Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Portuguese term or phrase:
do que quero em mim
English translation:
of what I want in me
Added to glossary by
Oliver Simões
Jan 11, 2019 03:01
5 yrs ago
Portuguese term
do que quero em mim
Portuguese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Fernando Pessoa
Not sure about this one. Of what I want for myself? In some contexts, "querer" also means "to love". Of what I love about myself? Or maybe something entirely different? Thanks in advance.
"Sempre, sempre, no lapso indeciso e constante
Do tempo sem fim
O mesmo momento voltando improfícuo e distante
Do que quero em mim!" - FP
"Sempre, sempre, no lapso indeciso e constante
Do tempo sem fim
O mesmo momento voltando improfícuo e distante
Do que quero em mim!" - FP
Proposed translations
(English)
4 -1 | of what I want in me | Katarina Peters |
Change log
Jan 12, 2019 06:32: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "do que quero em mim"" to ""to what I want in me""
Jan 13, 2019 04:57: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "do que quero em mim"" to ""from what I want in me""
Proposed translations
-1
43 mins
Selected
of what I want in me
...
Note from asker:
Thank you. Probably safer to stick to literal. I think this example resonates with his poetry: "I have no idea what I want in a person, I only know what I want in me, to feel complete." https://books.google.com/books?id=beXoAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA67&lpg=PA67&dq=%22what+I+want+in+me%22&source=bl&ots=ze9HDEyNql&sig=PacAcsvOsCnPgO1ZJTtAfvtpU1I&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJ9t7b6OTfAhUsHTQIHZZYA5EQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22what%20I%20want%20in%20me%22&f=false |
My apologies, Katarina. I made a mistake in my grading comments. It seems like the correct preposition is "from" (not "to"). PT "voltar de" translates as "comie/ go back from". Not sure which is better: go or come.... |
Sorry I totally messed up. As I looked closer at the poem, I noticed I had made a mistake in my translation. "Voltando" should have been translated as "coming back", in this case it makes more sense to say the coming back "OF what I want in me". So you were 100% correct. |
Peer comment(s):
disagree |
Lara Barnett
: I don't understand meaning of this. I think it needs to be restructured somehow.// What I meant is I don't understand your use of English. Anytarget term must be understood by readers/audience / Correct English is "within me" or "inside me" or "from me"
10 hrs
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Lara, poetry is best understood by poets...//in me and inside me is the same...and poetic license is allowed; e.g.: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/in-me-past-present-future-me... //Sorry, those who read and translate poetry understand perfectly.
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you, Katarina. I had to made a quick adjustment in the preposition: "(going back) to what I want in me"."
Discussion
In UK we do not use "spelled" anywhere as it is seen as incorrect, and I do not use US English. Therefore, the correct spelling for my entry should have been "spelt" (which is the past tense of "to spell" in UK, where "spelled" has no place or usage).
I am not sure how far you are intending to confuse rules of grammar with phrases that do not mean anything, but I am talking through experience in my own language. There is no further point iam trying to make, I am just saying what sounds right and what does not sound right in my own language. Maybe it simply just needs punctuation, but I don't know what it is.
Unfortunately your example sentences do not sound any different to me. If you want to uphold your point great, but we just do not say that in UK, that's all I am saying.
And I also reserve the right to use my UK English opinion in terms of stylising and usage in the British language, and knowing when and if it works in each different situation or context.
https://brians.wsu.edu/2016/05/19/i-me-myself/
https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=1477142347
"want in myself"
"want inside me"
"want from myself"
"want from within me"
I am also not trying to make nationalistic or dogmatic statements, which seems to be what this Portuguese student was doing.