Are we ready for another test of our translating skills? If so maybe you’d like to try this short (and grammatically straightforward) paraphrasing of a latter day politician’s refutation…
I did not have sexual relations with that man
Extra Brownie points for those versions that mirror the language of Calonice in Aristophanes’ Lysistrata (because we all know she could never have kept her oath to the other Athenian women )
Hopefully we can get a good few attempts which can be compared. There is a full range of abilities here (all VERY nice people); it would be nice to get a dialogue going where not-so-confident translators can be given some hints by the not not-so-confident ones.
with a strong negation to start. it’s not as colourful as your 2nd example though, which i’m guessing is based on one of aristophanes’ metaphors i haven’t read any of him in greek yet unfortunately.
i was wondering whether i should put the verb in the aorist or imperfect: i chose the aorist, to bring out more the “event” which “never happened”: which do you think would be better?
Yes Chad, I’m sure you’re right to have used the aorist.
My second offering isn’t based on any particular anti-euphemism (if that coinage could be the opposite of “putting something in a mild form for what may considered too blunt”) of A’s - just the fruit of my imagination! However the imagery of men being bulls (and by extension, that appendage which defines men) is quite common throughout the classical canon.
A disappointing response overall; was the subject a sensitive one? Surely not for 21C classicists. Perhaps, Chad, you’d like to offer up a shortish sentence for us to fiddle about with.
Thanks for trying though,
Paul McK
Ha ha short and sweet William - difficult to argue with
LSJ mumbles around the def in Latin and guarded English - it does give a citation for the desiderative form of your verb though, in Lysistrata.
The pocket Oxford uses the instantly recognisable 4-letter word as a def.
I like your use of the perfect tense…
I didn’t **** that man and remain not having ****ed him
exactly the line that one’s silk would recommend be toed and stuck to.
Wm runs off to fetch his pocket Oxford… Gosh. So they do. I’m not entirely convinced this is the best translation for this word.
I like your use of the perfect tense…
I didn’t **** that man and remain not having ****ed him
Well, in languages with a perfect that aspect often bleeds into an experiential sense. “Have you ever eaten chilled jellyfish?” “I have eaten chilled jellyfish.” That’s the sense I think it has here. The model I’m working from: καὶ μὴν βεβίνηκας σύ γε… said to someone who is claiming not to know a certain Agathon.
exactly the line that one’s silk would recommend be toed and stuck to. >
Silk? I’ve read enough Rupole of the Bailey to suspect you mean legal counsel, but can you confirm that, please?
exactly the line that one’s silk would recommend be toed and stuck to. >
Silk? I’ve read enough Rupole of the Bailey to suspect you mean legal counsel, but can you confirm that, please?
Yes, precisely William. a common UK synecdoche for that dear chap/pess that one’s solicitor employs on one’s behalf. You can take the “dear” in either or both of the usual senses!
“taking silk” is to be elevated from solicitor to barrister, from the silk gown they wear. At present they are more properly called QCs, Queen’s Counsel.
from solicitor to barrister, really? here in australia, silks are the senior barristers, queen’s counsel: the “inner bar”, appointed from the larger group of normal barristers. no solicitors go straight to qc as far as i’ve heard: i thought it was the same in england… cheers, chad.
I’ve always understood that to be the case in England as well, chad, though I believe the boundaries between solicitors and barristers are not as rigid as they used to be. Any comments, Ulpianus?
)
i haven’t read any of him in greek yet unfortunately.