Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Portuguese term or phrase:
qual princesa (in this context)
English translation:
as a princess
Added to glossary by
lexical
Aug 16, 2009 13:46
14 yrs ago
Portuguese term
qual princesa (in this context)
Portuguese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
This is part of a line from the poem "Camoes e D. Branca" by Almeida Garrett. My problem is that I'm not sure I'm interpreting "qual" correctly in this context.
Here's the whole extract:
"Em tôda a pompa e luxo de suas galas
Sintra, a formosa Sintra se amostrava
Ao monarca das luzes - **qual princesa**
Do Oriente ao régio noivo se apresenta,
Voluptuosos perfumes exalando
Das longas sêdas com que brinca o zéfiro."
Which I am rendering so far as:
"In all the pomp and luxury of her formal dress
Sintra, comely Sintra, displays herself
To the monarch of the lights – which princess
From the East displays herself to the royal bridegroom,
..."
In other words, "which princess from the East" is equivalent to "who".
Opinions - and suggestions for making "which princess" less clumsy - would be gratefully received.
Here's the whole extract:
"Em tôda a pompa e luxo de suas galas
Sintra, a formosa Sintra se amostrava
Ao monarca das luzes - **qual princesa**
Do Oriente ao régio noivo se apresenta,
Voluptuosos perfumes exalando
Das longas sêdas com que brinca o zéfiro."
Which I am rendering so far as:
"In all the pomp and luxury of her formal dress
Sintra, comely Sintra, displays herself
To the monarch of the lights – which princess
From the East displays herself to the royal bridegroom,
..."
In other words, "which princess from the East" is equivalent to "who".
Opinions - and suggestions for making "which princess" less clumsy - would be gratefully received.
Proposed translations
(English)
3 +5 | as a princess |
delveneto
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4 +4 | like a princess |
Adriana Maciel
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3 | what a princess |
katiededman
![]() |
Proposed translations
+5
3 mins
Selected
as a princess
My guess.
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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2009-08-17 17:22:53 GMT) Post-grading
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You're welcome, lexical.
Thank you, too.
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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2009-08-17 17:22:53 GMT) Post-grading
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You're welcome, lexical.
Thank you, too.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Thais Castanheira
: acho que soa mais de acordo com o texto, mais poético :)
11 mins
|
Obrigado, Thais.
|
|
agree |
Silvia Aquino
23 mins
|
Obrigado, Silvia.
|
|
agree |
Vitals
7 hrs
|
Thank you, Vitals.
|
|
agree |
Evans (X)
: it is "as" in the sense of "in the same way as". Suggesting Sintra displays itself much as a princess would... so it is not really that the town is being compared directly to the princess, i.e. that it is like a princess.
18 hrs
|
Grato Gilla.
|
|
agree |
axies
: qual e tal, therefore ''as''
22 hrs
|
Obrigado, Manuel. Ou "tal como".
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I think "as" is the best solution in the context, as Gilla explains. Thanks for your help and interest."
+4
4 mins
like a princess
"qual" in this context does not mean "which" - it is a comparison
Note from asker:
Thank you for filling a lamentable hole in my knowledge, Adriana. |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Marlene Curtis
1 hr
|
Obrigada
|
|
agree |
Katarina Peters
1 hr
|
Obrigada
|
|
neutral |
kashew
: Is she a princess or not?
3 hrs
|
I don't think so. I believe she's being compared to one.
|
|
agree |
Vitals
7 hrs
|
Obrigada
|
|
agree |
José Crespo
: no doubt
21 hrs
|
22 hrs
what a princess
Another option maybe?
Discussion
So, Sintra is actually the city where the famous Castelo de Sintra is? How didn't i think of that? :-)
Nesse caso, penso que "like" é mais adequado que "as". "Qual" está funcionando como a palavra "como". A cidade se apresentava ao monarca das luzes da mesma forma que uma princesa do oriente ao régio noivo se apresenta.... etc. ou "como uma princesa do oriente...".
"As" não seria incorreto, a meu ver, mas eu optaria por "like" ou algum outro tipo de construção tipo "... the same way...", etc.