Few vocabulary problems

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Tomasz Dryjanski - 01 Oct 2006 22:20 GMT

Hi All,
I'm trying to translate a text
(http://www.sibyllineorder.org/sacred_texts/sw_innana.htm), and I've got
some vocabulary problems. Can you please help?

"Tear at your eyes, at your mouth, at your thighs"
- I've browsed several dictionaries, and I haven't found a satisfying
translation. Can you please give me a modern English equivalent that would
both fit "tear at sb's eyes" and "tear at sb's thighs"?

"Father Enlil would not help"
- The literal meaning, derived from the context, is in fact "Father Enlil
did not help". What does make the difference? Can you please describe the
"flavour" of it?

"She took the matter into her heart and dwelt on it"
- Do you think it is valid to substitute "dwelt on" by "considered" in the
context?

"Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect"
- A similar question: may I understand "ways" as "rules"?

"I am troubled, I am grieved"
- The word "grieved" seems to me much more emotional than "troubled".
Perhaps I'm wrong with the latter?

"Her hair swirls about her head like leeks"
- Is there any meaning of "leek" other than the onion-like vegetable? Is
this a misprint? If both answers are negative, what do you think the author
meant? (My wife doesn't know either ;)

"Were like reeds the size of large picket fences"
- Does it mean "Were like reeds of the size of large picket fences"?

Many thanks in advance,
T. D.

PS. I've got a kind request as usual: if you find any mistake, or
clumsiness, in what I typed, please let me know.

Reply to this Message

Einde O'Callaghan - 01 Oct 2006 22:39 GMT

Tomasz Dryjanski schrieb:

> Hi All,
> I'm trying to translate a text
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> translation. Can you please give me a modern English equivalent that would
> both fit "tear at sb's eyes" and "tear at sb's thighs"?

I think it means something like "scratch" in this context

> "Father Enlil would not help"
> - The literal meaning, derived from the context, is in fact "Father Enlil
> did not help". What does make the difference? Can you please describe the
> "flavour" of it?

He wasn't willing to help.

> "She took the matter into her heart and dwelt on it"
> - Do you think it is valid to substitute "dwelt on" by "considered" in the
> context?

Yes.

> "Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect"
> - A similar question: may I understand "ways" as "rules"?

I think "customs" would be more appropriate.

> "I am troubled, I am grieved"
> - The word "grieved" seems to me much more emotional than "troubled".
> Perhaps I'm wrong with the latter?

IMHO "troubloed" is clooser to "worried" and "grieved" is closer to "sad".

> "Her hair swirls about her head like leeks"
> - Is there any meaning of "leek" other than the onion-like vegetable? Is
> this a misprint? If both answers are negative, what do you think the author
> meant? (My wife doesn't know either ;)

I've got no idea. It's total gibberish to me.

> "Were like reeds the size of large picket fences"
> - Does it mean "Were like reeds of the size of large picket fences"?

Yes, but it seems totally out of placve in teh context here - I doubt
they had picket-fences during Sumerian times.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

> Many thanks in advance,
> T. D.
>
> PS. I've got a kind request as usual: if you find any mistake, or
> clumsiness, in what I typed, please let me know.

Reply to this Message

Tomasz Dryjanski - 02 Oct 2006 09:41 GMT

Many thanks for the answers!
Just one more: Ereshkigal moans there "Oh! My inside!" and "Oh! My
outside!".
Is "inside" equivalent to "guts"? What about "outside"?

T. D.

Reply to this Message

no-top-post - 20 Oct 2006 06:33 GMT

Einde O'Callaghan <einde.ocallaghan@planet-interkom.de> wrote:

> Tomasz Dryjanski schrieb:
> > Hi All,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> > translation. Can you please give me a modern English equivalent that would
> > both fit "tear at sb's eyes" and "tear at sb's thighs"?

You can't 'translate' poetry with a dictionary.
It needs deep knowledge of the language.

> I think it means something like "scratch" in this context

It sounds like 'bodily fluids'. Perhaps via 'intimate' contact ?

> > "Father Enlil would not help"
> > - The literal meaning, derived from the context, is in fact "Father Enlil
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> >
> Yes.

No. 'Dwel' refers to a delayed time, as opposed to passing.
So a kraft-fahr-zeug's ignition contacts 'opens',"dwells"
[stays open for some time] and 'closes'.
So he spent some significant time to consider.
Perhaps even repeatedly.

> > "Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect"
> > - A similar question: may I understand "ways" as "rules"?
> >
> I think "customs" would be more appropriate.

Art/d und Weise ?

> > "I am troubled, I am grieved"
> > - The word "grieved" seems to me much more emotional than "troubled".
> > Perhaps I'm wrong with the latter?
> >
> IMHO "troubloed" is clooser to "worried" and "grieved" is closer to "sad".

Death of a loved one brings grief.

> > "Her hair swirls about her head like leeks"
> > - Is there any meaning of "leek" other than the onion-like vegetable? Is
> > this a misprint? If both answers are negative, what do you think the author
> > meant? (My wife doesn't know either ;)
> >
> I've got no idea. It's total gibberish to me.

Don't you know the long 'strips' of leek leaves ?

> > "Were like reeds the size of large picket fences"
> > - Does it mean "Were like reeds of the size of large picket fences"?
> >
> Yes, but it seems totally out of placve in teh context here - I doubt
> they had picket-fences during Sumerian times.

The author rhough that normal readers would know the size of
'large picket fences'. I'm not sure that I DO. That's the size of the reeds.

> Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> > PS. I've got a kind request as usual: if you find any mistake, or
> > clumsiness, in what I typed, please let me know.

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / October 2006

Few vocabulary problems