Glossary entry (derived from question below)
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
Portuguese term
cizento verde que se azula de galos a cantar
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
5 +1 | from greyish green to blue at cockscrow | Nick Taylor |
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""
Proposed translations
from greyish green to blue at cockscrow
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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Discussion
The turning blue and the cocks crowing are both caused by dawn.
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 :)
Espero ter ajudado, diga a que esolher.
BF