Help with translation - Italian Online community

altay · #1 10-23-2009, 05:20 PM

I don't speak any Italian, but I have an Italian song I really enjoy, and I'd like to know what it means. I used various translation tools to get a general idea of what it means, but I'm not sure how accurate my "translation" is. I'd appreciate it if someone could take the time to let me know if I mistranslated any of the phrases. Thanks!

Original:

Quote:

Uomo moderno, vivere bene; avere soldi e piaceri.
Voler ballare, ma non pensare. Oggi è tutto; non c'è domani.
Uomo moderno, mangiare bene; stomaco pieno, il suo dio.
Fare sesso come animali; solo se stesso su un trono assoluto.
Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno.

Uomo moderno, essere forte.
Con le mass-media martellare la coscienza.
Amare soldi, comprare tutto, vestiti nuovi, una macchina veloce.
Uomo moderno, si abbellire. Eliminare i deboli, i brutti.
Soffocare il suo universo, annegare tutte le stelle.
Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno.

In questa giungla dalla vita primo essere io.
Usare e gettare chi mi circondare è tutto mio.
In questa gara amara della nostra esistenza...
imparare la la legge della giungla per la sopravvivenza.

Uomo moderno, non si fermare. Odia il silenzio, sempre vuol andare.
Sapere tutto, conosce niente; buio totale lui brancolare.
Uomo moderno, vedere libri. Chiedere davvero se venire dalle scimmie.
Ma il gorilla essere offeso con ciò che uomo chiamare il progresso.
Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno.

Uomo moderno avere tutto, ma alla fine, avere niente.
Dimenticare vero amore; vivere per anni con un petto senza cuore.
Uomo moderno, stare molto male; anima sua morire dalla fame.
Idoli rotti, non conosce Dio. Striscia nel fango, perso in se stesso.
Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno. Uomo moderno.

My translation:

Quote:

Modern man, living well; having money and pleasures.
Wanting to dance, but not to think. Today he is all, there is no tomorrow.
Modern man, eating well; A full stomach, his God.
Having sex like animals; all by himself on a dead throne.
Modern man. Modern man.

Modern man, being strong.
With the mass-media beating down his conscience.
Loving money, buying everything, wearing new clothes, a swift machine.
Modern man, embellishing himself. Eliminating the weak, the ugly.
Suffocating his universe, drowning all the stars.
Modern man. Modern man.

In this jungle, from the beings, primary am I.
My surroundings are mine to use and trash.
In this bitter fight for our existence...
Learning the law of the jungle for survival.

Modern man, not stopping himself. Hating the silence, always wanting to go.
Knowing all knowledge, knowing nobody; total darkness grips him.
Modern man, selling books. Actually asking if he comes from the ape.
But the gorilla is offended at what man calls Evolution.
Modern man. Modern man.

Modern man has everything, but in the end has nothing.
Dismissing true love; living every year with a chest without a heart.
Modern man, remaining very evil; his soul dying from the success.
Idolatrous routes, not aware of God. Stripe in the mud, lost in himself.
Modern man. Modern man. Modern man. Modern man.

Giacomo · #2 10-23-2009, 05:26 PM

Welcome to our forum! Benvenuto!

I didn't read every word but it sounds like the translation you have is a pretty good one.

Enzoxxx24 · #3 10-24-2009, 10:28 AM

Hello Altay

I read the lyrics, and I can tell you that is written in Italian incorrect, certainly at the behest of the author.

Some phrases have a meaning very vague, almost abstract, so they are difficult to translate perfectly.

I corrected something from your translation, and this is the result:

Quote:

Modern man, living well; having money and pleasures.
Wanting to dance, but not to think. Today he is all, there is no tomorrow.
Modern man, eating well; A full stomach, his God.
Having sex like animals; only himself on a absolute throne
Modern man. Modern man.

Modern man, being strong.
With the mass-media beating down the conscience.
Loving money, buying everything, new clothes, a swift machine.
Modern man, embellishing himself. Eliminating the weak, the ugly.
Suffocating his universe, drowning all the stars.
Modern man. Modern man.

In this jungle, from the beings, primary am I.
using and trash, all sorround me is mine.
In this bitter fight for our existence...
Learning the law of the jungle for survival.

Modern man, not stopping himself. Hating the silence, always wanting to go.
Knowing all knowledge, knowing nothing; total darkness grips him.
Modern man, selling books. Actually asking if he comes from the ape
But the gorilla is offended at what man calls Evolution.
Modern man. Modern man.

Modern man has everything, but in the end has nothing.
Dismissing true love; living every year with a chest without a heart.
Modern man, feel very bad; his soul starve
Broken Idols, don't know God. Stripe in the mud, lost in himself.
Modern man. Modern man. Modern man. Modern man.

Ciao

Giacomo · #4 10-24-2009, 04:15 PM

The translator did make a few mistakes and if I had read more carefuly the first time I would have caught them. For example: He thinks that "fame" means "success" when it really means "hunger." He thinks that "niente" means nobody when it means "no one". He is using "rotti" as a noun meaning "routes" when it is actually a past particple meaning "broken"

Now, I suppose you could make an argument about the difference between "know God" and "not aware of god" or "only himself" and "all by himself" or "new clothes" vs. "wearing new clothes" but those things are relatively minor.

Enzoxxx24 · #5 10-24-2009, 04:51 PM

I helped Altay since he had asked

Quote:

I'd appreciate it if someone could take the time to let me know if I mistranslated any of the phrases. Thanks!

Yes, the translation was almost correct. I correct some word because its completely change the meaning (ex. "Idolatrous routes" vs. "Broken Idoles").

So, in Italy there is a proverb that says: "Sbagliando si impara" / "make a mistake is a way to learn"

Bye