Mar 6, 2005 13:19
19 yrs ago
English term
man-friendly ?
Non-PRO
English
Other
Linguistics
architecture / Parthenon
Talented sculptor Phidias (Pheidias) was both the soul of “the eternal building” and its creator. He made up a number of “esthetical irregularities”, thanks to which the grand Parthenon has no overwhelming appearance and is man-friendly instead. That ancient Greek architect designed massive columns of the temple in such a way that they keep the lightness of wooden construction thanks to the flutes carved.
'man-friendlly' is an exact translation, but I am not certain if that is the best choice here.
'man-friendlly' is an exact translation, but I am not certain if that is the best choice here.
Responses
+7
5 mins
juvera
Works in field
Selected
humanistic scale, human scale, more approachable,
Just a few alternatives.
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Note added at 8 mins (2005-03-06 13:27:44 GMT)
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I mean to put it into the sentence, \"but humanistic in scale\", or \"has a more humanistic, approachable appearance\" for example.
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Note added at 8 mins (2005-03-06 13:27:44 GMT)
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I mean to put it into the sentence, \"but humanistic in scale\", or \"has a more humanistic, approachable appearance\" for example.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Olga B
1 min
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Thanks.
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Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
9 mins
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Thanks.
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Richard Benham
: "Humanistic" is not really the word: just "human", e.g. "on a human scale".
15 mins
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I actually agree with you, human scale it sould be, but i succumbed to fashion. Shame on me, and I am glad, that there are people who differentiate.
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paolamonaco
: with Richard
1 hr
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Armorel Young
: "on a human scale" sounds the right thing to go with "no overwhelming appearance"
1 hr
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Ian Burley (X)
: with Richard
1 hr
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Refugio
: on a human scale (humanistic is something else)
2 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
MJ Barber
: wot richard sez
4 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you all !"
4 mins
easy to understand
:)
+2
38 mins
Richard Benham
France
France
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
France
When quality counts
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
64
human-friendly
The only thing wrong with "man-friendly" is that it would be interpreted as sex-specific by the contemporary reader. "Human-friendly" is not likely to appear in the dictionary any time soon, but would be immediately understood. Other suggestions to date, such as "on a humanistic [sic] scale", are guilty of putting a gloss on the original.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
juvera
: In some languages human-friendly means something totally different. So you can't dismiss an alternative saying, "guilty of putting gloss to it". If I retranslated your expression exactly, it would be very funny indeed.
25 mins
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You apparently have the advantage of knowing the source language. Even so, your comment is irrelevant. Where did the concepts of "scale" and "approachability" come into it?
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humbird
: You are "politically (if not linguistically) correct".
26 mins
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Thanks.
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| agree |
Will Matter
1 hr
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+1
1 hr
Nancy Arrowsmith
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
literary and scientific translations
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, Italian to English, English, and 3 more.
the Parthenon does not have an overwhelming appearance, because it
is built according to human dimensions.
Man-friendly is one of those new-speak Germanisms that grate on my English/American ears.
The measures used in the Parthenon were based on the human body, as in most older, sacred buildings. They were also based on the Golden Rule of correspondences, which does not seem to be mentioned here.
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Note added at 1 hr 35 mins (2005-03-06 14:55:06 GMT)
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human dimensions, incorporating deliberate imperfections.
Man-friendly is one of those new-speak Germanisms that grate on my English/American ears.
The measures used in the Parthenon were based on the human body, as in most older, sacred buildings. They were also based on the Golden Rule of correspondences, which does not seem to be mentioned here.
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Note added at 1 hr 35 mins (2005-03-06 14:55:06 GMT)
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human dimensions, incorporating deliberate imperfections.
Discussion