May 25, 2006 18:40
18 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Love is a three letter word
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
a poem about AIDS in zimbabwe
In order to translate the idea expressed here into my own language using a metaphor or whatever, I need to understand it in English; and I don't!
What's the idea behind the verses:
"Love is a three letter word,
Not a four letter word."
The poem:
Love shouldn’t hurt
Love is acting not a feeling,
because feeling comes and goes.
But acting will be there in mind and thought.
Love is a three letter word,
Not a four letter word.
Love is caring, not abuse
because abuse leaves you with fear.
Ta
What's the idea behind the verses:
"Love is a three letter word,
Not a four letter word."
The poem:
Love shouldn’t hurt
Love is acting not a feeling,
because feeling comes and goes.
But acting will be there in mind and thought.
Love is a three letter word,
Not a four letter word.
Love is caring, not abuse
because abuse leaves you with fear.
Ta
Responses
| 1 +3 | act is a three-letter word |
NancyLynn
|
| 3 +12 | let's see if i can ... |
Susana Magnani
|
| 4 | God (from 'god is love') |
Vladimir Dubisskiy
|
| 3 | Love shouldn't hurt |
sarahl (X)
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| 1 +1 | Possibly ... |
Jackie Bowman
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| 1 | LUV: acting, caring and the third term is missing. Is it in your text? |
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
|
Responses
+3
14 mins
Selected
act is a three-letter word
I agree with silt that the general idea is that love, though composed of 4 letters, is not what is known in English as a 4-letter word, as Mikhail sort of identifies for you ;-) but I notice that acting is more important than feeling, because feelings come and go, and act is 3-letters..
Just trying to help a little more.
Just trying to help a little more.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Refugio
: By their deeds you shall know them.
26 mins
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very true! thanks Ruth
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| neutral |
Ala Rabie
: is it feel=4 act=3?
37 mins
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| agree |
Alexander Demyanov
: For me the "feel=4, act=3" observation is a reason enough to agree w/you.
2 hrs
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the problem remains, for poor Michel, to render this in French...thanks Alexander
|
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| agree |
Ulrike Kraemer
: that was my first thought, too
12 hrs
|
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "In fact, I haven't been clear enough in expressin my question. I knew what "a four letter word" was (generally speaking), I mainly struggled with "three letter word"; 3 solutions have been suggested: ACT or LOV/LUV or SEX/GOD/DAD, I went with Nancy's idea to reformulate in French, though Vladimir's suggestion was also very clever (IMHO).
Thanks to all"
+12
3 mins
Susana Magnani
Argentina
Argentina
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Argentina
Over 30 years' experience.
Native in: Spanish 
, English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, French to English, and 3 more.
let's see if i can ...
a four letter word is usually related to a swear word, right? so, even if love is literally a four-letter word, it should not be grouped with the rest of them... just an idea...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
: Exactly. The meaning is: Love is not a bad word.
5 mins
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thanks, maría teresa!
|
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| agree |
NancyLynn
8 mins
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thanks, nancy!
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| agree |
Kirill Semenov
10 mins
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thanks, kirill!
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| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
30 mins
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thanks, marju!
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| agree |
Will Matter
30 mins
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thanks, willmatter!
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| agree |
David Knowles
: This must be it, with the hidden/peripheral idea that it's spelt "luv".
2 hrs
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thanks, david, i agree about the 'luv' part
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| agree |
Sol
2 hrs
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thanks, sol!
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| agree |
Craig Meulen
: Agree - the following line says that "love is not abuse" and a "four-letter word" is often abusive
2 hrs
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thanks, craig!
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| agree |
michael10705 (X)
3 hrs
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thanks, michael!
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| agree |
Walter Landesman
4 hrs
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thanks, walter!
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| agree |
vixen
: Sounds very plausible
5 hrs
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thanks, vixen!
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| agree |
William [Bill] Gray
15 hrs
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thanks, bill!
|
5 mins
LUV: acting, caring and the third term is missing. Is it in your text?
It seems to be referring to the three key words in the verses, acting, caring and where is the other one? Do you have it?
51 mins
Love shouldn't hurt
it looks like a four-letter word (ie a bad word, meant to hurt) but it really isn't, the silent e doesn't count. I'm afraid you won't be able to translate this one, you'll have to adapt, dod. peace and luv!
+1
2 hrs
Possibly ...
"sex". Possibly also "God" or "Dad". Is that the whole poem? Does it have a title?
5 hrs
Vladimir Dubisskiy
United States
United States
Specializes in field
United States
UNSURPASSABLE EXPERIENCE
Native in: Russian , Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Ukrainian to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
God (from 'god is love')
pretty sure about it.
Discussion