Helena Chavarria Feb 14, 2018:

@Susan You're quite right of course and I apologise for my comment. I wasn't thinking when I wrote it but earlier today I was translating a CV that referred to 'Linguistic skills' instead of 'Language skills/Languages' and 'Five language dimensions' instead of 'four language skills'. I spent about half an hour checking the meaning of 'linguistic skills' and researching the terms used in relation to foreign language learning.

I'm sure that if I was translating the book I would have a mental image in my head of everything that was going on, and I would be able to imagine what sort of smile the man had on his face.

Susan Welsh Feb 14, 2018:

It's a negative image This guy is a cop who was "retired" because of corruption! He has beady and shifty eyes! Why would anyone think this is a positive image (romantic, love, broad grin)?? The smile is not from the heart, it's intended to instill fear or submission in the other person. In other words, to "jar their bones." It is absurd for a translator of a fictional work (or travelogue), as opposed to an academic treatise, to say the author has used "the wrong adjectives." The translator's job (obviously) is to translate the metaphor into something understandable in the target language. I find the image quite clear in English. Along the lines of "a chilling smile," a smile that "gives you the creeps."

Helena Chavarria Feb 14, 2018:

@Chris I think the writer might have used the wrong adjectives. Perhaps they meant bone-jamming?

Chris Ellison Feb 14, 2018:

@Helena I wondered - but that would be "bone-cracking" wouldn't it?

Helena Chavarria Feb 14, 2018:

I imagine 'bone-jarring' smile to mean a broad grin - in total contrast with the eyes, which I presume are small, like beads.

Matheus Chaud (asker) Feb 14, 2018:

Context Unfortunately I have little additional context that could be useful... the American guy who is traveling, Kenny, is a young guy trying to find out who he really is, he's searching for answers to life questions, let's say.
Kenny is in Brazil, traveling by bus, and he meets two guys. This one that I mentioned is a retired police officer, but he's not old, he's about forty. He was forced to retire because he was corrupt, he accepted bribery often. He smokes pot, sings and dances at the bus along with his pal (these two guys that he met just don't care about anything).

philgoddard Feb 14, 2018:

I think this is an odd phrase to use, and it doesn't convey a clear meaning to me. Maybe a bit more context would help.

Chris Ellison Feb 13, 2018:

Love...? I read it as something that shocked me to my core. If it was a romantic situation it could be a sudden realisation of love, at least that's how I understood it. Sometimes emotions can be visceral, and even the nice ones may not be entirely pleasant when transferred to a physical state. After all, love hurts. :o) It could be similar to "jolt" in this situation.

Piyush Ojha Feb 13, 2018:

@Chris E If I found that someone's smile jarred my bones, it would be unlikely to make me laugh. Perhaps the smile was more of a grimace, delivered with an unusual disposition of the jaw.