Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Catalan term or phrase:
treballar a la seva imaginació
English translation:
work in his imagination
Added to glossary by
Tanja Wohlgemuth
Apr 19, 2017 16:14
7 yrs ago
Catalan term
Germany
Visit www.sprachvergnuegen.de!
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, French to German, Spanish to German, and 4 more.
treballar a la seva imaginació (sentence)
Catalan to English
Marketing
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Dit d'una altra manera: crec que al segle XXI, l’autèntic artista és aquell que es declara mer deixeble de l’artesà, que, com a veritable mestre, ***treballa a la seva imaginació***.
This is a text about a Swiss painter. I am unsure about the last part - what does the preposition "a" mean here? Does the artisan work "based on" or "according to" his imagination, does he let his imagination fly in his work, or what else? I don't get the nuance here and would appreciate it very much if some native speaker could help.
Many thanks already in advance!
This is a text about a Swiss painter. I am unsure about the last part - what does the preposition "a" mean here? Does the artisan work "based on" or "according to" his imagination, does he let his imagination fly in his work, or what else? I don't get the nuance here and would appreciate it very much if some native speaker could help.
Many thanks already in advance!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | works in his imagination |
Peter Guest
|
| 4 | he uses his imagination |
Helena Chavarria
|
| 3 -1 | works on his imagination - works at [developing] his imagination |
JohnMcDove
|
Proposed translations
+2
1 hr
Peter Guest
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
33 yrs Ships, Engineering Marketing
Native in: English
Works in: Catalan to English, Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
works in his imagination
in Catalan you work a Nestlé not en Nestlé you are a Barcelona not en Barcelona.
Hopefully a true, not adopted, native will conform or deny this suggestion
Hopefully a true, not adopted, native will conform or deny this suggestion
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Helena Chavarria
: I've just discussed this with my daughter (a true, not adopted, native) and she reckons your interpretation is right, though she says it's very ambiguous! It was my daughter's father who agreed with me!
3 hrs
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all texts of this kind are ambiguous. I hate 'em. Salutacions. P
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| agree |
Natalia Pedrosa
3 hrs
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| neutral |
JohnMcDove
: If this is the sense, I would clearly express it as, "dintre la seva imaginació - o "dintre de la seva imaginació". It could be too, "a la seva imaginació". Probably a bit more context would be helpful.
8 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks a million!"
1 hr
Helena Chavarria
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Works in field
Spain
Striving for excellence
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
he uses his imagination
It literally means 'he makes his imagination work'.
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-04-19 17:35:25 GMT)
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El Suprem condemna l'ICS per fer treballar a un metge més de 48 hores setmanals
http://www.ccma.cat/324/el-suprem-condemna-lics-per-fer-treb...
Tot i gaudir de diverses ocasions de gol i fer treballar a Erra, els locals no finalitzaven...
http://www.lactual.cat/cat/mobile-viewer.php?IDN=2016_12_236...
I'm afraid I'm not a native Catalan speaker, though I've lived here for 40 years. However, I've just asked someone who was born and bred in Catalonia and has lived in the country for over 65 years and he has confirmed that my interpretation is right.
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-04-19 17:39:20 GMT)
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Proteccionisme a l’empresa local, La filosofia de l’Ajuntament és fer treballar a la gent de Cardona i pagar-los el més aviat possible.
https://empresariscardona.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/acta-reun...
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Note added at 2 hrs (2017-04-19 19:02:45 GMT)
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MISTERI: El misteri recobreix les estances de les cases d’estil àrab. La vista de les habitacions queda entre-velada per una il·luminació sempre indirecta. La llum natural es tamisa amb cortinatges, persianes i gelosies. L’artificial es reparteix per les cantonades amb fanals, aplicacions i llums d’oli de forja, bronze o terracota daurada amb vidres de vius colors. La vista des del carrer no és recíproca, ja que l’habitant veu al passejant però no a l’inrevés: espiells, porticons o la típica balconada de gelosia (moucharabieh) preserven la intimitat i deixen treballar a la imaginació.
http://noticias.api.cat/CA/cases-de-les-mil-i-una-nits/
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-04-19 17:35:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
El Suprem condemna l'ICS per fer treballar a un metge més de 48 hores setmanals
http://www.ccma.cat/324/el-suprem-condemna-lics-per-fer-treb...
Tot i gaudir de diverses ocasions de gol i fer treballar a Erra, els locals no finalitzaven...
http://www.lactual.cat/cat/mobile-viewer.php?IDN=2016_12_236...
I'm afraid I'm not a native Catalan speaker, though I've lived here for 40 years. However, I've just asked someone who was born and bred in Catalonia and has lived in the country for over 65 years and he has confirmed that my interpretation is right.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2017-04-19 17:39:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Proteccionisme a l’empresa local, La filosofia de l’Ajuntament és fer treballar a la gent de Cardona i pagar-los el més aviat possible.
https://empresariscardona.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/acta-reun...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-04-19 19:02:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
MISTERI: El misteri recobreix les estances de les cases d’estil àrab. La vista de les habitacions queda entre-velada per una il·luminació sempre indirecta. La llum natural es tamisa amb cortinatges, persianes i gelosies. L’artificial es reparteix per les cantonades amb fanals, aplicacions i llums d’oli de forja, bronze o terracota daurada amb vidres de vius colors. La vista des del carrer no és recíproca, ja que l’habitant veu al passejant però no a l’inrevés: espiells, porticons o la típica balconada de gelosia (moucharabieh) preserven la intimitat i deixen treballar a la imaginació.
http://noticias.api.cat/CA/cases-de-les-mil-i-una-nits/
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
JohnMcDove
: Podria ésser com dius, em sembla però que "fa treballar la seva imaginació" no es el mateix que "treballa a la seva imaginació"... /./I understand, after taking a new look, to me the meaning is crystal clear. Even if I am "xarnego", sóc català.
10 hrs
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|
The meaning isn't very clear. I asked two Catalan people and they each gave me a different interpretation! Thank you for your opinion, John :-)
|
-1
7 hrs
works on his imagination - works at [developing] his imagination
The way I see it, in context, the only meaning I get, (having lived the first 26 years of my life in Barcelona and having more than a passing acquaintance with Catalonian, having served "cremats" at Calella de Palafrugell, and all that jazz, I mean, all that rum ;-), is that the artist "works on his imagination", i.e., develops his imagination, by working on it, or at it...
"Innovation in cuisine has no limitations, much like an artist who works on his imagination with no restrictions."
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/innovatio...
turned to two muses in his attempt at developing his imagination in a city with room for none:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-beres/heavy-like-the-wei...
El meus cinc cèntims (my 5 cents!)
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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-04-20 00:09:38 GMT)
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It reminds me a little bit to the famous Picasso quote:
"Que cuando llegue la inspiración (o las musas) me encuentre trabajando"... (or words to that effect.)
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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-04-20 00:10:46 GMT)
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Así está en este enlace:
Cuando llegue la inspiración, que me encuentre trabajando.
http://www.historiasminimalistas.com/2016/06/cuando-llegue-l...
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Note added at 9 hrs (2017-04-20 02:08:07 GMT)
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Here is one example one could possibly translate it as "works on his thesis", and to me that is the sense that fits the bill.
Actualment treballa a la seva tesi sobre les relacions
https://www.upf.edu/web/humanitats/entry/-/-/105636/404/jona...
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Note added at 10 hrs (2017-04-20 02:28:04 GMT)
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Some more examples,
Once the bombing had begun to work on his imagination, Picasso finished Guernica in only twenty-five days.
https://www.amazon.com/Picassos-Guernica-Tranformations-Mean...
And as many as you like,
https://www.google.com/search?q="work on his imagination"&es...
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Note added at 1 day10 hrs (2017-04-21 02:23:49 GMT)
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Here you have examples, in Catalan,
En aquest retrat de Miró, Marcoussis dibuixa el rostre, mentre que Miró
dóna curs a la seva imaginació i omple la superfície de personatges, astres, flames i
ocells.
https://www.fmirobcn.org/media/upload/pdf/imgdin/spdossier/0...
Here is not "work on his imagination", but "start processing with his imagination"... as in "giving free rein to his imagination"...
The examples of this usage in Catalan are many, (I give the English translation, which to me is equivalente to "work on" but note that these are "a la seva imaginació", in this case "a" would literally mean "to")
La gent trobà en la celebració un motiu per donar volada a la seva imaginació i començà a farcir la processó d'entremesos i figures...
let their imagination fly freely
Pensam que és una bona iniciativa per incentivar als més joves a expresar-se plasticament i a donar corda a la seva imaginació...
and encourage their imagination
Nouvel va donar prioritat a la seva imaginació i fantasia creativa abans que a l'encaix del parc en el context urbà.
to give priority to their imagination
... dóna llibertat a la seva imaginació...
give freedom to their imagination
... van disposar de dues hores per donar ales a la seva imaginació a partir del lema d'aquesta edició:
... to give wings to their imagination...
Que donin regna solta a la seva imaginació i posin en pràctica la creativitat que cadascun porta dins.
"free rein to their imagination"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2017-04-25 22:40:46 GMT) Post-grading
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Eppur si muove!
Com diria en Galileo. :-)
"Innovation in cuisine has no limitations, much like an artist who works on his imagination with no restrictions."
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/innovatio...
turned to two muses in his attempt at developing his imagination in a city with room for none:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-beres/heavy-like-the-wei...
El meus cinc cèntims (my 5 cents!)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2017-04-20 00:09:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It reminds me a little bit to the famous Picasso quote:
"Que cuando llegue la inspiración (o las musas) me encuentre trabajando"... (or words to that effect.)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2017-04-20 00:10:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Así está en este enlace:
Cuando llegue la inspiración, que me encuentre trabajando.
http://www.historiasminimalistas.com/2016/06/cuando-llegue-l...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2017-04-20 02:08:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here is one example one could possibly translate it as "works on his thesis", and to me that is the sense that fits the bill.
Actualment treballa a la seva tesi sobre les relacions
https://www.upf.edu/web/humanitats/entry/-/-/105636/404/jona...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2017-04-20 02:28:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Some more examples,
Once the bombing had begun to work on his imagination, Picasso finished Guernica in only twenty-five days.
https://www.amazon.com/Picassos-Guernica-Tranformations-Mean...
And as many as you like,
https://www.google.com/search?q="work on his imagination"&es...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day10 hrs (2017-04-21 02:23:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here you have examples, in Catalan,
En aquest retrat de Miró, Marcoussis dibuixa el rostre, mentre que Miró
dóna curs a la seva imaginació i omple la superfície de personatges, astres, flames i
ocells.
https://www.fmirobcn.org/media/upload/pdf/imgdin/spdossier/0...
Here is not "work on his imagination", but "start processing with his imagination"... as in "giving free rein to his imagination"...
The examples of this usage in Catalan are many, (I give the English translation, which to me is equivalente to "work on" but note that these are "a la seva imaginació", in this case "a" would literally mean "to")
La gent trobà en la celebració un motiu per donar volada a la seva imaginació i començà a farcir la processó d'entremesos i figures...
let their imagination fly freely
Pensam que és una bona iniciativa per incentivar als més joves a expresar-se plasticament i a donar corda a la seva imaginació...
and encourage their imagination
Nouvel va donar prioritat a la seva imaginació i fantasia creativa abans que a l'encaix del parc en el context urbà.
to give priority to their imagination
... dóna llibertat a la seva imaginació...
give freedom to their imagination
... van disposar de dues hores per donar ales a la seva imaginació a partir del lema d'aquesta edició:
... to give wings to their imagination...
Que donin regna solta a la seva imaginació i posin en pràctica la creativitat que cadascun porta dins.
"free rein to their imagination"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2017-04-25 22:40:46 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Eppur si muove!
Com diria en Galileo. :-)
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Natalia Pedrosa
: Sorry, John, but this time I can't agree with you. The text means he works "inside" his imagination, not in developing in. Regards.
10 mins
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No problem, Natalia. :-) What part of the "context" makes you so sure of that interpretation? ... I see how a genius like a composer could work "in his imagination", but in the context or an artisan, I see it working better as a I note. :-)
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Discussion