Jul 1, 2016 11:59
7 yrs ago
English term
reduce to ruins
Non-PRO
English to Greek
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
best phrase to use in context
In the sentence I quoted from Stephen Payne's novel viz. 'Her eyes were deep and lustrous, like the eyes of a gazelle, and with one flutter of her eyelashes she could have reduced the world to ruins', I have translated it thus:-
'Τα μάτια της ήταν βαθιά και στιλπνά, σαν μιας γαζέλας, και με ένα πετάρισμα των βλεφαρίδων θα μπορούσε ν´ έχει εκμηδενίσει τον κόσμο.'
Is this the best phrase or would 'να κάνει τον κόσμο στάχτη/ερείπια' be better or is there a more natural expression Greek speakers would use?
'Τα μάτια της ήταν βαθιά και στιλπνά, σαν μιας γαζέλας, και με ένα πετάρισμα των βλεφαρίδων θα μπορούσε ν´ έχει εκμηδενίσει τον κόσμο.'
Is this the best phrase or would 'να κάνει τον κόσμο στάχτη/ερείπια' be better or is there a more natural expression Greek speakers would use?
Proposed translations
(Greek)
| 4 +2 | Να κάνει τον κόσμο κομμάτια |
Lina Efthimiadou
|
| 4 | να έχει ισοπεδώσει τον κόσμο |
Ellen Kraus
|
| 4 | να τα κάνει όλα ρημαδιό |
Kyriacos Georghiou
|
Proposed translations
+2
4 mins
Lina Efthimiadou
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Native in Greek
Bulgaria
Civil Engineer/English-Greek translator
Native in: Greek 
Works in: English to Greek, Greek to English, Greek, and 1 more.
Selected
Να κάνει τον κόσμο κομμάτια
Συνήθως χρησιμοποιείται η έκφραση "κάνω κομμάτια"
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to all the specialist comments & alternatives they have given. Li a has the support of several and so l have awarded her all the points. Thank you, Ellen, for approving my attempt & to M Phili's excellent discussion comment."
16 mins
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German 
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
να έχει ισοπεδώσει τον κόσμο
θα ήταν μια περαιτέρω λύση. But I like yours as well and that of Lina, too. All is a matter of taste
2 hrs
Kyriacos Georghiou
Cyprus
Cyprus
Native in English
&
Greek
Cyprus
Validated translations MAPI Institute
Native in: English , Greek
Works in: English to Greek, Greek to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
να τα κάνει όλα ρημαδιό
one more
Discussion