Δεν πάω πουθενά - question about translation of second "verse"

Thread: Δεν πάω πουθενά - question about translation of second "verse"

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  1. David Halitsky's Avatar

    David Halitsky said:

    Default Δεν πάω πουθενά - question about translation of second "verse"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbaKz6I5SFo

    The translation here:

    http://lyricstranslate.com/en/den-pa...-anywhere.html

    has this:

    these words you hear from those in love
    have turned us into enemies

    for this:

    Αυτά τα ξένα λόγια
    που κάθεσαι και ακούς
    απο ερωτευμένους
    μας κάνανε εχθρούς

    I don't think it's a good translation - it's not clear what the meaning really is.

    Could someone provide a translation of just these lines which gives the meaning more clearly?
     
  2. Amethystos's Avatar

    Amethystos said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by David Halitsky View Post
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbaKz6I5SFo

    The translation here:

    http://lyricstranslate.com/en/den-pa...-anywhere.html

    has this:

    these words you hear from those in love
    have turned us into enemies

    for this:

    Αυτά τα ξένα λόγια
    που κάθεσαι και ακούς
    απο ερωτευμένους
    μας κάνανε εχθρούς

    I don't think it's a good translation - it's not clear what the meaning really is.

    Could someone provide a translation of just these lines which gives the meaning more clearly?
    Strangers' talking
    that you willingly use to listen to
    turned us from lovers
    to enemies
    "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to?
    You will never find that life for which you are looking.
    When the gods created man they allotted to him death,
    but life they retained in their own keeping"
     
  3. David Halitsky's Avatar

    David Halitsky said:

    Default

    Thanks as always, Amethystos - but hey - is there no thank you button in this sub-forum ? All I see is a "report post" icon ...

    By the way, now that you've provided a better translation, I see why the translator went wrong and posted "hear from those in love" rather than the correct "turn us from [being] lovers", as in your version.

    In particular, he or she mistook what verb the phrase "απο ερωτευμένους" is "in construction" with. And the reason he or she made this mistake is because he or she mistook "listen" for "hear". Once the verb is correctly translated as "listen", not "hear", then it can't be "hear from ...", and so "απο ερωτευμένους" can only be "in construction with "turned", the way your version has it ("turned us from being lovers ...")

    I know I said that badly, but I think you'll know what I mean.
    Last edited by David Halitsky; 12-04-2014 at 02:20 PM.
     
  4. Amethystos's Avatar

    Amethystos said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by David Halitsky View Post
    Thanks as always, Amethystos - but hey - is there no thank you button in this sub-forum ? All I see is a "report post" icon ...

    By the way, now that you've provided a better translation, I see why the translator went wrong and posted "hear from those in love" rather than the correct "turn us from [being] lovers", as in your version.

    In particular, he or she mistook what verb the phrase "απο ερωτευμένους" is "in construction" with. And the reason he or she made this mistake is because he or she mistook "listen" for "hear". Once the verb is correctly translated as "listen", not "hear", then it can't be "hear from ...", and so "απο ερωτευμένους" can only be "in construction with "turned", the way your version has it ("turned us from being lovers ...")

    I know I said that badly, but I think you'll know what I mean.
    Since we're not professionals there will be -let's say- "imperfections" to some translations.
    Maria's
    translation was better btw
    "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to?
    You will never find that life for which you are looking.
    When the gods created man they allotted to him death,
    but life they retained in their own keeping"
     
  5. David Halitsky's Avatar

    David Halitsky said:

    Default

    I agree Maria's is better overall, but she still made the same mistake as in the other version:

    "These foreign words
    That you’re listening
    From the people who are in love
    They made us enemies"

    You're the only one so far who understood that "from lovers" fits into the meaning "turned us from lovers into enemies".

    Anyway, I like your use of the word "imperfections" - very diplomatic