The power of music as communication

[d halfnote]

 

For over a decade I've sought the translation of this song from Portugeuese to English.

I've not found it yet.

The intention of the story seems apparent but the fine points of slang/idioms have escaped all translators with which I've dealt.

 

If anyone can help, I thank you.

 

Beyond that, I seek to consider the power & ability of music to communicate outside the usual realms of our attention.

[EddiePlaysBass]

I seek to consider the power & ability of music to communicate outside the usual realms of our attention.

 

Like Facebook and Twitter?

 

:grin:

 

Sorry man, don't speak Portuguese.

[Phil W]

I'll ask Mu Carvalho, through Facebook.

[d halfnote]

I'm mystified that translations of Brazilian siongs seem so difficult (I've had the same prob with songs by Jorge Ben).

 

My larger point, beyond the literalitty of the song, is the power of music as emotional communication.

The vocals are stunning, to me, from the Howlin' Wolfish moans Costa interjects to the sublime exchanges between the male & female leads.

 

& DIG THAT BASSIST !

The slap that is put on some notes & the bends on some---

[Eric Iverson]

I've enjoyed Gal Costa for years.

 

Yes, it's very hard to translate slang expressions not found in dictionaries, unless you have native speakers to discuss them with. (Some you can get off the Internet.)

Then there's the fact that sometimes there are plays on words, alliteration (Peter Piper picked...) etc. and cases where the sound of the words is at least as important as the meaning.

And then it's STILL hard to make them fit the music in the other language.

 

I used to have translate English songs into Spanish and perform them, and you often COULD NOT do so literally without ending up with a dozen extra syllables, which of course don't fit the melody very well. Time to paraphrase...

 

If you read the subtitles to movies, they are paraphrases as often as not, BTW. Getting the gist across, but not literal.