Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
cedo al mito e scambio le pale
English translation:
...I harken back to the myth and take the (windmill) sails for the gangly arms of... etc
Added to glossary by
Lara Barnett
Dec 9, 2017 12:35
6 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Italian term
United Kingdom
www.lingocraft.co.uk
Native in: English (Variants: Scottish, Irish, Singaporean, UK, South African, British) 
Works in: French to English, Italian to English, Romanian to English, and 2 more.
cedo al mito e scambio le pale
Italian to English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Character-based fiction
I do not know what this is all about, is it some sort of suspension regarding the arms of a windmill? Or have I lost the plot?
Character has been driving around most of the night and now has a puncture in this car. He seems to have arrived at the outskirts of the city and is lost on a dirt track. Earlier on he saw a sign of a windmill symbol, which depicts an arrow in the place of the sails. So I assume this is related: (I am assuming windmill sails are what is meant by "pale".
In un momento di debolezza cedo al mito e scambio le pale che girano lentamente per le braccia ciondolanti di una fila di giganti. Mi stropiccio gli occhi. Accelero il passo. Ho l’affanno quando raggiungo i mulini.
Character has been driving around most of the night and now has a puncture in this car. He seems to have arrived at the outskirts of the city and is lost on a dirt track. Earlier on he saw a sign of a windmill symbol, which depicts an arrow in the place of the sails. So I assume this is related: (I am assuming windmill sails are what is meant by "pale".
In un momento di debolezza cedo al mito e scambio le pale che girano lentamente per le braccia ciondolanti di una fila di giganti. Mi stropiccio gli occhi. Accelero il passo. Ho l’affanno quando raggiungo i mulini.
Proposed translations
1 day 9 hrs
Michael Korovkin
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Works in field
Italy
Native in: English 
, Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, Italian to Russian, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
125
Selected
...I harken back to the myth and take the (windmill) sails for the gangly arms of... etc
1) I put THE myth because it's definitely Servantes (Don Quixote)
2) They can't all dangle (being constitutionally criss-cross). So let them be gangly...:)))
2) They can't all dangle (being constitutionally criss-cross). So let them be gangly...:)))
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
1 hr
I succumb to the myth and see the sails...as
Maybe there is a myth that the windmills (or turbines) change into giants or something
I succumb to the myth and see the sails...as
or
and exchange the sails ...for
He is imagining the sails of the windmills are like the dangling arms of giants
I succumb to the myth and see the sails...as
or
and exchange the sails ...for
He is imagining the sails of the windmills are like the dangling arms of giants
Discussion
It probably is a reference to Don Quixote, who tilted at windmills because he thought they were giants. I think the roadsign must have an arrow pointing to the windmills, rather than having an arrow in place of the sails.