This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Dec 16, 2010 11:58
14 yrs ago
6 viewers *
Italian term

il convitato di pietra

Italian to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
The first sentence I came to translate today and it contains both a difficult idiom and Latin...

It's from a speech by Mario Borghezio at the EP, available here:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//...

From what I understand, it means "someone who is not present but is still the focus of conversation" but I could be mistaken.

Your help is much appreciated!

Mario Borghezio (EFD). - Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, il convitato di pietra di questa discussione è il presidente della BCE, il signor Trichet. Se fossimo nell'antico senato romano si alzerebbe un senatore con la sua toga e, rivolgendosi a Trichet, direbbe: "Quousque tandem abutere, Trichete, patientia nostra?"

In effetti, dobbiamo domandarci se la via giusta sia quella di evitare la dissoluzione dell'Euro – impresa molto difficile – o piuttosto impedire che il salvataggio dell'Euro porti con sé la rovina delle nostre economie nei paesi membri, dopo che la politica eurofila, da Prodi in giù, ha distrutto le nostre industrie, specialmente le piccole e medie imprese, per esempio quelle della Padania, creando solo disoccupazione e cassa integrazione.

(...)
Proposed translations (English)
3 the stone guest

Discussion

David Turnbull (asker) Dec 21, 2010:
Many thanks... ...to all who contributed. I liked polyglot45's suggestion to use the "burning ears concept", so I've given it a try - we'll see what the reviewer thinks! Thanks, David.
Dominic Sargent Dec 17, 2010:
Banquo sorry - put my suggestion in answers when I meant it to go here.
polyglot45 Dec 16, 2010:
clearly they infer that his name would crop up frequently in despatches - his ears must have been burning.

Maybe you could use the burning ears concept ?
dandamesh Dec 16, 2010:
tartuffe? Like Tartufo, Act three
Tartuffe finally enters the action in his own person.
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lyman/english233/Tartuffe3.htm
David Turnbull (asker) Dec 16, 2010:
Doesn't appear Mr Trichet was in attendance.
BrigitteHilgner Dec 16, 2010:
Don Giovanni My question would be: Was Trichet invited and shocked everybody by actually coming? (as the man murdered by Don Giovanni in the opera) Otherwise I'd say he's not present in person but on everyone's mind ...
David Turnbull (asker) Dec 16, 2010:
The ghost at the feast is what I'm working with at the moment, but I don't think it's ideal if anyone has any better ideas.

Proposed translations

20 mins

the stone guest

it means "someone who is not present but is still the focus of conversation"!

the origin can be found in the ref.
HTH
_______________________________

"The Stone Guest" is a poetic drama, based on the Spanish legend about Don Juan. Don Juan, a heartless and immoral man of noble birth, had killed the commander of Seville in a duel. A stone statue was erected on the tomb of the commander. Once, being near the tomb, Don Juan met Donna Anna, the widow of the commander, and seduced her. The statue moved its head in anger. Trying to show off, Don Juan invited the statue to a banquet. The invitation was accepted, the stone commander came, and Don Juan was crushed. "The Stone Guest" was written by Aleksandr Pushkin in 1830 as part of his four short stories known as "The Little Tragedies", which also include "The Miserly Knight","A Feast During the Plague", and "Mozart and Salieri".

Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search