Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

cinzento verde que se azula de galos a cantar

English translation:

a greenish gray that turns blue as roosters are crowing

Added to glossary by Oliver Simões
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Apr 29, 2022 14:33
2 yrs ago
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Portuguese term

cizento verde que se azula de galos a cantar

Portuguese to English Other Poetry & Literature Lyrical poetry
Desperto sempre antes que raie o dia
E escrevo com o sono que perdi.
Depois, neste torpor em que a alma é fria
Aguardo a aurora, que já tantas vi.

Fito-a sem atenção, cinzento verde
Que se azula de galos a cantar.
Que mau é não dormir? A gente perde
O que a morte nos dá pra começar.

Oh Primavera quietada, aurora,
Ensina ao meu torpor, em que a alma é fria,
O que é que na alma lívida e colora
Com o que vai acontecer no dia.
-- Fernando Pessoa

Not sure how to translate this string. (1) That turns blue from roosters crowing? (2) That turns blue with roosters crowing, or perhaps (3) that turns blue as roosters are crowing (?) In my view, "de" implies a causal relationship between the roosters' crowing and the backdrop changing color. Does this relationship make sense from a logical point of view? Probably not. But since this is poetry (and therefore subjective), is it possible that he did mean this relationship to exist? Nonetheless, it's an interesting way of describing the color change.

As far as the "cinzento verde", I'm leaning towards "greenish gray" rather than "grayish-green". Does it make sense?

L2: EN_US
Register: poetic
Proposed translations (English)
5 +1 from greyish green to blue at cockscrow
Change log

Apr 29, 2022 15:58: Oliver Simões Created KOG entry

Apr 29, 2022 15:58: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "cinzento verde que se azula de galos a cantar"" to ""a greenish gray that turns blue as roosters are crowing""

Apr 29, 2022 15:58: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "cizento verde que se azula de galos a cantar"" to ""a greenish gray that turns blue as roosters are crowing""

Discussion

Nick Taylor Apr 29, 2022:
@Simões If it was UK English it would be "cockerels" rather than "rooster"
Mark Robertson Apr 29, 2022:
@Oliver Which turns blue, as cocks crow.

The turning blue and the cocks crowing are both caused by dawn.
Oliver Simões (asker) Apr 29, 2022:
Thank you both. I appreciate the feedback. #3 makes more sense to me as well.
Denise Stange Apr 29, 2022:
Hi Oliver,

I agree with your third option: "the sky starts turning blue as the roosters are crowing." Kind of a chronological "timeline" for the start of the day.

And "greenish gray" does sound better, because a beautiful dawn usually goes from gray > greenish > blue. I don't know if that makes sense, maybe it's just in my head haha :)
Bil Fro Apr 29, 2022:
Creio que o autor continua nessse verso a referir- se à aurora, ao amanhecer, que com o nascer do dia muda de cor cinzenta verde e azul qundo os galos cantam e naturalmente o sol está acima do horizonte. Para mim, do ponto de vista de um nativo de Portugal escolhia a expressão "that turns blue as roosters are crowing"
Espero ter ajudado, diga a que esolher.
BF

Proposed translations

+1
2 hrs

from greyish green to blue at cockscrow

from greyish green to blue at cockscrow
Peer comment(s):

agree Richard Purdom : in any case much better than the glossary entry which isn't idiomatic
1 hr
Thanks so much Richard, unfortunately the entry sounds stilted, unatural, and "forced"
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