Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
balena bianca
English translation:
white whale (Moby Dick)
Added to glossary by
Emanuela Galdelli
Nov 13, 2004 08:47
19 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Italian term
balena bianca
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
sayings, idioms
Le crociate da alcuni studiosi sono state definite una “balena bianca” nella storia d’Europa e per comprendere le ragioni della sua materializzazione occorre in primo luogo esaminare il contesto storico, politico e religioso che ha determinato i contrastanti rapporti tra medio oriente ed Europa nel mediterraneo. Is this an Italian saying? I have the feeling it might mean something new, arousing curiosity because it is unusual, but would like confirmation or an equivalent English saying if at all possible, thanks! SUE
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +4 | white whale (Moby Dick) |
Michele Fauble
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| 4 | the white elephant |
swisstell
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| 1 | see under |
Monique Laville
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Change log
Nov 18, 2010 07:29: Emanuela Galdelli changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/84556">Michele Fauble's</a> old entry - "balena bianca (in this context)"" to ""white whale (Moby Dick)""
Nov 18, 2010 07:29: Emanuela Galdelli changed "Term asked" from "balena bianca (in this context)" to "balena bianca"
Proposed translations
+4
12 mins
Michele Fauble
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Native English
Native in: English 
Works in: Norwegian to English, Danish to English, Swedish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Italian term (edited):
balena bianca (in this context)
Selected
white whale (Moby Dick)
Inseguendo la balena bianca da Moby ...
www.teatrocomunaleferrara.it/ pag1/lestagioni/ragazzi/0102/balenabianca.html
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Note added at 19 mins (2004-11-13 09:06:53 GMT)
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... La Balena Bianca nuotava davanti a lui come l’ossessiva incarnazione di tutte quelle forze maligne da cui alcuni uomini profondi si sentono divorati, finché ...
www.superdante.it/inside.asp?id=671
Everybody has a white whale to catch, that elusive goal that, if
we\'re not careful, can turn into an unhealthy obsession. For ...
www.zwire.com/site/myzwire.cfm?BRD=1091& dept_id=343157&newsid=13192706&PAG=461&rfi=9
... world, the oil-producing world, the Arab world, the Middle East--those areas ... was a man possessed with an obsessional drive to pursue the white whale which had ...
www.matrixmasters.com/ wtc/esaid/progintvw/progintvw.html
... terrorism campaign we have undertaken\" and risk \"an Armageddon in the Middle East.\". ... obsessive character of a Captain Ahab in pursuit of the great white whale. ...
www.peacecouncil.net/pnl/02/714/714StalkingMoby.htm
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Note added at 26 mins (2004-11-13 09:13:55 GMT)
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... Il problema è questo: la crociata è una sorta di Moby Dick, di balena bianca nella
storia dell’Occidente. Si dice crociate e quindi Medioevo, è tanto vero ...
web.genie.it/utenti/e/enigmagalgano/ contributi/Tempi_di_Crociate/cardini.html
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Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2004-11-13 10:13:39 GMT)
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...crociata, che Cardini, membro del comitato scientifico, definisce melvillianamente «una balena bianca nella storia ...
www.giornaledibrescia.it/ giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTURA/T2.html
www.teatrocomunaleferrara.it/ pag1/lestagioni/ragazzi/0102/balenabianca.html
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Note added at 19 mins (2004-11-13 09:06:53 GMT)
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... La Balena Bianca nuotava davanti a lui come l’ossessiva incarnazione di tutte quelle forze maligne da cui alcuni uomini profondi si sentono divorati, finché ...
www.superdante.it/inside.asp?id=671
Everybody has a white whale to catch, that elusive goal that, if
we\'re not careful, can turn into an unhealthy obsession. For ...
www.zwire.com/site/myzwire.cfm?BRD=1091& dept_id=343157&newsid=13192706&PAG=461&rfi=9
... world, the oil-producing world, the Arab world, the Middle East--those areas ... was a man possessed with an obsessional drive to pursue the white whale which had ...
www.matrixmasters.com/ wtc/esaid/progintvw/progintvw.html
... terrorism campaign we have undertaken\" and risk \"an Armageddon in the Middle East.\". ... obsessive character of a Captain Ahab in pursuit of the great white whale. ...
www.peacecouncil.net/pnl/02/714/714StalkingMoby.htm
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2004-11-13 09:13:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
... Il problema è questo: la crociata è una sorta di Moby Dick, di balena bianca nella
storia dell’Occidente. Si dice crociate e quindi Medioevo, è tanto vero ...
web.genie.it/utenti/e/enigmagalgano/ contributi/Tempi_di_Crociate/cardini.html
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2004-11-13 10:13:39 GMT)
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...crociata, che Cardini, membro del comitato scientifico, definisce melvillianamente «una balena bianca nella storia ...
www.giornaledibrescia.it/ giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTURA/T2.html
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Giles Watson
: It might be clearer to say "an obsession (like Captain Ahab's white whale)". The reference is certainly to a comment by Franco Cardini: http://www.giornaledibrescia.it/giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTU...
1 hr
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Thanks. I would hope that educated English speakers would be familiar with the symbolism of "the great white whale".
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| agree |
Laurel Porter (X)
1 hr
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Thanks
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| agree |
Kim Metzger
4 hrs
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thanks
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| agree |
tr. (X)
: elusive, hard to define - "realtà proteiforme, fonte inesauribile di metafore, mito, oggetto infinito di apologie, condanne, polemiche e malintesi capace di riproporsi in situazioni diverse" http://www.identitaeuropea.org/iniziative/cardini_crociata.h...
6 hrs
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thanks
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for all your time, links and help on this one. Giles liked the "...". SUE"
3 mins
Italian term (edited):
balena bianca (in this context)
the white elephant
in English, one is not talking of a "white whale" but much more
commonly of the "White Elephant" - with the same eventual meaning.
commonly of the "White Elephant" - with the same eventual meaning.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Will Matter
1 min
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grazie, Bill, (also still or already up?)
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| disagree |
Michele Fauble
: The reference is to Moby Dick, the white whale that symbolizes an obsession.
25 mins
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37 mins
Italian term (edited):
balena bianca (in this context)
see under
Yes this is an italian saying. This is how the ex-DC political party was named "la balena bianca".
"quando si pensa alla balena bianca vengono in mente due cose: il romanzo omonimo di Melville da un lato, la definizione giornalistica e massmediologica del partito democristiano dall'altro. Mettiamo da parte questo secondo significato, troppo tipicamente " all'italiana". ..."
Probably, it generally refers to something huge, the presence of which can be noticed or observed in various places at nearly the same time. I don't know if this can apply to your context, but I think that it can be helpful to understand its meaning.
"quando si pensa alla balena bianca vengono in mente due cose: il romanzo omonimo di Melville da un lato, la definizione giornalistica e massmediologica del partito democristiano dall'altro. Mettiamo da parte questo secondo significato, troppo tipicamente " all'italiana". ..."
Probably, it generally refers to something huge, the presence of which can be noticed or observed in various places at nearly the same time. I don't know if this can apply to your context, but I think that it can be helpful to understand its meaning.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Michele Fauble
: It refers to something with which one is obsessed, in this case an obsession with the Crusades in European history.
15 mins
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Discussion