Apontou o dedo, qual visonário, e exclamou:

English translation: pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

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Portuguese term or phrase:	Apontou o dedo, qual visonário, e exclamou:
English translation:	pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected
Entered by:	Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira

08:05 Sep 23, 2013

Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

Portuguese term or phrase: Apontou o dedo, qual visonário, e exclamou:

Gostaria de receber opiniões para atradução do termo "qual" no contexto de comparação. Em português ouve-se muito "qual Adónis". Creio que serve para comparar, mas dando mais importância aos atributos da pessoa em questão.

Ana Pedroso de Lima KudoZ activity Questions: 4 (none open) Answers: 0 Portugal
Local time: 02:35

pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

Explanation:
Qua é um latinismo não tão comum assim.

Selected response from:

Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
Brazil

Grading comment

Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +4

pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira

He pointed his finger like a visionary and exclaimed

Bettina Myers

His arm pointing forward as if he were some kind of visionary, he exclaimed:

Robert Forstag

Answers

12 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

Explanation:
Qua é um latinismo não tão comum assim.

Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
Brazil
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Portuguese
PRO pts in category: 80

Grading comment

Thanks

4 hrs confidence:

His arm pointing forward as if he were some kind of visionary, he exclaimed:

Explanation:
I think that "qual" is intended here to be ironic, thereby reflecting that the author that that the man in question was really not a "visionary" or "prophet" but only thought himself so. "Pointing the finger," a literal translation of the Portuguese is (though often used in English) rather redundant, and does not produce natural phrasing here.

My suggestion here highlights the intended irony (particularly by the use of the subjunctive "were" while avoiding redundancy and awkwardness.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2013-09-23 13:06:11 GMT)
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The image here (and it seems part of the intended irony) brings to mind the famous statue of Lenin, in which the figure is often described as having "his arm pointing forward."

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 21:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

3 days 1 hr confidence:

He pointed his finger like a visionary and exclaimed

Explanation:
Poetic

Bettina Myers
Local time: 02:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

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Apontou o dedo, qual visonário, e exclamou:

English translation: pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

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Apontou o dedo, qual visonário, e exclamou:

English translation: pointed his finger, as a/like a/qua visionary, and exclaimed/interjected

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