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Song Lyrics

by goliath07, October 20, 2012

Messages: 15

Language: English

goliath07 (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 7:50:37 PM

I like to translate song lyrics as a practice. There is so much idiomatic speaking in English music that it helps me to think in Esperanto terms rather than English. So the lyrics that I am having trouble with:

"There's a hole in my neighborhood, down which of late I can not help but fall." I know right?

The best I can think of is

"Estas truo en mia kvartalo, kiun laste mi ne povas ne fali."
I feel like that doesnt express the "INTO THE HOLE" that the english does. So Maybe:

"Estas truo en mia kvartalo, kiun laste mi ne povas en ne fali."

Ne Falu? Ne Fali? I feel like I am using double negatives. Anyone have a poetic idea?

darkweasel (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 8:41:47 PM

Mi ne povas ne fali is a valid sentence but I still do not understand this either in English or in Esperanto.

goliath07 (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 9:05:36 PM

darkweasel:Mi ne povas ne fali is a valid sentence but I still do not understand this either in English or in Esperanto.
English must not be your first language. A simple way to say this in English would be "There is a hole in my neighborhood, and lately I can't stop falling into it." or "There is a hole and I keep falling into it even though I don't want to." Does that help?

Google translate says ""Estas truo en mia kvartalo, sube lastatempe mi ne povas helpi sed fali.""

goliath07 (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 9:14:12 PM

I think Estas truo en mia kvartalo, malsupren lastatempe mi ne povas ne fali. will make more sense

darkweasel (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 9:27:14 PM

goliath07:
English must not be your first language.
That's true.

Suggestions: Estas truo en mia kvartalo, en kiun mi lastatempe ĉiufoje falas, or ... en kiun mi lastatempe ne povas ne fali.

Do these convey what you want to say?

Fenris_kcf (User's profile) October 20, 2012, 10:36:27 PM

darkweasel:Mi ne povas ne fali is a valid sentence but I still do not understand this either in English or in Esperanto.
'ne ne fari' = 'fari'
'povi ne fari' = 'ne devi fari'

Kaj tial:

'Mi ne povas ne fali' = 'Mi devas fali'

Hyperboreus (User's profile) October 21, 2012, 12:29:20 AM

Forigite

erinja (User's profile) October 21, 2012, 2:18:38 AM

Translate your messages into English, please.

Hyperboreus (User's profile) October 21, 2012, 2:27:31 AM

Forigite

J_Marc (User's profile) October 21, 2012, 6:01:32 AM

How deep is a hole? okulumo.gif

How about 'abismo' -- 'abyss', 'chasm' or 'oblivion'. Of course it depends on the rest of the song, whether it's the right word!

Poetry? Well I ain't Dr. Seuss, but try this:

Lastatempe mi neniam malsukcesas fali en tiun abismon en mia hejmurbo.

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