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. German to English
  3. Astronomy & Space

"... und sie dreht sich doch!"

English translation: "... and yet it moves!" (quote by Galileo)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:"... und sie dreht sich doch!"
English translation:"... and yet it moves!" (quote by Galileo)
Entered by: Darin Fitzpatrick

14:42 May 3, 2005
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Science - Astronomy & Space
German term or phrase: "... und sie dreht sich doch!"
"... und sie dreht sich doch!"

Famous quite by Galileo Galilei but does anyone know the accepted English translation???! Can't find it on google anywhere!
MSH
Local time: 09:57
"... and yet it moves."
Explanation:
See link. Note that Galileo may not have actually said this.
Selected response from:

Darin Fitzpatrick
United States
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +9"... and yet it moves."
Darin Fitzpatrick
5Yet it moves
Julija Sametz-Art
4 +1Try Brecht
Pat Jenner (X)
3And still she/it moves!
Richard Benham
3"And yet it moves/rotates" / "It still moves" / "It does move, non the less
Eckhard Boehle


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
"... and yet it moves."


Explanation:
See link. Note that Galileo may not have actually said this.


    Reference: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei
Darin Fitzpatrick
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dr. Linnea Franssen
2 mins
agree  Sabine Seguin: Yes, this one seems to be the accepted translation.
3 mins
agree  Erin McGann: looks like the way to go
17 mins
agree  Thomas Bollmann
24 mins
agree  Edda Emery (X)
35 mins
agree  Mehmet Şahin (X)
1 hr
agree  sonja29 (X)
1 hr
agree  Gabrielle Lyons
1 hr
agree  Gábor Simon
21 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
und sie dreht sich doch
Yet it moves


Explanation:

This is the official translation I found.

Julija


    Reference: http://www.geocities.com/ganesha_gate/galileo.html
Julija Sametz-Art

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Richard Benham: What's an official translation?//It's widely discussed because it's rubbish.
5 mins
  -> This is a widely discussed topic in Translatino Studies (norms, canon, see also Toury etc.) Why is it rubbish? Please explain?
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Eppur, se muove !
And still she/it moves!


Explanation:
I have given the generally quoted Italian version above. The English version with "she" is one that I have seen around. I personally find the use of feminine pronouns for heavenly bodies rather silly. (I suppose, since Mars is a male god, you would call Mars "he".... It's just superstitious nonsense; the planets are lumps of rock, liquid or gas, not characters from mythology.)

I think in general it is better to translate the original rather than a translation, unless there is some overwhelming reason not to.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2005-05-03 15:10:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry about the typo: should be \"si muove\". \"E pur\" and \"Eppur\" seem to be accepted variants.

Richard Benham
France
Local time: 10:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Julija Sametz-Art: That depends on the perspective. What about all the Greek mythology? Rubbish?//As I said it depends on the perspective. But there must be a reason why he/she has been used for heavenly bodies. (context, historical time etc.)
16 mins
  -> Huh? What's that got to do with it? Greek mythology is Greek mythology. Astronomy is astronomy. Besides, it is just not standard usage to refer to heavenly bodies as "he" and "she". What would we do for all those that don't have associated gods/goddesses?
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Try Brecht


Explanation:
This isn't a suggestion for an answer, but I do remember this being said in Brecht's play 'Das Leben des Galilei' which I studied at university. If you're looking for something authoritative, try a good theatrical bookshop/library for a translation of the play and have a look in there. As far as I remember, it comes at the end of the scene where Galileo is threatened with torture if he doesn't recant, and these are his words as he leaves the stage after renouncing his heretical views.

Pat Jenner (X)
Local time: 09:57

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julija Sametz-Art
4 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"And yet it moves/rotates" / "It still moves" / "It does move, non the less


Explanation:
It seems there is not the one and only accepted translation:

http://www.culturediff.org/english/equisolstices.htm:
"E pur, si muove !" - literally "And yet, it rotates!" -, claimed Galileo Galilei after he was sentenced for heresy in 1633. Yes, our Earth does rotate. It rotates around its own axis, on the one hand, revolves around the Sun, on the other hand.

http://www-astronomy.mps.ohio-state.edu/~ryden/ast161_4/note...
``E pur si muove!''
[It still moves!]
- Galileo

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Wil2Sci....
``E pur si muove'' (It does move, none the less)

www.ie.lspace.org/ftp-lspace/ words/apf/pdf/apf-9.0.ps.gz:
"E pur si muove" -- "And yet it moves"


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2005-05-03 15:13:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There\'s lots of different translations, mot common seem to be \"But it does move\" and \"Nevertheless it does move\" (No \"she\", Richard, by the way.

www-astronomy.mps.ohio-state.edu/ ~ryden/ast161_4/notes15.html:
`E pur si muove\' (`It DOES move\')

www-astronomy.mps.ohio-state.edu/~ryden/ast161/oct4.pdf:
“E pur si muove!” [It still moves!]

www.answers.com/topic/galileo-galilei:
“E pur si muove” [nevertheless it does move]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo:
\"E pur si muove!\" (But it does move!)

mathsforeurope.digibel.be/GGalilei.htm:
\"E pur si muove! \" or \" Nevertheless, the earth does move!\"

www.catholicculture.org/docs/ doc_view.cfm?recnum=2605&longdesc:
\"E pur si muove\"—\"but it does move.\"

www.bartleby.com/65/ga/Galileo.html:
“E pur si muove” [nevertheless it does move]

www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/ sci/history/AHistoryofScienceVolumeII/chap14.html:
\"E pur si muove\" (It does move, none the less)

www.timeenoughforlove.org/saved/ YahooNewsExplorersReturnOceanFloorShapesAreSignLostCivilization.htm:
\"E pur si muove,\" it reads — \"Nevertheless, it does move.\"

Eckhard Boehle
Germany
Local time: 10:57
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Richard Benham: None of these is wrong, but I think "And still..." captures it better. Galileo has just recanted, but he still thinks the earth rotates or moves. "It still moves" suggests rather that an attempt had been made to stop the earth from moving....
11 mins
neutral  Elvira Stoianov: I know of "eppur si muove"
3 hrs
  -> That's right or "e pur si muove", but here the English version is asked
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