Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
13:56 May 18, 2011
Portuguese to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Portuguese term or phrase:as maçãs das ilhas
Um vento agudo e rijo despega dos ares flocos de neve avantajados, quais as maçãs das ilhas, enregelando a terra, enquanto inteiriça os arvoredos com seu sudário níveo.
Spiritist text written in the voice of a XVII/XVIII century spirit - old Portuguese.
Explanation: This may be what you are after. In Greek legend Hercules stole golden apples from the Hesperides Islands/gardens, which are variously thought to have been in the south of the Iberian peninsula, the Canaries, Madeira...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 37 mins (2011-05-18 14:33:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Turns out the Hesperides Islands were also called the Islands of the Blessed and was where the souls of heroes went after death.
Colleagues, I've chosen this answer as 'most helpful' because it explained the analogy to me. The problem was not in translating the words - duh - but in understanding what they meant. Have made a glossary entry with * see termsearch discussion. Thanks for input and feedback. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
I’d say the goal is that the translation be as transparent/opaque (no more, no less) as the original, obviously taking into account the target audience. Achieving such entails sometimes adding words not in the original and sometimes apparently jettisoning words that appear in the original.
It's not my intention to be controversial here, just would like to get feedback from our peers on this. How much of a literary/artistic license does a Translator have, when it comes to adding specific names of places as in this example here. The source text does not mention the Islands’ name and unless that name was mentioned somewhere else in the entire text, I would have some hesitation to name something where it may just be a guess. Any thoughts fellow translators ??
Thanks to both of you. I think I will use the name Hesperides though, otherwise whoever reads this in English may have the same reaction as I did...what apples? what islands? I love this work because I learn something every day!
Since your source text doesn't specify the islands
14:43 May 18, 2011
I don't see a need for you to do it in your translation. Anyway, just as side note, this is what I found in the Wikipedia PT articles about Hesperides:
"O jardim das Hespérides é situado ainda, com determinante autoridade, pelo Camões épico, no arquipélago de Cabo Verde."
As it's a spiritist text my guess is that it refers to the apples of the island of Avalon (from Arthurian legend) Avalon means island of apples... sorry just noticed you already mentioned this...
Thanks Gilmar. I know what 'quais' means. I just don't understand what apples?? what islands??? why use that allegory to describe snowflakes?? Doesn't make any sense - unless someone can tell me that apples come from an island near Portugal. I'm trying to find a connection with Avalon (Ilha das Maçãs), but so far no luck.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
6 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
(large snowflakes about the size of) apples from the islands
Explanation: This is how I interpret it.
"quais" is very archaic Portuguese for "iguais" = like
Gilmar Fernandes United States Local time: 02:17 Native speaker of: Portuguese, English
33 mins confidence:
like Hesperides' apples
Explanation: This may be what you are after. In Greek legend Hercules stole golden apples from the Hesperides Islands/gardens, which are variously thought to have been in the south of the Iberian peninsula, the Canaries, Madeira...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 37 mins (2011-05-18 14:33:34 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Turns out the Hesperides Islands were also called the Islands of the Blessed and was where the souls of heroes went after death.
Catarina Aleixo Local time: 07:17 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Colleagues, I've chosen this answer as 'most helpful' because it explained the analogy to me. The problem was not in translating the words - duh - but in understanding what they meant. Have made a glossary entry with * see termsearch discussion. Thanks for input and feedback.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Oooh - I LIKE it! You are gooood - thanks!
Asker: Don't you want to change your confidence grading on this? You may have to delete your answer and re-post it, not sure.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
