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Daibhi
Member Username: Daibhi
Post Number: 10 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 04:53 am: |
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Ciaran Carson's first language opens (significantly) with a pome in Irish. I am trying to translate it, but I have a few doubts... La Je-Ne-Sais-Quoi I bhfaitead na súl I ndorchadas an ale Bhruigh do bhéal go tobann Ar mo bhealsa Agus slogadh mé go glan I gclapsholas dimhain do póige. I bhfriotal na mbéal i bhfirotal na súl Fáscadh agus teannadh Go dtí nach raibh ann Asch scath an scátháin eadreainn, Tocht i do chluais istigh. Mé i mo thost anois, Dlaoithe chasta do chainte Ina luí gl dlúth ar urlár snasta, Mé á scubadh, mé á scaipeadh Go béal an dorais, Séidéan beag amuigh. Here is what I got... In the twinkling of an eye in the drakness of the day unexpectedly your mouth presed on my own mouth and I swallowed cleanly in the twilight the depth of your kiss. In the twinkling of a mouth in the utterance of an eye pressed and squeezed [not really sure about the verb tense here] until there is nothing but the shadow of a mirror between us ______ [no clue about this line; I only gget 'your ears'] I am silent now The intricate wisp of your speech lying close to the polished floor [is it close or closely?] that I have swept, I have scattered [not sure about this verse either] till the doorway a little gust (of wind) outside Now, as you see a line is missing, and I am not sure about the rest. Can anyone help? Cheers, Davide |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 4139 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 06:02 am: |
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and I was swallowed cleanly into the twilight of the depth of your kiss. friotal [ainmfhocal firinscneach den chéad díochlaonadh] focail, caint, abairt. tocht [ainmfhocal firinscneach den tríú díochlaonadh] bac (in oibreacha an choirp); bac mothúcháin, breith suas (bhí tocht ar a chroí, ina ghlór). Mé á scuabadh Me sweeping them Bain triail eile as! |
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Daibhi
Member Username: Daibhi
Post Number: 11 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 07:39 am: |
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Sorry to post my questions in English, but my Irish is not good enough to speak about grammar. So 'slogadh' is passive; is it a past participle (and how do you call the form in Irish?) I noticed I made a mistake in transcription, the second stanza actually is I bhfaiteadh na mbéal I bhfriotal na súl Fáscadh agus teannadh Go dtí nach raibh ann Ach scath an scátháin eadreainn, Tocht i do chluais istigh. So 'i bhfiotal an súl' could be 'in the word/speech of an eye'; 'Tocht i do chluais' might be 'an obstacle in your ear... out' ? Something wrong here Another typo in the 3rd stanza: Mé i mo thost anois, Dlaoithe chasta do chainte Ina luí go dlúth ar urlár snasta, Mé á scubadh, mé á scaipeadh Go béal an dorais, Séidéan beag amuigh. If 'mé á scubadh' is 'me sweeping them', what is 'them' referred to? To dlaoithe? So the poet is figuratively sweeping the intrictae wisp of his partner's language out of the door? Thanks a lot for the answer; this is also an opportunity to learn some Irish grammar. Davide |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 4144 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 07:46 am: |
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Agus slogadh mé go glan Yes. CAITE shlog mé shlog tú shlog sé shlog sí shlogamar shlog sibh shlog siad Sb. slogadh About Tocht, I'm not sure. It also means a quilt (bed covering) Are you sure the word is tocht? Be aware also that poetry can break the rules of grammar if required. |
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Daibhi
Member Username: Daibhi
Post Number: 12 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 09:27 am: |
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Yes, it is tocht. Maybe it is figurative; ' a hindrance on your hear, inside', that contrasts with 'gust of wind outside. Then, of course, you're right, it is poetry, it's not easy to find a univocal meaning. Go raibh míle maith agat, Davide |
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Aonghus
Member Username: Aonghus
Post Number: 4145 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 10:21 am: |
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Tocht can mean an emotional block, like a lump in your throat from sadness/happiness. I think that is what is implied. |
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Daibhi
Member Username: Daibhi
Post Number: 13 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 11:27 am: |
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Ah, ok, very good! I emailed an Irish friend; he's just finished a PhD in Irish Poetry; here is how he glossed 'Tocht i do chluais istigh.': emotion in your inner ear [I'm unsure here this is as close as I can come to a translation but hopefully you get the sense of it]. So you're probably right: the ear is 'blocked' by an emotion; I guess this is the idea, the sense cannot be translated fully in English. Well, sorted out it is :-) Thanks again for your help, Davide |
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