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ansa (di una valle)

English translation: stretch [here]

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:ansa (di una gravina)
English translation:stretch [here]
Entered by: Rachel Fell

11:15 Oct 14, 2008
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Science - Geography / valleys
Italian term or phrase: ansa (di una valle)
From a tourist booklet on the wonderful Gravina di Laterza

da quello più scuro e più compatto dei lecci, che dal fondo si inerpicano ricoprendo i coni detritici alla base delle pareti, a quello più chiaro e brillante del Carpino orientale (Carpinus orientalis) che occupa i versanti meno soleggiati e più umidi e si insinua nelle anse più strette,

Does "branches" work OK here or is there a better more technical word?
Anthony Green
Italy
Local time: 03:58
angle/corner/space
Explanation:
although De Mauro gives for ansa: curva del corso di un fiume | insenatura della costa - and although I don't know how the sentence continues, I think I'd go for something like "the tightest of angles/corners/spots/spaces"

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Note added at 10 hrs (2008-10-14 22:10:43 GMT)
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or maybe on reflection, if it def. relates to the river, "the tightest twists"

The Rhineland - Google Books Result
by Walter Marsden
It is the tightest of all the dozens of curves which the Mosel makes. ... The bends and twists are very important to the sole industry of the Mosel valley ...
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0803820704...

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Note added at 7 days (2008-10-21 20:13:03 GMT) Post-grading
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Looks lovely there:-)
Selected response from:

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:58
Grading comment
As the gravina doesn't actually have a river in it, I decided against oxbow and other water-related words. In the end the word I used was "stretch" and I suppose Rachel's is the closest of a series of excellent and very helpful suggestions.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2bend/oxbow
Traducendo Co. Ltd
5meander
James (Jim) Davis
4 +1river bends
Tom in London
4gorge
Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche
3Hook/loop/meander/bend
Gad Kohenov
3angle/corner/space
Rachel Fell


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
bend/oxbow


Explanation:
però per domande di questo genere ti consiglio wordreference, dizionario multilingua online.
fai prima......
;-)

Traducendo Co. Ltd
Malta
Local time: 03:58
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Barbara Toffolon (X): just bend.... oxbow refers to a river and I don't read river in the statement provided.
2 hrs
  -> thx for the correction
agree  Fabio Barbieri: Absolutely
3 hrs
  -> thx
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
gorge


Explanation:
in a valley, in a deep recess, this is what I would call it..


    Reference: http://www.wordreference.com/definition/gorge
Mary Carroll Richer LaFlèche
Italy
Local time: 03:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 7
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Hook/loop/meander/bend


Explanation:
2 (= curva) bend, wind, loop; (= meandro) meander
• ansa a gomito (di fiumi) hook

Secondo il dizionario Sansoni.

Gad Kohenov
Israel
Local time: 04:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in HebrewHebrew
PRO pts in category: 8
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
meander


Explanation:
"the most sinuous meanders" This is what I learnt in geography lessons despite the wistful meanderings of my mind.

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Note added at 59 mins (2008-10-14 12:14:58 GMT)
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Anthony, le anse, i meandri or meanders are broad curves in rivers like ox-bows of hairpins. The can be found in a main river or a tributary. They are mainly found further down the river, but theoretically could occur even at the source of a spring, if the land is flat enough. They are caused by a low gradient, often found in river valley floors, but not only.


    Reference: http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=desk...
James (Jim) Davis
Seychelles
Local time: 05:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 51
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
river bends


Explanation:
another option.

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-10-14 12:58:45 GMT)
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un'ansa non è necessariamente piccola. Qui a Londra il Tamigi ne ha molte!

Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Amphyon: yes!
13 mins
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
angle/corner/space


Explanation:
although De Mauro gives for ansa: curva del corso di un fiume | insenatura della costa - and although I don't know how the sentence continues, I think I'd go for something like "the tightest of angles/corners/spots/spaces"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2008-10-14 22:10:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or maybe on reflection, if it def. relates to the river, "the tightest twists"

The Rhineland - Google Books Result
by Walter Marsden
It is the tightest of all the dozens of curves which the Mosel makes. ... The bends and twists are very important to the sole industry of the Mosel valley ...
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0803820704...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2008-10-21 20:13:03 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Looks lovely there:-)

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
As the gravina doesn't actually have a river in it, I decided against oxbow and other water-related words. In the end the word I used was "stretch" and I suppose Rachel's is the closest of a series of excellent and very helpful suggestions.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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