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17:49 Nov 3, 2009
Turkish to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Autobiography: Şu dağın ardı İran – Meltem Vural
Turkish term or phrase:yer sofrası
Greetings,
Here's the sentence in full:
Modern yemek masalarına rağmen kurulan yer sofralarında ekmek yerine pilav tüketiliyor, her sofrada en az üç çeşit bulunan ‘khoreşt’ dedikleri sulu yemekler pilava karıştırılarak yeniyordu. (p. 26)
The writer is discussing a typical Iranian mealtime (she married an Iranian and went to live in post-revolutionary Iran with him).
I always thought that “sofra” meant “table”, but is that really the case here?
Explanation: As you have said sofra means the table on which meals are eaten and ground table is a kind of table that is too close to the ground (this table's legs are shorter than normal tables) and usually common in villages in Turkey. People sit down around the table crossing their legs and eat their meals.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 21 hrs (2009-11-04 15:11:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
If we use something like ground meal instead of ground table, then it will lacking in meaning in terms of shared speeches, beliefs and fun around the table. This side of the eaten meal should be pointed out for the exact equivalent in Turkish culture.
Regarding Tim's note below, in the answers section, there may be no cultural equivalent in English-speaking countries, but they have been aware of this concept for centuries (since this "table" is being used in many countries and regions) - so if this term has an established English name, using a literal translation may be confusing. And I think "low table" is the established name, please see below:
People share speeches and have fun while eating on this pretty short table so surely, there is something more than table as a furniture in meaning! Being more than a table, it has a sense of unity besides eating meals only. But in terms of both its physical appearance and emotional meaning for Turkish culture I think the best answer is still ground table. If we use something like ground meal instead of ground table, then it will lacking in meaning in terms of shared speeches, beliefs and fun around the table. This side of the eaten meal should be pointed out for the exact equivalent in Turkish culture...
It is table in the sense of the gathering, habit, food, culture, etc. That's why the phrase is "yer sofrası" and not "yer masası" (that would be strange, as you suggested). You can see it here: http://wowturkey.com/tr240/begumay_wwwwbgm.jpg - the Iranian version should be more or less the same.
It seems ground table carries also other meanings. I have found this in a dictionary with community created content:
ground table. (arch.) see earth table, under earth...
see ground
earth table
(arch.), the lowest course of stones visible in a building; the ground table...
see earth
I agree, "in some cases", people just don't or cannot bother to use sini (circle tray) to put their food on, but simply eat on a cloth. Yet, as you referred, it is often not the case, but sometimes happen that way. I agree that a little confusion is possible given that small particular case. The majority of the culture are still eating on a sini with a frame (drum) to elevate though, which in turn would be considered a ground table. I still think that the meal is called as table (sofra) in that regard rather than the physical table itself. Lets see...
In some part of Anatolia, people uses sini (circle tray) as a table but in some cases, there is no table or similar thing onto which meals are spreaded but just a blanket. For this reason, using word of "table" may be misleading for western reader.
I agree with Erkan regarding "sofra" really means "table" here, but the expression "ground meal" should only be used for the other meaning he refers to (example usage: "The standard error of prediction for unground meal protein is approximately twice that of ground meal").
I think "sofra" really means "table", because table is used to refer to a meal, eaten on the floor or not. If we said for instance "ground meal (öğün)" instead, then it would be possible to understand a specific meal that is eaten on the ground aside from "ground meal" implying another meaning and thus becoming more confusing. No "yer sofrası" is specific, but traditional and therefore is a part of culture. For the same reason, any "sofra" should be called as it is called in Western societies. In this case, it is only on the ground.
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Answers
7 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
low table
Explanation: -
Mustafa Er (BSc MA) Turkey Local time: 01:39 Native speaker of: Turkish, English
9 mins confidence:
meal spread out on the floor or ground
Explanation: imho
Emin Arı Turkey Local time: 01:39 Native speaker of: Turkish PRO pts in category: 16
Despite the fact that there are modern tables, the meal is eaten on a cloth spread on the floor. Pilaf is eaten instead of bread and each meal consists of at least three varieties of `khorest`/ stews mixed with the pilaf.
I lived in Iran for two years and I remember this very well. I also remember flat bread being spread on the cloth and the food piled directly on that and we would scoop up sandwiches from under the bread. I miss delicious Iranian food!
Nancy Ozturk Local time: 01:39 Works in field Native speaker of: English
Explanation: As you have said sofra means the table on which meals are eaten and ground table is a kind of table that is too close to the ground (this table's legs are shorter than normal tables) and usually common in villages in Turkey. People sit down around the table crossing their legs and eat their meals.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 21 hrs (2009-11-04 15:11:05 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
If we use something like ground meal instead of ground table, then it will lacking in meaning in terms of shared speeches, beliefs and fun around the table. This side of the eaten meal should be pointed out for the exact equivalent in Turkish culture.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
