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Translation - “Nothing burns up by itself” (English)

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19 May 2007 15:54  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
Is there another way to say "by which the interplay of the roles might be redressed"? I thought I saw a word in the Italian meaning something like "re-balanced".
 

19 May 2007 17:21  

apple
Number of messages: 972
I found this on my dictionary for riequilibrare:
to re-balance, to re-equilibrate, to redress (also econ.)
Ex: to re-balance (or to adjust) the scales; to redress the foreign debt; to redress the balance of payments.
And this for riequilibrarsi (riflessive or impersonal, it may be translated by the passive form)
Ex: to reach an equilibrium; to return to normality; the forces at play have reached equilibrium; Once the fear had passed, the situation returned to normality.
Is this verb the only problem or the whole sentence is?
I changed the construction of the last sentence, word to word it should be:
thanks to whom re-equilibrating the parties at play.
 

19 May 2007 17:27  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
Actually, it's the whole phrase: Maybe "bring the ??? back into balance"? But what are "the parties at play"? I guess it means human beings and natural resources, but it's not clear to me.
 

19 May 2007 17:36  

apple
Number of messages: 972
That's the problem: it's not very clear in Italian either. Maybe it means industrial activity, market and consumerism versus natural resources.
Xiniiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!
 

21 May 2007 07:53  

Xini
Number of messages: 1655
Both interpretations are right.

But the translation of the title should be "Nothing burns down by itself" (try to google the two sentences).
 

21 May 2007 13:43  

apple
Number of messages: 972
What I saw on google is that what you propose is not an original title at all!!!(is it on purpose, I mean, are you playing that particular music or what?)
Anyway, I would like very much to understand the difference between "to burn up" and "to burn down".
As for the last phrase...???
 

21 May 2007 14:51  

Xini
Number of messages: 1655
Music? This is not a piece of music, it's an interactive installation.

The title was on purpose, it is a kind of motto.

I want to know the difference as well.

My MacOsX built-in Oxford Dictionary:

burn something down (or burn down) (of a building or structure) destroy or be destroyed completely by fire.

burn up 1 (of a fire) produce brighter and stronger flames. 2 (of an object entering the earth's atmosphere) be destroyed by heat. burn someone up informal make someone angry : his thoughtless remarks really burn me up. burn something up • use up the calories or energy provided by food, rather than converting these to fat:: in the typical Western diet, all the energy in protein is burned up daily.
 

21 May 2007 15:27  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
Well, needless to say, I agree with Oxford. So the title should be "burns up" (def'n 2), not "burns down", because the thing that's burning here is not a building. I changed it back.
 

21 May 2007 15:33  

Xini
Number of messages: 1655
Hmm, I'm not sure...

it's not an object entering the atmosphere
it's not anyone
it's not dealing with food

but is a "virtual" building (metaphor).

Moreover, the Italian title was chosen by translating the English motto.
 

21 May 2007 15:43  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
No, no, no - maybe Oxford didn't explain it so well. You can only use "burn down" for a physical structure - it gives the idea of something tall burning until there is nothing physical left (so it goes down). "Burn up" on the other hand simply means "burn completely".
 

21 May 2007 15:47  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
What English motto?

Oh - I see now - what did we use to do before google?

This anarchist slogan is about burning down buildings!
 

21 May 2007 16:41  

pirulito
Number of messages: 1180
Down with consumerism! Down with corporations!
 

21 May 2007 17:16  

Xini
Number of messages: 1655
Yes, maybe it was an anarchist slogan but now it seems to be used in many no-global campaigns.

Can't it be used in a metaphorical way?
Since the original motto is "Nothing ever burns down by itself - every fire needs a little help", I'd like to keep it. Does this sound weird for a native speaker, Lau ?
 

22 May 2007 04:06  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
I don't know, Xini - it loses its power as a play on words in English, because combustion is "burning up", not "burning down". I think it's better as "burns up" - if people know the slogan, they'll make the connection and think it's kind of cute.
 

22 May 2007 05:11  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
I hope the discussion of "burns up" and "burns down" has not made us forget that we still have a problem with "by which the interplay of the roles might be redressed". I cannot accept this translation until this phrase is fixed.
 

22 May 2007 13:55  

apple
Number of messages: 972
OK, then, let's talk about "by which the interplay of the roles might be redressed". Xini was not very helpful on this point. You were suggesting "to bring (the parties at play) back to balance", but we stopped on...the parties at play. It sounds a little indefinite in Italian too, if that's your worry. I don't think the conflict is between human beings and natural resources, but between human beings and a human way of life (including protection of the natural environment and resources) and market and and a way of life ruled by market (consumerism).
 

22 May 2007 14:01  

Xini
Number of messages: 1655
The interpretation is kind of open.

The parties at play may be any of all you said, but mainly is the conflict between consumerism and nature that the installation wants to point out.
 

22 May 2007 16:20  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
OK - how about "by which the roles may be brought back into balance"?

Actually, I like this - it sounds very good in English.
 

22 May 2007 17:10  

apple
Number of messages: 972
I like it too, Kafetzou. Thanks.
 

22 May 2007 17:13  

kafetzou
Number of messages: 7963
Thanks everybody - nice teamwork!
 
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