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Translation - Latin-French - custos, quid noctis?

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This text is available in the following languages: LatinFrench

Category Sentence

This translation request is "Meaning only".
Title
custos, quid noctis?
Text
Submitted by angela.massoni
Source language: Latin

custos, quid noctis?

Title
Veilleur, où en est la nuit?
Translation
French

Translated by goncin
Target language: French

Veilleur, où en est la nuit?
Last validated or edited by Francky5591 - 12 July 2008 00:03





Latest messages

Author
Message

11 July 2008 09:43

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
It would be used with an adjective, eg : "quid novis" : "quoi de neuf", I would know how to translate this short Latin sentence, here I just can't find any translation that would avoid using a verb without it to be wrong. We don't say that in French ("quoi en fait de la nuit".

Context leads to some possible translation like "rien à signaler cette nuit?", as it is a question that is addressed to a sentinel.

But it is still lacking some context, as it is not obvious to know wether this question is about the night which is going to come, or about the night that just ended, unless the question is asked in the middle of the night.

Without any comment and/or context, it is a loose text...


11 July 2008 19:41

goncin
Number of messages: 3706

11 July 2008 20:53

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
Yes, I was saying that in French you didn't say "quoi en fait de la nuit", nor "quoi de la nuit", and my suggestion was "rien à signaler cette nuit?", or "rien à signaler de la nuit?".

11 July 2008 21:11

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
to be a bit more precise, even if "quid + genitive" has to do with quantity, I don't think it is translatable with any notion of quantity, or if it is we miss some context. It is not about any number of nights, noctis being at singular, so it probably has to do with what the sentinel was supposed to watch during the night.

So my suggestion was serious. I wouldn't have translated it myself, as I don't like those short texts without any context, when one translate such text no one can say if the translation is accurate, because there's nothing to rely on.

I would have seen this text earlier, I would have set it in "meaning only", because a "meaning only" translation from it is all the requester should get.

Lilian and Cisa, please keep in mind that "quoi en fait de la nuit" is something that is not said in French, I tried to explain why in my first post but apparently you didn't read it, or I guess you would have trusted what I said above.

11 July 2008 21:15

goncin
Number of messages: 3706
OK, Francky. I think the poll shoud be reset now.

CC: Francky5591

11 July 2008 21:19

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
I'd edit with "rien à signaler cette nuit?' if you agree, and I'd not reset the poll, but directly validate. But I'll set the source-text in "meaning only" as it is all what can be done with such a text.

11 July 2008 21:34

lilian canale
Number of messages: 14972
Hey Francky, why are you addressing me???
I have nothing to do with this translation, do I?

11 July 2008 21:34

lilian canale
Number of messages: 14972
OOps!

CC: Francky5591

11 July 2008 21:40

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
I thought I saw your vote on it telling the translation was right, as well as Cisa's, did I hallucinate?

11 July 2008 21:46

lilian canale
Number of messages: 14972
Did I really vote on a Latin-French translation?
I think I pressed the wrong ball, since I usually vote "I don't know" on Latin translations.

11 July 2008 23:59

pirulito
Number of messages: 1180
Veilleur, où en est la nuit?

Cf. Pierre-Yves Petillon, L'Europe aux anciens parapets, 1986.

12 July 2008 00:03

Francky5591
Number of messages: 12396
Thanks a lot, pirulito, I'll edit with that, it is a lot better!