Re: odd phrase/translation exercise

On Wednesday 09 February 2005 06:10 pm, Mark J. Reed wrote:
> HEre in the US there is a submarine sandwich chain called "Quizno's",
> with an Italian theme, known for toasting its sandwiches.
Good places. :)


> On the wall in every one of its locations I've seen, there are several
> painted-on posters. One of them is a cartoony painting of a waiter
> looking back at you with a caption that says "Non sapevo che tu fossi
> filosofo".  This is Italian for "I didn't know that you were a
> philosopher".
>
> It sounds like a typical waiter snarky comeback to a patron, but I was
> wondering if that particular phrase or picture had any significance
> anyone knew about?  Some reference I'm missing?
>
> I also thought it'd make a good translation exercise, especially for a
> romlang. :)
Veldan, non-snarky translation, acknowledging a previously unknown
fact:

U nenúam sa arólacmemfileste.

(Translating "philosopher" literally per its roots.)

Veldan, snarky translation, ridiculing someone who is claiming more
than is believed:

U nenúam sa éste ólacmemfiléstés. :)

The second is marked by the subjunctive éste (expressing a contrary to
fact condition) and by switching to be + agent instead of using the
simple verb (thus making the language more elaborate than strictly
necessary).


CKR
cian@cox-internet.com