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Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

a baloiçar levemente

English translation:

lightly swaying

Added to glossary by Oliver Simões
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Mar 28, 2022 02:51
2 yrs ago
17 viewers *
Portuguese term

a baloiçar levemente

Portuguese to English Other Poetry & Literature Science Fiction
T. levantou a cabeça e viu a maior parte dos homens-pássaro a baloiçar levemente por cima deles nos seus casacos de vento, à espera da corrida.

casacos de vento: feather coats

It is my understanding that most birdmen were flying over the boat racers. I translated the term as "swinging slightly", but my reviewer changed the verb to "landing". Not sure how they could land over the racers when they were competing, or why they would do that. There is no indication that this is what really happened.

As I compared my translation with the source text, I realize now that I mistranslated the term. "Swaying slightly" might have been a better choice. What do you guys think?

baloiçar: sacudir, oscilar (Priberam)

baloiçar: balouçar
balouçar: balançar
balançar: Mover(-se) de um lado para o outro; fazer oscilar ou oscilar; BALANCEAR(-SE); BALOUÇAR(-SE) (Aulete)

sway: move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backward and forward or from side to side.
"he swayed slightly on his feet"
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 teetering
4 rocking gently/gently rocking
Change log

Mar 28, 2022 14:22: Oliver Simões Created KOG entry

Mar 28, 2022 18:58: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "a baloiçar levemente"" to ""swaying slightly""

Discussion

Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
@Lara I know. But Barbara's suggestion was something else ("teetering"). Simone is the one who validated my translation in part ("swaying") and you came up with the other half. So the final outcome was a combination of several minds thinking. It wouldn't be fair to attribute points to anyone in particular IMHO. It would be great if ProZ allowed split points. There's room for improvement in their system.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
@Lara I know. But Barbara's suggestion was something else ("teetering"). Simone is the one who validated my answer. So the final outcome was a combination of several minds thinking. It would be fairer if ProZ allowed split points IMHO.
Lara Barnett Mar 28, 2022:
@ Oliver The system is set up also to award only 2 points, should only half your answer be addressed, rather than the more commonly used 4 points.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
@Lara Actually, I was the one who vented the possibility of "swaying" first. Since I picked my own translation, combined with "lightly" (suggested by you), plus the fact that Barbara's translation seems to be incomplete (adverb missing), I thought it was only fair to close without grading. :-)
Lara Barnett Mar 28, 2022:
@ Oliver Yes, and I notice that Barbara did actually suggest sway. I have agreed on that basis.
If you re-open the question, I think Barbara's contribution is definitely worth some points at least.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
Lara, You're absolutely right. I'll go with "lightly", since "leve" means "lightweight".
Lara Barnett Mar 28, 2022:
@ Oliver Other usage on the internet does not necessarily mean this is the ideal collocation to use for your context. "Slightly" and "lightly" have different nuances, depending on usage and context. English can actually be really rigid in terms of how nouns and adjectives are used together.
Barbara's suggestion of "gently" actually sounds perfect too, and we would use that in UK, probably more than either of the others.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
Barbara, Lara I considered other options, but ended up choosing "slightly" because it seems to be the closest in meaning. I've found many examples online that somehow validated my choice. https://www.google.com/search?q="swayed slightly"

levemente: https://translate.google.com/?sl=pt&tl=en&text=levemente&op=...

Thank you anyway.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
Barbara, Lara I considered other options, but ended up choosing "slightly". I've found many examples online that somehow validated my choice. Thank you, anyway.
Barbara Cochran, MFA Mar 28, 2022:
Gently Swaying Even if "lightly swaying" were the correct translation, in the US, we would say "gently swaying" for what you seem to be proposing.
Lara Barnett Mar 28, 2022:
Slgihtly I would use lightly rather than slightly here though, as in "lightly swaying".
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 28, 2022:
Simone, I do too, I think it fits the context better. "Baloiçar/balançar" also implies "oscilar".

"... during the early forenoon, as the bird swayed in the breeze far out on a green ten- dril of some vine." https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v01...

"Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, the bird swayed and the woman hurriedly wanted to control the direction of the bird.
https://inf.news/en/culture/c3b6c1eba69f1760fa12e3df69ab6033...

Personally, I like the way it sounds too. Thank you for confirming.
Simone Taylor Mar 28, 2022:
I agree to swaying slightly.

Proposed translations

4 hrs

rocking gently/gently rocking

rocking gently/gently rocking
Note from asker:
Thank you, Nick. I ended up picking my own.
Something went wrong...
+1
6 hrs

teetering

"Teeter" means "to sway a bit".

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/teeter
Note from asker:
Thank you, Barbara. I ended up picking my own.
Peer comment(s):
agree Lara Barnett : Sway.
8 hrs
Thank you, Lara.
Something went wrong...
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