toutes les heures tournent

English translation: all time is twisted

14:38 Jun 9, 2013
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
French term or phrase: toutes les heures tournent
A very literary work about the Theseus legend. He finally encounters the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. The meeting is portrayed in Theatrical terms "Par les coulisses, Thésée est arrivé jusqu'à la loge du protagoniste."

It continues:
"L'éclairage favori, évidemment, est celui de cette heure que l'on appelle « chien et loup ».
Cependant, toutes les heures tournent au Labyrinthe."

There are strong homosexual undertones, so I'm thinking of: "The preferred lighting, of course, is that of 'cock-shut' time" for the first sentence [J. Florio: "Cock-shut, or twilight, as when a man cannot discerne a dog from a Wolfe."]

Any nice literary suggestions for the second sentence?

TIA.
DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 16:13
English translation:all time is twisted
Explanation:
The Labyrinth twists/distorts time as well as space.
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 17:13
Grading comment
Thanks Barbara.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2time does not stand still
Emma Paulay
3 +1all time is twisted
B D Finch
4every hour tumbles around in the maze
Kévin Bernier
3 +1all the hours tick away in the Labyrinth
katsy
3the hours wound up like a spring
Timothy Rake
3All time is lost in a maze
Colin Morley (X)
3the sun pursues its course
Jane F


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the hours wound up like a spring


Explanation:
NOt sure if the image you want is one of "tenseness", but the endless wind of a spring does convey some sense of a labyrinth. Good luck


    Reference: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090109020246AA...
Timothy Rake
United States
Local time: 08:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Timothy. Like all the answers, this is perfectly possible, I've chosen the answer that seems to fit best into the overall context.

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
all time is twisted


Explanation:
The Labyrinth twists/distorts time as well as space.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 17:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 43
Grading comment
Thanks Barbara.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yolanda Broad: Neat poetic version!
3 days 6 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
All time is lost in a maze


Explanation:
another "twist" - if you'll pardon the expression..

Colin Morley (X)
France
Local time: 17:13
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Colin. Yes, twist/bent etc work! Like all the answers, this is perfectly possible, I've chosen the answer that seems to fit best into the overall context.

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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
every hour tumbles around in the maze


Explanation:
Just a suggestion.

Kévin Bernier
France
Local time: 17:13
Native speaker of: French
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Kévin. Nice and literary. Like all the answers, this is perfectly possible, I've chosen the answer that seems to fit best into the overall context.

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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
time does not stand still


Explanation:
Not very poetic perhaps, but the meaning here is that even at twilight, time does not stop.

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 17:13
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Emma. That's the meaning OK, but the piece is so literary that I'm going to go for something different.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne
27 mins
  -> Thanks, Nikki.

agree  Verginia Ophof
1 day 59 mins
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
all the hours tick away in the Labyrinth


Explanation:
Another suggestion, trying to get the idea of "l'heure tourne', and (hopefully!) the idea that the said hours may get somehow lost in the Labyrinth.

katsy
Local time: 17:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks katsy. I think it does capture the sense of temps perdu. Like all the answers, it's perfectly possible and I've chosen the answer that seems to fit best into the overall context.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carla Buchman
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Thanks Carla :-)
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the sun pursues its course


Explanation:
sounds rather literary!

Jane F
France
Local time: 17:13
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Jane. Yes, a nice literary variation! Like all the answers, this is perfectly possible, I've chosen the answer that seems to fit best into the overall context.

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