Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
la base es el conjunto
English translation:
coming from a political system based on groups/teamwork...
Added to glossary by
teju
Sep 9, 2010 18:38
13 yrs ago
Spanish term
United States
servicios para autores académicos
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
la base es el conjunto
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
I don't know if the author was just writing fast and hence the repetition or if he intentionally used "base" 3 times. I really don't know what it means in the phrase above... TIA!
Forman un razonamiento progresivo donde ***la base*** es siempre la misma: la idea de que el individuo es ***la base*** de la voz del escritor y la literatura. . . . Entiendo que viniendo de un sistema político donde ***la base es el conjunto*** y se elimina toda posibilidad de individualiadad a la persona, Gao Xingjian tiene claro que como escritor su voz le pertenece a él y la literatura o el escritor no pueden representar intereses de grupos de personas.
Forman un razonamiento progresivo donde ***la base*** es siempre la misma: la idea de que el individuo es ***la base*** de la voz del escritor y la literatura. . . . Entiendo que viniendo de un sistema político donde ***la base es el conjunto*** y se elimina toda posibilidad de individualiadad a la persona, Gao Xingjian tiene claro que como escritor su voz le pertenece a él y la literatura o el escritor no pueden representar intereses de grupos de personas.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Sep 13, 2010 01:30: teju Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
1 hr
Selected
coming from a political system based on groups/teamwork...
At your request:
I think the repetition was intentional to draw attention to this point they all have in common. That third time that it appears (la base es el conjunto) could be translated differently if you wish. It sounds idiomatic to say "coming from a political system based on groups/teamwork, where any possibility of individuality is quashed/eliminated/repressed..."
Saludos :)
I think the repetition was intentional to draw attention to this point they all have in common. That third time that it appears (la base es el conjunto) could be translated differently if you wish. It sounds idiomatic to say "coming from a political system based on groups/teamwork, where any possibility of individuality is quashed/eliminated/repressed..."
Saludos :)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I wish I could split the pts! I thought Simon's idea of "starting point" was good. Thanks, Teju!"
+2
4 mins
Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Related KudoZ points
:
151
the basis is the group
the individual is the basis for the voice of the writer and literature... a political system in which the basis is the group...
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Note added at 5 mins (2010-09-09 18:44:18 GMT)
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or perhaps 'starting point' rather than basis?
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Note added at 5 mins (2010-09-09 18:44:18 GMT)
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or perhaps 'starting point' rather than basis?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
amendozachisum
: agree, I suggest "foundation" to avoid using basis so many times
10 mins
|
| agree |
teju
: I was going to propose foundation as an answer when I saw that a colleague had already suggested it. I think your other suggestion "starting point" works very well too.
24 mins
|
59 mins
Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
315
Spanish term (edited):
un sistema político donde la base es el conjunto
a community-based political system
referring to Communism.
Here, the only reason I can think of for intentional repetition of "base" is perhaps for rhetoric, but that doesn't really fit here. In fact, I think (perhaps wrongly!) that the repetition works rather better in Spanish than it would in English - which is I'd try to vary the vocab if poss.
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Note added at 1 hr (2010-09-09 19:40:11 GMT)
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...oops, sorry! ... which is WHY I'd try to vary the vocab...
Here, the only reason I can think of for intentional repetition of "base" is perhaps for rhetoric, but that doesn't really fit here. In fact, I think (perhaps wrongly!) that the repetition works rather better in Spanish than it would in English - which is I'd try to vary the vocab if poss.
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Note added at 1 hr (2010-09-09 19:40:11 GMT)
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...oops, sorry! ... which is WHY I'd try to vary the vocab...
1 hr
Maria Martinez Sanchez
Native in Spanish
&
English
bumblebee128
Native in: Spanish 
, English
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
the definition of "base" changes throuout the parragraph. Please take a look at the explanation.
The term "base" is relative depending on the type of religious beliefs and culture . For example, in countries like the United States, who has adopted a strong capitalist system, it is believed that the "base" of society is the family and the individuals in it (small entities). On the other had, in countries like China, where communism is the way of life, it is believed that the "base" of society is the group as a whole, and therefore, individual rights are less important than the well-being of the whole community.
Gao Xingjian, being Chinese, comes from a society with socialist ideologies. The phrase "Entiendo que viniendo de un sistema político donde ***la base es el conjunto*** y se elimina toda posibilidad de individualiadad a la persona" means that in countries like China the political system says "the base of soceity is the whole group", and therefore, the individual doesn't matter, group ideologies will always have priority over those of individuals.
In the subsequent part of the text the author talks about how Gao Xingjian thinks that the individual is the basis of the voice of a writer and of literature "Gao Xingjian tiene claro que como escritor su voz le pertenece a él y la literatura o el escritor no pueden representar intereses de grupos de personas". Despite coming from a communist society, he believes that his work speaks only for himself as an individual, and does not represent the ideas and interests of the whole group.
Gao Xingjian, being Chinese, comes from a society with socialist ideologies. The phrase "Entiendo que viniendo de un sistema político donde ***la base es el conjunto*** y se elimina toda posibilidad de individualiadad a la persona" means that in countries like China the political system says "the base of soceity is the whole group", and therefore, the individual doesn't matter, group ideologies will always have priority over those of individuals.
In the subsequent part of the text the author talks about how Gao Xingjian thinks that the individual is the basis of the voice of a writer and of literature "Gao Xingjian tiene claro que como escritor su voz le pertenece a él y la literatura o el escritor no pueden representar intereses de grupos de personas". Despite coming from a communist society, he believes that his work speaks only for himself as an individual, and does not represent the ideas and interests of the whole group.
Discussion