Peggy Zina - Apo Ti Smirni Eimai Ego

Από τη Σμύρνη είμαι εγώ
Και κράτησα το κάστρο
Κάνω τον πόνο μου χορό
Και την καρδιά μου άστρο

Βγήκε τ' αηδόνι στη φωνή
Και τραγουδάει και λέει
Πέφτει η γη μας το φιλί
Κι προσευχή θα κλαίει

Χίλια χρονιά, πόσα χρονιά, πόσα κλάματα
Μα η ζωή γεννιέται πάντα, στα χαλάσματα
Μα η ζωή γεννιέται πάντα, στα χαλάσματα
Χίλια χρονιά, πόσα χρονιά, πόσα κλάματα

Από τη Σμύρνη άρχισα
Να νιώθω την αγάπη
Έβγαλα βάρκα με πανιά
Να κολυμπάει στο δάκρυ

Στα καλντερίμια οι καπνοί
Το κόκκινο στο χώμα
Χόρτασε ο κόσμος λησμονιά
Μα εγώ θυμάμαι ακόμα

I am from Smyrni and defended the castle of it
I turn my pain into a funeral dance and my heart into a star
The voice of a songbird came out of me and sings and says
The kiss falls on our land* and the prayer will be saying in tears

A thousand of years, so many years, so many tears
But life is always born inside the ruins
But life is always born inside the ruins
A thousand of years, so many years, so many tears

From when I was in Smyrni, I started to feel love
I said goodbye to a sailing boat, which was like floating on tears
Smoke had filled the cobbled streets, red blood had stained the ground
The people had forgotten a lot, but I still remember

[* kissing the ground that covers the buried dead people]

it is "Smyrna" not Izmir. The song is performed by a Greek singer not by a Turkish one.
And the translation is not good.

It is a difficult song to translate. No hard feelings kmmy.

in english is known as izmir not smirni . thats what wikipedia says anyway

and the transl i know it might not be good (i had a hard time with it), thats why i expect a new one from you

so until a better transl its posted, this will stay

Originally Posted by kmmy

in english is known as izmir not smirni . thats what wikipedia says anyway

and the transl i know it might not be good (i had a hard time with it), thats why i expect a new one from you

so until a better transl its posted, this will stay

Wikipedia says this:

Izmir (Turkish: İzmir; Greek: Σμύρνη Smyrne; Latin: Smyrna)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izmir

and if you read that Wikipedia article halfway down, you will find out how the city is called in English now, how it was called in English before 1930 and how it is called in French, Italian and Spanish still....

What makes you believe anyway that the Greek singer Peggy Zina would use the Turkish name given to that city?
Do you listen to what Peggy sings or just read the lyrics and translate 'em?

no hard feelings. Just some notes...

BTW, If I am not mistaken... Constanta is the seashore that is the key point of quick and immediate evacuation to the east for some foreign inhabitants there...right?

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

It is a difficult song to translate. No hard feelings kmmy.

Hi safey, why don't you give it a shot then?

I'm not going to make an analysis of the Wikipedia article, everyone is free to read it and make their own opinions (that's why i posted it in the 1st place).

I'm sorry I hurt your feelings and touched a nerve, but can't you just move on ?

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

What makes you believe anyway that the Greek singer Peggy Zina would use the Turkish name given to that city?

You r right. I'll give you that, but the city is recognised now in many parts of the world as Izmir. Is not the first translation in which the greek name of a city is "translated in english" so that everyone recognises it. (as an example, - your capital -)

And what Constanta has to do with this? I didnt get your inside joke.

For an explanation ( if you want to give one ofc) and if you want to argue more about this , you know where to find me. I expect, however, your next post on this thread to be a translation.

Originally Posted by Mixalopoulos

Hi safey, why don't you give it a shot then?

1. I really can't tell whom you are referencing to, but you quoted me anyway...
2. I don't give it a shot because it's a good translation actually
3. Someday, sometime, you have to understand that not everything can be translated in other words and languages than it should be translated to.

Names cannot and is not correct to be translated in any other languages than the original...They can rather be simply transliterated .

How would you feel or like if I was translating a British song about London and put in the translation "Londino" instead??

Wouldn't it sound silly for you and even weird?

Wanna know something? Everytime I speak with people about names, (whatever names those can be... e.g. People names, Country names, City names, etc.etc.etc. ,) believe it or not, I always ask them: "please tell me this name as it is pronounced in your language..."

Names, should not and cannot be translated. Can only be transliterated.
And the way of that transliteration is defined by the origin of the name.

Did you ever try to translate the Japanese female name "Yumiko" ?

Try it please, and post here the translation in English....
Then feel free to go ahead and ask a "Yumiko" how she feels about it.

Am I clear enough?

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

I really can't tell whom you are referencing to.

I am referring to you Safe1 and your new identity IDontGiveAshirt.

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

And the translation is not good.

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

I don't give it a shot because it's a good translation actually

Before you said "the translation is not good" and now you say it's good. Come on, make your mind up.

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

How would you feel or like if I was translating a British song about London and put in the translation "Londino" instead??

Wouldn't it sound silly for you and even weird?

A Greek translating a British song about London will use Londino As a Romanian will (we say Londra not London), because it's possible and what sounds weird is the english name next to the whole romanian (/greek) text but that's just an unfortunate example, if you had said Manchester I would have nothing left but to agree with you

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

Names, should not and cannot be translated. Can only be transliterated.
And the way of that transliteration is defined by the origin of the name.

I totally agree, however I hope you mean name as in "a person's name" !

Originally Posted by IDontGiveAshirt

Am I clear enough?

Clear as crystal

Conclusions:

• Names of people are always used as such, in their natural form
• Names of countries are used with a translation. (ofc exceptions prove the rule)
• Names of cities are translated when possible (as in the example above)

THE END!