Jun 26, 2003 17:25
20 yrs ago
Italian term
Works in: Italian to English, English to Italian
elaterio della facolta' di astrazione
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Vengo qui a studiare su di voi frati 'l'elaterio della facolta' d'astrazione'.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | the purgative of the faculty of abstraction. |
Jonathan Widell
|
Proposed translations
54 mins
Jonathan Widell
Canada
Canada
Canada
Translations from start to Finnish
Native in: Finnish 
Works in: English to Finnish, French to Finnish, Dutch to Finnish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
the purgative of the faculty of abstraction.
"Le mot grec elaterion veut dire purgatif". (Use the Google, the article has been removed: the context seems to be the meaning of the scientific name of the cucumber.)
Purgative means strongly laxative (URL 1).
But purgative is also a philosophical term: Aristotle, according to Nietzsche's Antichrist, regarded tragedy as the purgative: "Aristotle, as every one knows, saw in pity a sickly and dangerous state of mind, the remedy for which was an occasional purgative: he regarded tragedy as that purgative." (URL 2)
Since purgative is used in this meaning in English, I think it would be the best translation of elaterio.
Purgative means strongly laxative (URL 1).
But purgative is also a philosophical term: Aristotle, according to Nietzsche's Antichrist, regarded tragedy as the purgative: "Aristotle, as every one knows, saw in pity a sickly and dangerous state of mind, the remedy for which was an occasional purgative: he regarded tragedy as that purgative." (URL 2)
Since purgative is used in this meaning in English, I think it would be the best translation of elaterio.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you! I was unaware that "elaterio" could also mean "purgative." This works perfectly in the context of the story!"
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