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Coil to spring

从 skeptikulo, 2009年5月9日

讯息： 10

语言: English

skeptikulo (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午12:19:29

How could I translate to Esperanto the expression "coil to spring", like in "you hiss and coil to spring" (I don't know what it means). All the english dictionaries on Earth don't have its meaning neither offer a synonym to it! It is a modal verb I think, but I don't know. This is frustrating in so many levels... Sorry my complain.

Thank you guys!

Rogir (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午12:48:44

What does the expression mean?

skeptikulo (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午1:02:24

This is what I am asking!!! I wish I've got its meaning!

zixhwizs (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午1:31:49

I normally hear that phrase slightly differently, as "coiled, ready to strike". Some snakes, when angered, will position themselves into a circular position[coil]. When their prey is close enough, they are usually ready to fling themselves at their prey rapidly[to spring/strike]. So to coil to spring would be like a snake attacking from a coiled up position.

I'm not sure how to say that in Esperanto, though. Perhaps, "volvis, preta ataki"

Miland (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午2:19:20

Here is a picture of an actual rattlesnake "coiled and ready to strike". Here the "coils" as you can see are not so much loops, as bends in a number of places.

An Esperanto translation of 'coiled and ready to strike' might be kurbiĝa kaj preta ataki. It depends on exactly what you want to say.

skeptikulo (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午3:22:11

Oh my god! You guys are fantastic... Yes!!! It totally makes sense in the context. Look (it is a text about actors and their theatrical interpretations):

"When you don't like someone, or someone does something you hate, you growl, you hiss or you coil to spring."

Originally this was a french text, and now I see that the french translator (a friend mine) mistook the word "strike" for "spring". I've called her to ask about the "coil to spring" and she said something like:

"I wasn't sure of the words, I think crouch is kinda the same so." (her accent is beautiful but also bugs me)

Thank you very very much... It took 8 hours of hard work to solve this problem. I spent all the friday on it.

RiotNrrd (显示个人资料) 2009年5月9日下午6:26:59

Yeah, "spring" is one of those English words that has a whole set of meanings, none of which really seem all that related to one another.

1: A coiled wire.
2: A place where underground water comes to the surface.
3: The season that starts (in the northern hemisphere) on March 21st.
4: To jump at something.

(There might be more, but I can't think of them at the moment).

Isn't English fun?

ceigered (显示个人资料) 2009年5月10日上午8:38:46

RiotNrrd:Yeah, "spring" is one of those English words that has a whole set of meanings, none of which really seem all that related to one another.

1: A coiled wire.
2: A place where underground water comes to the surface.
3: The season that starts (in the northern hemisphere) on March 21st.
4: To jump at something.

(There might be more, but I can't think of them at the moment).

Isn't English fun?
So is Chinese:
道 dào
1. direction, way, method, road, path
2. principle, truth, reason
3. skill, method
4. Tao (of Taoism)
5. A measure word (apparently used for orders, memos and questions: 一道命令, yi dao mingling - one order)
6. to say, to speak, to talk

This is why translation is fun! rido.gif

(I had to think "wait, spring doesn't start on 21st of March, that's Autumn!" at first because I'm Australian)

russ (显示个人资料) 2009年5月14日下午3:39:50

Another idea: kaŭri por salti.

Miland (显示个人资料) 2009年5月14日下午3:47:32

russ:Another idea: kaŭri por salti.
Sounds like a very good idea!

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