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practicable harmonía

English translation: practicable harmony

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:practicable harmonía
English translation:practicable harmony
Entered by: Bill Greendyk

14:49 Aug 12, 2002
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / poetry
Spanish term or phrase: practicable harmonía
Hello folks!

Translating poetry, and having a little trouble with this little verse from Jorge Guillen, specifically the 'practicable harmonía'. Not sure what it refers to and also having trouble finding a good word for 'practicable'

All suggestions most appreciated.

TIA, MJ
MJ Barber
Spain
Local time: 06:19
practicable harmony
Explanation:
Hi MJ,

I may be wrong, but this is the way I see it, plain and simple! In other words, "practible harmony" is a "real" harmony, as opposed to a harmony which is fine on paper or in words, but when put to the test, proves to be "impracticable" in force. It would help to know a bit more of the context, of course, to really know what's meant here.

Saludos,

Bill
Selected response from:

Bill Greendyk
United States
Local time: 00:19
Grading comment
There seems to be quite a consensus here, so I went for practicable in the end.

Thanks everybody.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4practicable / efficient / practical / perfect harmony
Karina Pelech
4 +4practicable harmony
Bill Greendyk
4 +3attainable harmony...
Marion Burns
4 +2practicable harmony
Amanda Tozer
4 +1workable harmony
Parrot
4 +1atainable harmony
MikeGarcia
4Agree with Bill Greendyk
Lia Fail (X)
1virtual, sustainable
erhan ucgun (X)
1approachable harmony
Refugio


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
practicable harmony


Explanation:
Hi MJ,

I may be wrong, but this is the way I see it, plain and simple! In other words, "practible harmony" is a "real" harmony, as opposed to a harmony which is fine on paper or in words, but when put to the test, proves to be "impracticable" in force. It would help to know a bit more of the context, of course, to really know what's meant here.

Saludos,

Bill

Bill Greendyk
United States
Local time: 00:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
There seems to be quite a consensus here, so I went for practicable in the end.

Thanks everybody.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: practicable harmony
1 hr
agree  Herman Vilella
1 hr
agree  Lia Fail (X): But 'practicable' isn't English and 'practical' is NOT in DRAE (práctico) See below
7 hrs
agree  Rafa Lombardino
12 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
practicable harmony


Explanation:
Me gustaría ver el verso entero para saber mejor el contexto. "Practicable" también puede significar "opening/workable/feasible" pero creo mi opción lo resume mejor. Tampoco sé si existe una traducción al castellano de dicha poesía que te podría orientar.

Amanda Tozer
Local time: 06:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Karina Pelech: see below... :o)
10 mins
agree  Сергей Лузан: practicable harmony
1 hr
agree  Herman Vilella
1 hr
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
practicable / efficient / practical / perfect harmony


Explanation:
"En la mano un racimo generoso
Responde,
Tiernamente hacia mí se redondea,
Denso de un zumo que ya aguarda:
Practicable armonía,
Optimo otoño."

Jorge Guillén
Cántico


Either will do.
Saludos ... :o)


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-12 14:55:48 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://personal.redestb.es/padobner/reflex.htm

Karina Pelech
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marcela García Henríquez
2 mins
  -> gracias Marcela ... :o)
agree  Russell Gillis: I like "perfect harmony" (reminds me of a song by Paul McCartney and Stevey Wonder) :)
16 mins
  -> thank you very much, Russell, but I don't believe Guillén was blind (like Paul McCartney)... saludos ... :o)
agree  Сергей Лузан: A nice set anyway.
1 hr
  -> gracias Sergio ... :o)
agree  Herman Vilella: Guillén is pretty poetic, but the Spanish "practicable" word definitely is not,as some have commented, "Practicable means "attainable" or, modernly, "capable of being put into action" ("do-able", sort of).
1 hr
  -> gracias Herman ... :o)
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
virtual, sustainable


Explanation:
only suggestions with nothing for context!

erhan ucgun (X)
Local time: 07:19
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
workable harmony


Explanation:
gut feeling, association with wine, autumn as a human age, possible reference to a personal relationship.

Parrot
Spain
Local time: 06:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 34

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  R.J.Chadwick (X)
15 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
attainable harmony...


Explanation:
or maybe "accessible harmony"

(for a more poetic tone)


Otherwise, stick with the literal choice:
practicable harmony. I think it works.

Good luck!

Marion Burns
United States
Local time: 00:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: practicable harmony
52 mins
agree  Herman Vilella
1 hr
agree  Mary Bauer: i like attainable harmony
4 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
atainable harmony


Explanation:
Fits more within Guillén's poetic meaning.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-13 12:16:12 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Typo:\"Attainable\".

MikeGarcia
Spain
Local time: 06:19
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rosa Garcia: mrsrag1981
5 hrs
  -> Gracias,Rosa.
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Agree with Bill Greendyk


Explanation:
Sorry, a check in a thesaurus offers practicable as an alternative to practical, also functional, utilitarian, which seem to convey the idea expressed also

Lia Fail (X)
Spain
Local time: 06:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
approachable harmony


Explanation:
In poetry especially, we should avoid over-literalness and remember the words of that good old misogynist George Bernard Shaw: "Translations are like women. They are either faithful or beautiful, but not both." Here's one way to go with it:

In my hand a generous grape-cluster
responds to me tenderly;
it swells, thick with expectant juice:
approachable harmony,
desirable autumn.

Refugio
Local time: 21:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 84
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