men",a an expression that can very well apply to the Moors as seen by their Venetian enemies.
Hope this helps
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2007-01-09 12:01:12 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Glad I could help.
Raffaella |
| Selected response from:
 Raffaella Panigada
Italy
| Note from asker to answererThanks to everyone! I ended up keeping the term in dialect with "wild men" in parentheses.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
|
18 mins confidence:   |
19 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1 |
| explanation
Explanation:
"omeni selvadeghi" is a dialect expressions (I'm from Veneto, so I'm sure), that literally translated into Italian means "uomini selvatichi/selvaggi" (kind of "wild men")
The adjective "selvatico" is often used with plants (or animals) that grow without human care or intervention
"omeni selvadeghi" usually refers to people that are not completely into society, they're maybe careless, maybe shabby and so on... They could live in the woods, and so be associated to elfs and spirits in the popular tradition, but I think in your text it mainly refers to the fact they are "physical men" (they're "automi, schiavi"), they're close to animals, they're only important because of their hammering on the bell...
That's how I understand it.
Hope it helps
Good luck, Chiara
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2007-01-08 14:05:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
obviously "uomini selvatici" - sorry for the typo, it was the influence of dialect!!!
| |
| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
3 hrs confidence: |
| savages/savage men
Explanation:
From dictionary.com:
sav·age Listen: [ svj ]
adj.
Not domesticated or cultivated; wild: savage beasts of the jungle.
Not civilized; barbaric: a savage people.
Ferocious; fierce: in a savage temper.
Savage \Sav"age\, n.
1. A human being in his native state of rudeness; one who is
untaught, uncivilized, or without cultivation of mind or
manners.
Vicious or merciless; brutal: a savage attack on a political rival. See Synonyms at cruel.
Lacking polish or manners; rude.
n.
A person regarded as primitive or uncivilized.
A person regarded as brutal, fierce, or vicious.
A rude person; a boor.
| rfmoon
United States
Native speaker of:  Italian, English
|
| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
5 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2 |
| uomini selvatici (wild/barbaric men)
Explanation:
I am not sure they are mythological figures, but this is the dialect form of "uomini selvatici", "barbaric/wild/uneducated men",a an expression that can very well apply to the Moors as seen by their Venetian enemies.
Hope this helps
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2007-01-09 12:01:12 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Glad I could help.
Raffaella
| | Note from asker to answerer| Thanks to everyone! I ended up keeping the term in dialect with "wild men" in parentheses. |
|
Return to KudoZ list
|
| |
The translation workplace 
