This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

period

English translation: any period before "contemporary"

16:13 Dec 5, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: period
description of a penthouse

Finished throughout in neutral colours with high
ceilings and an attractive blend of ‘period’ and contemporary style furniture, fixtures and fittings, the apartment exudes an air of quiet luxury at every turn

...what "period"?

(also does "at every turn" mean "wherever you turn"? or something like that)
Elena Ghetti
Italy
Local time: 21:17
Selected answer:any period before "contemporary"
Explanation:
Period furniture is "not contemporary furniture". More precisely, it's appropriate to the age of the house.

And yes, "at every turn" does mean "everywhere you turn".
Selected response from:

David Knowles
Local time: 20:17
Grading comment
many thanks! thanks also to all other answerers
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +14any period before "contemporary"
David Knowles
5 +2can't tell
David Russi
4antique furniture
Kim Metzger
2 +2related to a specific historical period
Jonathan MacKerron
4afterthought......... (read on)
CMJ_Trans (X)


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
antique furniture


Explanation:
Period furniture is Victorian, Colonial, etc. furniture.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2004-12-05 16:16:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

at every turn = everywhere you look


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 13:17
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Dr Sue Levy (X): In the furniture business, this is certainly what it means, but in the real estate business, anything goes!
4 hrs
neutral  pidzej: antique f. equals old, period f. can leave the cabinetmaker's shop tomorrow IMO
6 hrs
  -> Yes, I've made period furniture myself.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +14
any period before "contemporary"


Explanation:
Period furniture is "not contemporary furniture". More precisely, it's appropriate to the age of the house.

And yes, "at every turn" does mean "everywhere you turn".

David Knowles
Local time: 20:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
many thanks! thanks also to all other answerers

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: just "old", "belonging to the past" - the specific period isn't meant to be defined
5 mins
agree  Richard Benham: To Armorel: I really think that to use "period" without at least implicit reference to a specific period is an abuse of language. This may be just what's happening here, of course.
8 mins
agree  Neil Phillipson
9 mins
agree  Peter Linton (X): particularly "appropriate to the age of the house"
15 mins
agree  Georgios Paraskevopoulos
38 mins
agree  Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
54 mins
neutral  Cormac Bracken: It's fairly common for real estate agents to use the word "period" as if it means something by itself (old-fashioned, but without sounding so pejorative), rather than explaining which period.
1 hr
agree  Aisha Maniar
2 hrs
agree  Refugio
3 hrs
agree  Asghar Bhatti
3 hrs
neutral  pidzej: but the penthouse seems quite young, having new furniture along with period f., which is probably also new, only the style is rooted somewhere in history, so "appropriate to age of house" can be misleading
6 hrs
agree  Jörgen Slet: also with Richard
8 hrs
agree  Judith Kerman: It's ad-speak - maybe not the period of the house; furniture which offers authentic-seeming atmosphere ("old" = worn; "antique" = "very classy and old" or Victorian; "period" is even less precise). And yes about "every turn."
8 hrs
agree  KathyT
13 hrs
agree  Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
15 hrs
agree  tappi_k
16 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
can't tell


Explanation:
You need some context to tell you what period it refers to.


Webster's Unabridged:
period
Function:adjective

1 : relating or belonging to an historical period : deriving from or fashioned after the style prevalent in a particular period *period furniture* *period costume*
2 : representing realistically a particular historical period; especially : depending largely on evocation of a period for effect *period play* *period novel* *an amusing period study of manners— Time* *period

Oxford:
· adj. belonging to or characteristic in style of a past historical time: period furniture.


David Russi
United States
Local time: 13:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: Dictionaries be damned, "period" is only used attributively and so should be classified as an attributive noun. You just don't say "this furniture is rather period", except perhaps as a joke. I'd rather avoid it, period.
8 mins
agree  Jörgen Slet
8 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
related to a specific historical period


Explanation:
but which one you might ask??

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 mins (2004-12-05 16:16:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"no matter where you look you see...\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2004-12-05 16:17:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"no matter where you look you see old furniture\" sounds like my dump, heh heh

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2004-12-05 16:19:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Webster\'s unabridged \"1 : relating or belonging to an historical period : deriving from or fashioned after the style prevalent in a particular period (period furniture) (period costume)
2 : representing realistically a particular historical period; especially : depending largely on evocation of a period for effect (period play) (period novel) (an amusing period study of manners Time) (period film)\"

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 37

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  RHELLER: furniture from the Louis XVI or Louis XV periods, for example
3 mins
  -> yes, could be any historical period really
agree  Jörgen Slet
8 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
afterthought......... (read on)


Explanation:
the basi idea is VERY simple: all the author is saying is that the place is decorated in a mixture of styles. "Period" means original or copies of original items dating from earlier eras as opposed to contemporary (i.e. modern) items.

"Period" is a term therefore used to mean "old" but, in English, the word 'old' in such a context would be ambiguous (not new, falling apart, etc.) so the author chose "period" to make his contrast

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 21:17
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search