Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Portuguese term or phrase:
alguém ser obrigada a rir para mentir a tragédia
English translation:
someone forced to laugh in the face of tragedy
Added to glossary by
Lucy Phillips
Mar 20, 2005 16:02
19 yrs ago
Portuguese term
United Kingdom
Elegant precision - published writer
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English, Portuguese to English
alguém ser obrigada a rir para mentir a tragédia
Portuguese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
'então o que ela mais temia - marrom, brilhante e agonizante - ia crescendo aos poucos, crescendo, crescendo, crescendo até simplesmente ; aumentava até ser demais para os ouvidos e para os olhos e para o gosto da boca e aniquilar toda a idéia de grandeza que se podia ter, os oceanos invadindo e cobrindo a terra'
could this be translated as 'one was forced to laugh in the face of tragedy'? - I don't want to assume equivalence just because it would be a neat translation...
thanks again
Context: Clarice Lispector
could this be translated as 'one was forced to laugh in the face of tragedy'? - I don't want to assume equivalence just because it would be a neat translation...
thanks again
Context: Clarice Lispector
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
5 mins
Charles Mullins
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
multilingual translator
Native in: English , Spanish
Works in: Chinese to English, English to Chinese, English to Spanish, and 8 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Portuguese term (edited):
algu�m ser obrigada a rir para mentir a trag�dia
Selected
someone forced to laugh in the face of tragedy
a expressão comum usou-se mostrar o rir nas emoções reais da tragédia
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I stuck with the answer in the end, and the author of the piece also seems happy with the English idiom as a translation of the Portuguese. But thanks everyone for the alternative suggestions."
+1
11 mins
Luiza Modesto
Brazil
Brazil
Native in Portuguese
&
English
Brazil
specializes in research articles
Native in: English , Portuguese
Works in: Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese, English
Related KudoZ points
:
7
Portuguese term (edited):
algu�m ser obrigada a rir para mentir a trag�dia
one was forced to laugh to deny tragedy
I understand "mentir" here as trying to hide, denying, camouflaging, disguising.. something along those lines. It reminds me of "rir para não chorar".
15 mins
Marian Greenfield
Native in English
Over 30 years in financial translation
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Portuguese term (edited):
algu�m ser obrigada a rir para mentir a trag�dia
you had to laugh or else you would cry; you had to laugh to deny the tragedy
I suspect the first option best conveys the intent...
+2
48 mins
Paula Vaz-Carreiro
Native in Portuguese
&
English
Specializes in field
Benchmark Translations
Native in: Portuguese , English
Works in: Portuguese, English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
Portuguese term (edited):
at� simplesmente algu�m ser obrigada a rir para mentir a trag�dia
until someone would just be obliged to laugh (in order) to belie the tragedy
simplesmente
advérbio
1. com simplicidade;
2. unicamente; apenas;
I think that here the word "simplesmente" is being used in the sence of "unicamente/apenas"
(Porto Editora)
belie (bIÈlaI) vb. -lies, -lying, -lied. (tr.)
1. to show to be untrue; contradict.
(collins En. Dic)
"mentir" in this context fits very well with the first meaning of "belie", methinks :-)
and I think you have to consider the whole of the sentence in order to find the 'best-meaning' translation. I would leave 'in order to' out as well.
HTH
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 49 mins (2005-03-20 16:52:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
\"sense\" (not \'sence\', :-( verry sorry)
advérbio
1. com simplicidade;
2. unicamente; apenas;
I think that here the word "simplesmente" is being used in the sence of "unicamente/apenas"
(Porto Editora)
belie (bIÈlaI) vb. -lies, -lying, -lied. (tr.)
1. to show to be untrue; contradict.
(collins En. Dic)
"mentir" in this context fits very well with the first meaning of "belie", methinks :-)
and I think you have to consider the whole of the sentence in order to find the 'best-meaning' translation. I would leave 'in order to' out as well.
HTH
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 49 mins (2005-03-20 16:52:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
\"sense\" (not \'sence\', :-( verry sorry)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Elizabeth Lyons
1 hr
|
|
Thanks Elizabeth
|
|
| agree |
Isabel Vidigal
6 hrs
|
|
Thanks Isabel
|
Something went wrong...