I’ve been musing on how context affects meaning.

For instance ‘He has a soft touch’ and ‘He is a soft touch’ assign entirely different meanings to the two last words.

Observations anyone?

Bryn

This is one of the trickiest issues when translating. I often get texts that are fragments, taken out of context, or for equipment with which I am unfamiliar. It is impossible to know the correct translation in some cases.

Take the seemingly straightforward sentence "It is light". The translation is different depending on the context.

It is light coming from the window.
It is light grey.
It is light and fluffy.
It is light and low in calories.

A few of my favorite challenges are German terms with opposite meanings. Ausgang can mean either "start" or "finish" and Einstellen can mean either "set up" or "shut down". You’ve got to know the context.

Ilka

Isn’t Ausgang (also) exit? I get really confused over there when I see Not Ausgang and can’t decide whether it is a way out or not!

Bryn

Does Ausgang translate as ‘outgoing’? If so, it’s easy to see how it can mean both ‘start’ and ‘finish.’

To ‘advance’ a date can be understood two ways: Make the event occur earlier in time or later in time.

When one sets back the clock in the fall, the clock is now advanced. Or is it?

[quote author=brynbaker link=board=idiom;num=1042814590;start=0#2 date=01/20/03 at 17:55:02]Isn’t Ausgang (also) exit? I get really confused over there when I see Not Ausgang and can’t decide whether it is a way out or not!

 I never thought of that. It’s definitely an exit for emergencies. There’s another sign for what you’re thinking that says Kein Ausgang!

Yes, Ausgang is literally "the outgoing". It is more correctly translated as "outlet, exit, output" than as "finish".

Ilka

Here’s another example.

Add the last item on the list. This could mean add the previous item or the final item.

Ilka

One of the interesting (as in ancient Chinese curse; may you live in interesting times) aspects of working in different languages is the tendency to recognise similarities that aid translation. And to omit the complete opposites that trip you up.

"Ich bin ein Berliner", Kennedy.

Bryn

interesting times,  and that’s supposed to be a curse?  Doesn’t sound like one to me, but then perhaps the meaning of that curse was different in context?
J.

Interesting times referred sometimes to war, revolutions, etc. There is a lot of suffering involved in that kind of events, there you have the curse.

Interesting times quote
According to this site, the expression is neither ancient, nor, Chinese, nor a curse.
J.

Good link! Well, I have been living with the wrong curse for many years !

[quote author=jmonro12 link=board=idiom;num=1042814590;start=0#9 date=01/27/03 at 22:31:39]Interesting times quote
According to this site, the expression is neither ancient, nor, Chinese, nor a curse.
J.

No, but it is a rather clever phrase.

OK so it is a lie.

But since that is what people say it must be just as valid as jeechet.

Bryn
PS ... and to my mind, worthwhile. BB

not a lie, just attributed to the wrong source.
J.

[quote author=jmonro12 link=board=idiom;num=1042814590;start=0#12 date=01/28/03 at 13:17:41]not a lie, just attributed to the wrong source.

Thanks for that. It is important to distinguish between a non-fact innocently used and a lie deliberately perpetrated. The papers never make that distinction for celebrities MPs. Some of them aren’t always lying.
Bryn

lol, there are many non facts running around.
J.

[quote author=jmonro12 link=board=idiom;num=1042814590;start=0#7 date=01/25/03 at 00:34:16]interesting times,  and that’s supposed to be a curse?  Doesn’t sound like one to me, but then perhaps the meaning of that curse was different in context?
J.

Interesting times as opposed to dull times.  As uncronopio implied, times of trouble are not dull.