Feb 4, 2010 16:42
14 yrs ago
English term
ran out
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Dear Colleagues, it is from "Ebony Tower":
The Mouse spoke to the grass. “I hope all this isn’t shocking you.”
“I’m delighted you’re both so intelligent about him.”
“We sometimes wonder about that.” She added, “Whether we aren’t what he’s nicknamed us.””
He smiled. “you don’t seem very timid to me.”
“Except I ran out.”
“But you said you were learning more.”
“About life. But…”
“Not your work?”
“I’m trying to start from the beginning again. I don’t know yet.”
Thank you in advance!
The Mouse spoke to the grass. “I hope all this isn’t shocking you.”
“I’m delighted you’re both so intelligent about him.”
“We sometimes wonder about that.” She added, “Whether we aren’t what he’s nicknamed us.””
He smiled. “you don’t seem very timid to me.”
“Except I ran out.”
“But you said you were learning more.”
“About life. But…”
“Not your work?”
“I’m trying to start from the beginning again. I don’t know yet.”
Thank you in advance!
Responses
| 2 | ran out from/ ran outside |
Oliver Lawrence
|
| 4 +1 | Ran away from the situation |
Gary D
|
| 3 +1 | ran out of the classroom? |
Jack Doughty
|
| 3 | no longer shying away from |
Alexandra Taggart
|
References
| FWIW |
stasbetman
|
Responses
35 mins
Oliver Lawrence
Italy
Italy
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Italy
Texts with zest by a Chartered Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
ran out from/ ran outside
I'm not familiar with "Ebony Tower", whatever that is, but on the face of it, the dialogue sounds like either it might not be between English native speakers or it has been translated into English from some other language.
...
Either way, the possible meanings of "ran out" can normally either be that a supply of something has been run down to zero (eg "the milk ran out this morning") or that a person or animal physically ran out of whatever it was that they were in at the time (a room, a house, etc.).
...
Judging from your context, the use of the word "Except" seems intended to contrast with "you don't seem very timid", so the obvious reading seems to be that the person ran away due to a lack of courage for some reason.
...
HTH, but if it doesn't then you may need to provide a bit more background/context.
...
Either way, the possible meanings of "ran out" can normally either be that a supply of something has been run down to zero (eg "the milk ran out this morning") or that a person or animal physically ran out of whatever it was that they were in at the time (a room, a house, etc.).
...
Judging from your context, the use of the word "Except" seems intended to contrast with "you don't seem very timid", so the obvious reading seems to be that the person ran away due to a lack of courage for some reason.
...
HTH, but if it doesn't then you may need to provide a bit more background/context.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
10 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
518
ran out of the classroom?
Without more context I can't be sure, but it seems to me that she and the others with her are in a class, being taught by the person who gives them nicknames, and she, out of embarrassment or for some other reason, simply ran out of the room.
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Note added at 35 mins (2010-02-04 17:18:26 GMT)
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Well, if she didn't, how about "ran away"? I see the Russian in the reference translation is "сбежала".
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Note added at 35 mins (2010-02-04 17:18:26 GMT)
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Well, if she didn't, how about "ran away"? I see the Russian in the reference translation is "сбежала".
Note from asker:
| Nooooo, she didn't. |
2 hrs
Alexandra Taggart
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Russian Federation
proficient translation
Native in: English 
, Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
Related KudoZ points
:
14
no longer shying away from
“Except I ran out.” - Apart from one little thing: my nervousness has dissipated (long ago).
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-04 19:22:02 GMT)
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"Timid" describes a mouse in English. The speaker tried to gainsay the nickname for a mouse:"You look brave to me" and the Mouse answered:"I've left my nervousness behind".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-04 19:33:25 GMT)
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"To run out of money", "to run out of patience" -straight-forwarded and understandable, but "to run out of timidity" - is a type of humour, which exists in words only:" my timidity ceased".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-04 19:22:02 GMT)
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"Timid" describes a mouse in English. The speaker tried to gainsay the nickname for a mouse:"You look brave to me" and the Mouse answered:"I've left my nervousness behind".
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-04 19:33:25 GMT)
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"To run out of money", "to run out of patience" -straight-forwarded and understandable, but "to run out of timidity" - is a type of humour, which exists in words only:" my timidity ceased".
+1
18 hrs
Ran away from the situation
Explained:
He smiled. “you don’t seem very timid to me.”
“Except I ran out.” ( I ran away I couldn't handle the situation, it was too much)
“But you said you were learning more.” (You said you were learning more about how to handle a tough situation)
“About life. But…”... (Not about work)
(preempt) “Not your work?”
There nay have been a meeting or work type situation, and the mouse ran out, the pressure was too much.
Example, his wife "ran out" of the meeting with the divorce lawyers. She was too timid to fight for what she should get..or her husband was too overpowering for her.
He smiled. “you don’t seem very timid to me.”
“Except I ran out.” ( I ran away I couldn't handle the situation, it was too much)
“But you said you were learning more.” (You said you were learning more about how to handle a tough situation)
“About life. But…”... (Not about work)
(preempt) “Not your work?”
There nay have been a meeting or work type situation, and the mouse ran out, the pressure was too much.
Example, his wife "ran out" of the meeting with the divorce lawyers. She was too timid to fight for what she should get..or her husband was too overpowering for her.
Reference comments
30 mins
stasbetman
Ukraine
Ukraine
Specializes in field
Ukraine
Native in: Russian , Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, German to Russian, Russian to English, and 11 more.
Reference:
FWIW
перевод К.Чугунова http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Чугунов,_Константин_Алексеевич
Мышь заговорила, обращаясь к траве:
- Надеюсь, вас это не шокирует.
- Я восхищаюсь тем, как вы разумно о нем судите.
- Вот в этом-то мы порой и сомневаемся. - И добавила: - А вдруг мы оправдываем клички, которые он нам дал.
Дэвид улыбнулся:
- По-моему, вы далеко не робкого десятка.
- Если не считать того, что я сбежала.
- Но вы же говорили, что здесь больше узнаете.
- О жизни - да, но…
- Но не в творческом плане?
- Стараюсь начать все с начала. Еще не знаю.
http://lib.rus.ec/b/16318/read
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Note added at 33 мин (2010-02-04 17:16:28 GMT)
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escaped?
Мышь заговорила, обращаясь к траве:
- Надеюсь, вас это не шокирует.
- Я восхищаюсь тем, как вы разумно о нем судите.
- Вот в этом-то мы порой и сомневаемся. - И добавила: - А вдруг мы оправдываем клички, которые он нам дал.
Дэвид улыбнулся:
- По-моему, вы далеко не робкого десятка.
- Если не считать того, что я сбежала.
- Но вы же говорили, что здесь больше узнаете.
- О жизни - да, но…
- Но не в творческом плане?
- Стараюсь начать все с начала. Еще не знаю.
http://lib.rus.ec/b/16318/read
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Note added at 33 мин (2010-02-04 17:16:28 GMT)
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escaped?
Discussion