atroci

English translation: depicting atrocities is itself an atrocity

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:raccontare atrocità rende atroci
English translation:depicting atrocities is itself an atrocity
Entered by: philgoddard

21:34 Aug 5, 2013
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Photography/Imaging (& Graphic Arts) / Preface to a photography book on drug trafficking
Italian term or phrase: atroci
Osservare è diventare parte. Raccontare atrocità rende atroci. “Se guarderai a lungo nell’abisso, l’abisso guarderà dentro di te”, scrisse Nietzsche.

How could that best be translated? Thanks.
Charles Searson
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:20
is itself an atrocity
Explanation:
To depict an atrocity is itself an atrocity.
You could also say "is to become a part of it" or "is to collude in it," but then you lose the neat repetition of the Italian.
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thanks, think this was the neatest. Charles
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1To tell of atrocities is to become one yourself.
James (Jim) Davis
4is itself an atrocity
philgoddard
4evil
cilantro
3means becoming atrocious
cynthiatesser
3makes you become atrocious
J Tomkowicz


  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
is itself an atrocity


Explanation:
To depict an atrocity is itself an atrocity.
You could also say "is to become a part of it" or "is to collude in it," but then you lose the neat repetition of the Italian.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thanks, think this was the neatest. Charles
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
means becoming atrocious


Explanation:
Telling something atrocious means becoming atrocious

cynthiatesser
Italy
Local time: 06:20
Native speaker of: Italian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  James (Jim) Davis: My mother frequently used to describe my behaviour as "atrocious", but thankfully never accused me of an atrocity.
41 mins
  -> Well, that was a figurative use of the word. I do not think it would be misunderstood in this context
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
makes you become atrocious


Explanation:
IMHO: telling atrocities makes you become atrocious.

J Tomkowicz
Italy
Local time: 06:20
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in SwedishSwedish
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
evil


Explanation:
Even simpler in English. The same word is both a noun and an adverb (and an adjective).

Example sentence(s):
  • Witnessing a scene also makes us participants. Retelling evil makes us evil.
  • As Nietzsche said: "And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you..."
cilantro
Israel
Local time: 08:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 8
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Raccontare atrocità rende atroci
To tell of atrocities is to become one yourself.


Explanation:
To tell of atrocities is to become one yourself.
Raccontare atrocità rende atroci.

It isn't easy to match the brevity of the Italian here.

James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 09:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  darwilliam: I prefer this one best
3 hrs
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