Apr 3, 2013 14:49
11 yrs ago
Italian term
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
ondeggiante tra il bello passabile ed il brutto assoluto
Italian to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Autobiography
Contesto:
Una famiglia di israeliti americani di New York, Anspacker, con una figlia Dorris, ondeggiante tra il bello passabile ed il brutto assoluto, alla quale i genitori facevano loro meglio per procurare, attraverso invite a gite ed a pranzi, una cornice sociale che, in verità, Dorris subiva con molta grazia.
Molte Grazie,
Barbara
Una famiglia di israeliti americani di New York, Anspacker, con una figlia Dorris, ondeggiante tra il bello passabile ed il brutto assoluto, alla quale i genitori facevano loro meglio per procurare, attraverso invite a gite ed a pranzi, una cornice sociale che, in verità, Dorris subiva con molta grazia.
Molte Grazie,
Barbara
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+1
2 hrs
Selected
who swung between fairly acceptable and dowright ugly
forse piu' letterale
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Grazie."
+3
9 mins
Tom in London
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Architecture, design, technical, etc.
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
227
who varied from fairly acceptable to absolutely ugly
- or some variation thereof. A touch of irony is required, which I hope can be discerned in this suggestion
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2013-04-03 14:59:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
- in other words, in the space of a single day she could range from fairly acceptable to absolutely ugly
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2013-04-03 14:59:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
depending on the light, I suppose.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2013-04-03 14:59:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
- in other words, in the space of a single day she could range from fairly acceptable to absolutely ugly
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2013-04-03 14:59:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
depending on the light, I suppose.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
P.L.F. Persio
: and on the makeup; well done, Tom.
3 mins
|
|
:)
|
|
| agree |
Daniela Zambrini
: hehe...that's how I feel :D
4 hrs
|
|
I don't believe you :)
|
|
| agree |
Cristina Gonzalez
: I love the "ondeggiante..." ...way too funny...
19 hrs
|
14 mins
who, on a good day was not quite a looker but on a bad day was downright homely,
Not a direct translation, but you get the idea.
4 hrs
Josephine Cassar
Malta
Malta
Native in English
Works in field
Malta
12 yrs. experience translating EU stuff
Native in: English (Variants: UK, British) , Maltese
Works in: English to Maltese, Italian to Maltese, French to Maltese, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
63
Who balanced the wandering/meandering between the fairly acceptable and the downright ugly
Tried to balance as could not do otherwise
Discussion