Translation Exercise • 29

La traduzione, come metodo di esercizio nell’apprendimento di una lingua, farà sicuramente parte della vecchia scuola, però, inserita in un contesto più vario di apprendimento, soprattutto con feedback in tempo reale, può sempre essere un utile esercizio di allenamento.

Consiglio una partecipazione attiva e visibile postando la tua versione tra i commenti in fondo a questa pagina. In questo modo riceverai un mio commento o suggerimento in tempo più o meno reale. Ma per chi non se la sente, si può semplicemente annotare la propria versione e controllarla attraverso i miei commenti lasciati per gli altri.

Ecco la nuova frase:

Hai idea da quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti è nel frigo?

Buon divertimento!

Puoi esercitarti quanto vuoiQUI


Your comments are always very welcome.


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Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987.

39 thoughts on “Translation Exercise • 29”

  1. Do you have an idea about how long this forgotten pickle’s can is in in the fridge?

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    1. Alcuni appunti qui da notare, Luca:
      1) davanti a pronomi interrogativi (anche se non è una domanda) la preposizione salta.
      Do you have any idea who/where/what/why ecc.
      2) il genitivo sassone non va con “cose” generalmente. Si potrebbe ipotizzare “pickle” (singolare” come aggettivo, ma potrebbe dare l’idea di un contenitore vuoto. Resta solo la forma “piena” – “forgotten jar of pickles”.
      3) IMPORTANTE: qui si tratta di una “duration form” (inizia nel passato e continua nel presente) e viene espresso in inglese con il present perfect e non con il present simple. Quindi non “is” all fine ma “has been”.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Manu. very good sentence construction.
      Just a couple of small points:
      1) missed ❎ forgotten ✅
      2) pickles jar ❎ jar of pickles ✅

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  2. Hi Prof, so ” Any idea how long this pickle jar has been left behind in the fridge?”

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      1. It was that “dimenticato” that made me add that behind, I think that in the Italian version too is superfluous. Thanks Prof.

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          1. And is this not the case Prof? I mean, someone has not taken the jar with him. You’ve used “abbandonato” so I thought that “left behind” was the right choice. Anyway it’s just a minimal difference. Thanks

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                  1. Actually, I didn’t use “abandonato” but “dimenticato”. 😉
                    I accepted “abandoned” in the English version because I thought it was quite amusing and something that we would say for fun.

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      1. Indeed! The rest is fine, although I think we would probably use “jar” here (vetro) and not “can” (latta).

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  3. Hai idea da quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti è nel frigo?
    Do you have any idea how long this forgotten jar of pickles has been in the fridge?

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  4. Good afternoon prof
    My attempt:
    * Have you any idea how much longer this forgotten pickles jar has been in the fridge?

    Thanks 🔆

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    1. Why “how much longer”, Nadia? Why not simply “how long”?
      Be careful with “pickles jar”! It should be “pickle jar” if you are talking about a jar FOR pickles, because “pickle” in that case would be functioning as an adjective and adjectives have no plural form. However, in this case you are talking about a jar OF pickles and consequently you are obliged to use the full form, “forgotten jar of pickles” (think: wine glass / glass of wine).

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  5. Hai idea da quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti è nel frigo?
    Hi prof,
    Have you got any idea how long has this forgotten pickle jar been in the fridge?

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    1. Wait!
      I have just taken a glimpse at the other’s versions.
      It is an indirect question so…
      …………….how long this……… Has been in the fridge…😁🙄

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      1. You corrected yourself just in time, Roby. I was getting my whip out! 😉
        However, I don’t really think you can use “pickle jar” here as that would be a jar FOR pickles and not a jar OF pickles (think: wine glass / glass of wine).

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  6. Hai idea di quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti e nel frigo?
    Do you have any idea how long this jar of pickles has been in the fridge?

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  7. Hai idea da quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti è nel frigo?
    Do you have any idea (of/about) how long this jar of pickles has been abandoned in the fridge?

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    1. Sorry..
      Do you have any idea (of/about) how long this abandoned jar of pickles is in the fridge?

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      1. Hi Anita 🙂
        There is no preposition before interrogative pronouns. So:
        Do you have any idea where/who/when etc.

        Your first version is actually perfectly all right with that present perfect passive in the second part and the use of the verb “abandon” – quite an amusing choice! 😉

        In your second version you have chosen to use “abandoned” as an adjective, which is also fine, but you have forgotten to put that final verb into the present perfect as you did in your first version.

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  8. Hai idea da quanto tempo questo barattolo dimenticato di sottoaceti è nel frigo?
    Have you got any idea how long this forgotten jar of pickles has been in the fridge?

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    1. Hi there!
      “Gotten” is not used with “have” in the present, at least not in British English.
      If you chose to use “forgetten” as a passive verb here, and not as an adjective, then you should use the present perfect and not the past simple, Personally, I would use “forgotten” as an adjective and then the verb “to be”, as in the Italian original, but with the present perfect and not the present since it is a “duration form”. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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