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Proverb translation

door richardhall, 12 februari 2008

Berichten: 16

Taal: English

richardhall (Profiel tonen) 12 februari 2008 15:48:16

I'm trying to translate a Ukrainian proverb for my E-o blog, but it is more difficult than I thought:

"When the banner is unfurled, all reason is in the trumpet"

I'd be grateful for any thoughts...

mnlg (Profiel tonen) 12 februari 2008 18:05:52

Here's my attempt. Perhaps too literal, but you might use it as a start:

Kiam flago etendiĝ[ad]as, trumpeto tenas racion.

A nice proverb, by the way. I like flags a lot, but I dislike their overuse.

richardhall (Profiel tonen) 12 februari 2008 23:38:05

Thanks for that. I like the way you've approached it.

If I pressed you, would you choose etendigxas or etendigxadas? And why, of course!

mnlg:Here's my attempt. Perhaps too literal, but you might use it as a start:

Kiam flago etendiĝ[ad]as, trumpeto tenas racion.

A nice proverb, by the way. I like flags a lot, but I dislike their overuse.

mnlg (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 00:23:49

richardhall:Thanks for that. I like the way you've approached it.
Thank you!
If I pressed you, would you choose etendigxas or etendigxadas?
Either.
And why, of course!
Why not?

rido.gif

I would perhaps use the form in -adas. In its English version, the proverb is phrased in the passive ("is unfurled") but it strikes me as very active. It is not about the occasional flag flying by itself, but the conscious action of unfurling, i.e., the ubiquitous or frequent recourse to flags, that is seen as a potential source of concern. I still think there might very well be better ways to express that in Esperanto, but if I really had to keep to my first attempt, that's what I would do.

richardhall (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 12:05:56

mnlg:I would perhaps use the form in -adas. In its English version, the proverb is phrased in the passive ("is unfurled") but it strikes me as very active. It is not about the occasional flag flying by itself, but the conscious action of unfurling, i.e., the ubiquitous or frequent recourse to flags, that is seen as a potential source of concern. I still think there might very well be better ways to express that in Esperanto, but if I really had to keep to my first attempt, that's what I would do.
I suppose it must be possible to use 'unfurl' in the active voice in English, I don't think I've ever heard it used that way. (And I've never come across the verb "to furl" either, possibly because I move in the wrong circles rideto.gif ) Anyway, your reasoning for choosing the -ad- form was very clear and helpful. Thanks again.

erinja (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 14:40:28

I do see unfurl in active voice ("They unfurled the flag"; "We will see what unfurls"). "Furl" is used but not common; I have only seen "furl" in the context of sailing, where people still talk about furling sails.

richardhall (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 15:57:25

That's what I meant about moving in the wong circles!

erinja:I have only seen "furl" in the context of sailing, where people still talk about furling sails.

leonarde (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 21:34:03

mnlg:
Kiam flago etendiĝ[ad]as, trumpeto tenas racion.
The use of entendiĝi in this translation would seem reasonable based on its building blocks, but, put together, they apparently add up to something else. Based on the lernu.net dictionary, etendiĝi means "to run" or "to span," not "to become extended" or "to become stretched out" as we would expect it to. My question is, what does it mean to "run" or "span" in the context of this word, and what is the real way to say "unfurl"?

mnlg (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 21:42:53

I don't know about the dictionary on this site (I never really use it). My it-eo dictionary however suggests this use,

La maro etendiĝas ĝis la horizonto.

and I think it might reply to your question.

leonarde (Profiel tonen) 13 februari 2008 22:21:35

mnlg:

La maro etendiĝas ĝis la horizonto.
This use seems to be more in line with "span" than "unfurl."

How does "malpakiĝi" (to become unpacked) work? Or maybe "malenpakiĝi" (to become unwrapped/unravelled/unpacked)? Do these suggested terms seem more or less accurage than "entendiĝi"?

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