Oct 24, 2004 07:39
19 yrs ago
français term
Dr Sue Levy (X)
clef de leur musique
français vers anglais
Art / Littérature
Philosophie
A quotation from Paul Valéry: "Je crois qu'il y a entre nous un malentendu, l'erreur des gens qui veulent supprimer une chose précieuse et une différence fondamentale, au lieu de la prendre pour clef de leur musique."
This quotation is used to introduce the theme of a short story - a young man in love with a girl and his total rejection of her when he discovers she is homosexual.
I have translated it thus:
I think there is a misunderstanding between us; it is an error to want to eliminate our fundamental differences, a precious thing that should instead be used as the key to our music.
Comments and suggestions please :-)
This quotation is used to introduce the theme of a short story - a young man in love with a girl and his total rejection of her when he discovers she is homosexual.
I have translated it thus:
I think there is a misunderstanding between us; it is an error to want to eliminate our fundamental differences, a precious thing that should instead be used as the key to our music.
Comments and suggestions please :-)
Proposed translations
(anglais)
| 2 +2 | instead of celebrating it as the key to their existance |
Jonathan MacKerron
|
| 3 +2 | counterpoint |
Anthony Chalkley (X)
|
| 3 | the key to (finding/attaining) a harmonious relationship |
mportal
|
Proposed translations
+2
42 minutes
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in anglais
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: anglais
Works in: allemand vers anglais, français vers anglais
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
instead of celebrating it as the key to their existance
one interpretation
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Note added at 1 hr 3 mins (2004-10-24 08:42:27 GMT)
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instead of letting it set the tone for their relationship
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Note added at 1 hr 11 mins (2004-10-24 08:50:39 GMT)
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There seems to be a misunderstanding between the two of us, the mistake people often make when they deny such a precious thing and such a fundamental difference, instead of letting that difference set the tone for their lives.
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Note added at 1 hr 3 mins (2004-10-24 08:42:27 GMT)
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instead of letting it set the tone for their relationship
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Note added at 1 hr 11 mins (2004-10-24 08:50:39 GMT)
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There seems to be a misunderstanding between the two of us, the mistake people often make when they deny such a precious thing and such a fundamental difference, instead of letting that difference set the tone for their lives.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Anthony Chalkley (X)
: I think you're in the right key with set the tone
2 heures
|
| agree |
sonja29 (X)
: existence
5 heures
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks all for your thoughts. Am now torn between setting the tone and key to a harmonious relationship :-)"
+2
39 minutes
counterpoint
This is just a suggestion - obviously there is a play on words key/clef, and clef wouldn't work. "Harmony" is possible but maybe too ambiguous. The suggestions is presumably that some people are treble clef, others bass, I suppose, and counterpoint does give the suggestion of independent movement, although it is very free with the original.
Apart from that, I wouldn't use "our" in the second part of the sentence, as he's drawing a comparison between the pair of them and other people in general.
Apart from that, I wouldn't use "our" in the second part of the sentence, as he's drawing a comparison between the pair of them and other people in general.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Johanne Bouthillier
: also, "to want to eliminate" and "fundamental differences(pl.) a precious thing(sing.) : there is room for improvement there too
5 heures
|
|
Thanks - is your "also" for the asker or for me? I suppose the former...
|
|
| agree |
sonja29 (X)
5 heures
|
|
thank you
|
4 jours
the key to (finding/attaining) a harmonious relationship
not as poetic as the French, but it brings in the idea of music and puts it in the context required
Discussion
Eternal question of how far one may stray from the original...