Translation - Italiaans-Engels - Niente brucia da solo

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Category Explanations - Arts / Creation / Imagination

Title	Niente brucia da solo
Text Submitted by Xini	Source language: Italiaans â€œNiente brucia da soloâ€ prende in esame il concetto di combustione visto come motore dellâ€™attivitÃ industriale. La volontÃ Ã¨ quella di far riflettere il pubblico sul tema del facile consumismo, dello spreco, del profitto a tutti i costi. Come suggerisce il titolo, lâ€™opera vuole far prendere coscienza della propria responsabilitÃ verso il degrado (non solo ambientale e morale) che le leggi del mercato, oggi spinte allâ€™estremo, implicano, e vuole inoltre invitare lâ€™individuo a una maggiore consapevolezza delle proprie scelte. Se Ã¨ vero che il tanto abusato concetto di globalizzazione sta permeando sempre di piÃ¹ le nostre vite, allora sembra necessaria una nuova coscienza di massa del consumo, fatta di rinunce, di â€œscioperiâ€ e di alternative, grazie alla quale riequilibrare le parti in gioco.
Remarks about the translation	Artwork by GL â€œNiente brucia da soloâ€ is the title of a multimedia artwork. Since this translation may be very difficult, I'd like this translation to be evaluated by a English native speaker (e.g. Kafetzou). Thank you!

Title

â€œNothing burns up by itselfâ€

Translation

Engels

Translated by

apple

Target language: Engels

â€œNothing burns up by itselfâ€ takes into consideration the concept of combustion seen as the mover of industrial activity.
Its purpose is to make the audience reflect upon the subject of easy consumerism, waste, profit at all costs. As its title suggests, this work intends to make people aware of their own responsibility for the decay (which is not only environmental and moral) entailed by market laws, nowadays carried to extremes, and intends as well to invite individuals to become more conscious of their own choices.
If it is true that the abused concept of globalization is permeating our lives more and more, so what appears to be necessary is a new mass consciousness of consumption, consisting of renunciation, â€œstrikesâ€ and alternatives, by which the roles may be brought back into balance.

Laaste geakkrediteerde redigering deur kafetzou - 22 May 2007 16:21

Last messages

	Author	Message
		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 â€¢ 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!
		22 May 2007 21:19
	Xini Number of messages: 1655	Thank you very much App and Lau...

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