Jul 10, 2007 20:02
17 yrs ago
Italian term

Quote from Proust

Italian to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
«la magnifica e lamentevole famiglia dei nervosi è il sale della terra» (enervé, cioè malati di nervi, in realtà diceva Proust)

I cannot find this quote in English and I hope someone out there can help me.
TIA Mirella

Discussion

James (Jim) Davis Jul 11, 2007:
I think you should find the French original and asks French to English translators for translations.

Proposed translations

+1
10 mins
Selected

that splendid and pitiable family which is the salt of the earth.

Hi Mirella
It may be a misquotation/non-literal translation by Yves St Laurent http://www.fashionwindows.com/fashion_designers/ysl/default....

"The magnificent and pitiful family of the hypersensitive is the salt of the earth. It is they, not the others, who have founded relIgions and produced masterpieces."

but perhaps more authoritative but does not have "hypersensitive" where you might expect it
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/p/proust/marcel/p96g/ch...

Submit to being called a neurotic. You belong to that splendid and pitiable family which is the salt of the earth. All the greatest things We know have come to us from neurotics. It is they and they only who have founded religions and created great works of art. Never will the world be conscious of how much it owes to them, nor above all of what they have suffered in order to bestow their gifts on it. We enjoy fine music

Peer comment(s):

agree P.L.F. Persio : sei stato proprio bravo!
2 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks, YLS quote is exactly what I was looking for."
+1
6 mins

Translation by Mark Treharne (Viking, 2004)

"Feel comfortable to be called a neurotic. You belong to the splendid, pitiable family that is the salt of the earth."

http://www.amazon.com/Guermantes-Way-Marcel-Proust/dp/067003...
Note from asker:
Thank you.
Peer comment(s):

agree Anthony Green : there are clearly plenty of translations!
4 mins
yep - ho riportato la prima che ho trovato :) grazie!
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