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Translation check? Foucault quote.

od fioceloto, 18. augusta 2009

Príspevky: 7

Jazyk: English

fioceloto (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 4:11:12

I started learning Esperanto recently, and I decided to translate my title, subtitle, and friends page title on my LiveJournal into Esperanto.

My trouble comes with the subtitle, which is a quote by Michel Foucault: "Let us sin then, and sin to infinity."

I think I may have gotten it, but my Esperanto's still shaky enough I want to ask.

Here's my attempt:

"Lasu nin peki do, kaj peki al senfineco."

Which should translate back as "Allow us to sin then, and to sin to infinity."

Is there a better way I could have translated this? Did I use "do" correctly?

ceigered (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 7:14:56

now I can't translate 'then', but I would do it this way (I might be wrong):

"Let us sin"
Peku ni

"and sin till infinity"
kaj peku/peki ĝis senlimo/senfino
OR
kaj peku/peki senlime/senfine

(My dictionary gives a different definition for 'infinity' than what I would expect)

I personally think 'senfine' would be better than 'ĝis senfino', then again I have a certain fondness for Esperanto adverbs.

fioceloto (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 9:17:36

Thanks to both of you for your input. I see that I was being a bit too literal in my translation of "let us" and "to."

OK, so then, how's this?: "Peku ni do, kaj peku ĝis senfineco."

"Peku ni do" just because I tend to prefer VSO order.

"Senfineco" rather than "senfino" because the dictionary in the sidebar of this site informs me that -ec- adds the "-ity" aspect. I suspect either one would work, though.

"Senfineco" rather than "la sinfineco" because I don't think the definite article is called for here. "sin to the infinity" and "sin to an infinity" both sound a bit awkward in English, but the former much more so, to my ears anyway.

ceigered (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 11:13:02

I'd be wary about using 'eco' - '-ec-' is like saying '-ness' in English, and alone it means 'property' or 'quality'. So 'la felicxeco' could be translated as 'the ease aspect' (or just 'the easiness').

senfineco therefore is like saying 'the aspect of unending' (la eco de sefino?), and 'until the aspect of unending' doesn't work very well.

It's kind of hard to translate, but I started to think a bit more about this - infinity in this sense could be understood to be 'the time without end' (in other words, for ever). That could be translated as 'senfintempo'. Or you could translate 'infinity' to 'eterne' (eternally) but that would then change the translation back into English to 'Let us sin then, and sin eternally' (Do peku ni, kaj peku eterne).

I'd also stick 'do' first, don't know why lango.gif but it just seems a bit easier to understand. I'd wait for someone more experienced to come here though.

Good job translating so far, I can't really offer much more advice coz I'm too tired and I don't want to stuff up your good work okulumo.gif

tommjames (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 12:41:51

ceigered:I'd be wary about using 'eco' - '-ec-' is like saying '-ness' in English, and alone it means 'property' or 'quality'. So 'la felicxeco' could be translated as 'the ease aspect' (or just 'the easiness').

senfineco therefore is like saying 'the aspect of unending' (la eco de sefino?), and 'until the aspect of unending' doesn't work very well.
Ness isn't the only English affix it's similar to.. there's also ity (stupidity, jollity, civility, and..... infinity).

As I see it, infinity is a noun denoting a quality.

dictionary.reference.com:in⋅fin⋅i⋅ty –noun, plural -ties.

1. the quality or state of being infinite.
So I don't see a problem using ec. That said, regular nouns without that suffix can often carry a connotation of abstract quality according to the context, so I wouldn't say senfino is wrong.

tommjames (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 12:52:47

Just to add, ReVo has infinito

Miland (Zobraziť profil) 18. augusta 2009 18:06:34

ceigered:I personally think 'senfine' would be better..
I second that!

Nahor