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efebos desnudos

English translation: nude ephebi / naked ephebes

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:efebos desnudos
English translation:nude ephebi / naked ephebes
Entered by: kironne

14:52 Nov 2, 2008
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Modern Novel
Spanish term or phrase: efebos desnudos
Si bien, lo chicloso de las articulaciones de su muñeca y la decoración a base de efebos desnudos me indican que lo mejor será impedir que mi boca le escupa esta disertación.

The protagnist considers making a lewd comment to the bar owner about the gassy nature of his beer, but thinks better on seeing that he is well-built and rather macho. The bar is decorated with page 3 style posters, it seems. Hence the comment above.
I know that the literal and literary translation of this would be ephebes, but I don't like it. I am trying to think of something that is literary, but not quite so obscure. I assume that these are naked ladies rather than young men. I'm drawing a blank. All suggestions welcome on this one. UK English, and thanks very much in advance everyone! :)
Kate Major Patience
Spain
Local time: 10:03
nude ephebi
Explanation:

The "hyperlaxity" of the barman's wrist, as well as the walls full of young, nude Athenians is a clear sign these were boys...

I always called them "ephebus-ephebi", though. And I like the way it sounds in the context: "nude ephebi"... It's kind of decadent, but funny, isn't it?

If you don't want to use ephebus, ephebe, or any related words, then I'd go for Carol's suggestion: "young men".

HTH!

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephebus
Selected response from:

kironne
Chile
Local time: 04:03
Grading comment
Your help has been invaluable on this one everyone! I had interpreted it the wrong way. I like the archaic spelling -also the correct spelling, really, although we tend to anglicise- of kironne's answer, although you were all mostly on to this one wuicker than I was! Thanks again everyone! :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2naked nymphs
Juliana Brown
3 +2naked adolescents; naked young men; naked youths
Carol Gullidge
5naked ephebes
Thais Maria Lips
4naked youths
pjutsum
4nude lads / striplings
Christine Walsh
3 +1nude ephebi
kironne
Summary of reference entries provided
ephebes
Christine Walsh

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
naked adolescents; naked young men; naked youths


Explanation:
based purely on the definition of "ephebe" in Chambers.

If you're not absolutely sure of the sex, then "adolescents" is a safe bet.

Otherwise "youths" or "young men"

But if you know for sure that they are female, then I like Juliana's nymphs

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Note added at 32 mins (2008-11-02 15:25:20 GMT)
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Should emphasise that the originals (in Greek) were definitely young MEN, but I don't know if the meaning has become less specific over the years. I somehow doubt it, but could be mistaken



Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 315

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  franglish
1 hr
  -> thanks franglish!
agree  kironne: The "hyperlaxity" of the barman's wrist gave him away. Young men, youths, yes!
7 hrs
  -> many thanks kironne!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
naked youths


Explanation:
I'll go with Carol Gullidge on this one. It probably IS referring to young men - but "youth" keeps it ambiguous - and "youth" is a little more literary than just "young men" or "adolescents". You can make it more literary by making the pictures "adorn the room".

pjutsum
Spain
Local time: 10:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Carol Gullidge: so, is this an Agree with my posting? (naked adolescents; naked young men; naked youths ). Although I think "adolescents" is more ambiguous than "youths", which are definitely young boys
44 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
nude lads / striplings


Explanation:
just for a little variety!

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-11-02 16:19:20 GMT)
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maybe 'nude' instead of naked will give the certain delicate touch of 'efebos'

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-11-02 16:28:18 GMT)
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Sorry, I put it in the wrong place.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-11-02 17:18:49 GMT)
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http://www.yourdictionary.com/stripling

Christine Walsh
Local time: 05:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 92
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
naked ephebes


Explanation:
"Efebos" is a lost novel written by Karol Szymanowski, who is best known as a composer. During the difficult period of time around World War I and the Russian Revolution, Szymanowski's childhood home in what is now Ukraine was destroyed, and he found himself unable to compose. Instead, he explored religious and pederastic themes in this novel.



    Reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ephebes
Thais Maria Lips
United States
Local time: 04:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
naked nymphs


Explanation:
Onomastics: Italian First Names - the meaning of proper names ...Efebo, Derived from the Greek "Epheebos"; post teenage, from sixteen to twenty years ... Eginardo, Derived from the Greek, name given in honor of the nymph ...
www.avitrees.com/onomastics/names.jsp?al=enames.html - 84k

A classical term often used to describe beautiful young women...

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Note added at 17 mins (2008-11-02 15:10:17 GMT)
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I know that in the link above, Nymphs is linked to another name, but I thought it was an appropriate combination.

Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia: Reference Edition - Google Books Resultby Steven Wooster, Judith Miller, Mitchell Beazley - 2005 - Antiques & Collectibles - 560 pages
Daum also produced tiny glass shades for a lamp featuring a kneeling female figure, ... This example depicts Daphne, the Greek nymph loved by Apollo; ...
books.google.ca/books?isbn=1845331508...

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Note added at 6 hrs (2008-11-02 21:37:55 GMT)
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If they are male- which makes sense, you could always say "nymph-like youths"...

Juliana Brown
Israel
Local time: 04:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in HebrewHebrew

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Fell: or maybe even, in context, nymphets - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphet
5 mins
agree  Carol Gullidge: if they are definitely female, then this is great!
18 mins
agree  bcsantos
44 mins
disagree  Christine Walsh: it would sound great, but they are definitely not nymphs (check LatAm context reference)
2 hrs
agree  pjutsum: Yes. Agree
4 hrs
disagree  Juan Jacob: Well, nymphs are female, efebos are males.
11 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
nude ephebi


Explanation:

The "hyperlaxity" of the barman's wrist, as well as the walls full of young, nude Athenians is a clear sign these were boys...

I always called them "ephebus-ephebi", though. And I like the way it sounds in the context: "nude ephebi"... It's kind of decadent, but funny, isn't it?

If you don't want to use ephebus, ephebe, or any related words, then I'd go for Carol's suggestion: "young men".

HTH!

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ephebus

kironne
Chile
Local time: 04:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Your help has been invaluable on this one everyone! I had interpreted it the wrong way. I like the archaic spelling -also the correct spelling, really, although we tend to anglicise- of kironne's answer, although you were all mostly on to this one wuicker than I was! Thanks again everyone! :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Juan Jacob: Claro.
4 hrs
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: ephebes

Reference information:
Aside from the classical connection, the reference to the barman's "weak wrist" in Latin America certainly indicates homosexuality. It's a reference to a supposed typical posture or gesture. So I'd agree with youths, unless anyone can think of anything better. Maybe just 'young men'.

Christine Walsh
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 92

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Carol Gullidge: yes, I think the limp wrist is viewed as camp the world over!
6 hrs
  -> I always thought so, but was only sure of local usage. Thanks, Carol.
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