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balena bianca

English translation: white whale (Moby Dick)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:balena bianca
English translation:white whale (Moby Dick)
Entered by: Emanuela Galdelli

08:47 Nov 13, 2004
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / sayings, idioms
Italian term or phrase: balena bianca
Le crociate da alcuni studiosi sono state definite una “balena bianca” nella storia d’Europa e per comprendere le ragioni della sua materializzazione occorre in primo luogo esaminare il contesto storico, politico e religioso che ha determinato i contrastanti rapporti tra medio oriente ed Europa nel mediterraneo. Is this an Italian saying? I have the feeling it might mean something new, arousing curiosity because it is unusual, but would like confirmation or an equivalent English saying if at all possible, thanks! SUE
kringle
Local time: 03:14
white whale (Moby Dick)
Explanation:
Inseguendo la balena bianca da Moby ...
www.teatrocomunaleferrara.it/ pag1/lestagioni/ragazzi/0102/balenabianca.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2004-11-13 09:06:53 GMT)
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... La Balena Bianca nuotava davanti a lui come l’ossessiva incarnazione di tutte quelle forze maligne da cui alcuni uomini profondi si sentono divorati, finché ...
www.superdante.it/inside.asp?id=671

Everybody has a white whale to catch, that elusive goal that, if
we\'re not careful, can turn into an unhealthy obsession. For ...
www.zwire.com/site/myzwire.cfm?BRD=1091& dept_id=343157&newsid=13192706&PAG=461&rfi=9

... world, the oil-producing world, the Arab world, the Middle East--those areas ... was a man possessed with an obsessional drive to pursue the white whale which had ...
www.matrixmasters.com/ wtc/esaid/progintvw/progintvw.html

... terrorism campaign we have undertaken\" and risk \"an Armageddon in the Middle East.\". ... obsessive character of a Captain Ahab in pursuit of the great white whale. ...
www.peacecouncil.net/pnl/02/714/714StalkingMoby.htm





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2004-11-13 09:13:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------



... Il problema è questo: la crociata è una sorta di Moby Dick, di balena bianca nella
storia dell’Occidente. Si dice crociate e quindi Medioevo, è tanto vero ...
web.genie.it/utenti/e/enigmagalgano/ contributi/Tempi_di_Crociate/cardini.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2004-11-13 10:13:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...crociata, che Cardini, membro del comitato scientifico, definisce melvillianamente «una balena bianca nella storia ...
www.giornaledibrescia.it/ giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTURA/T2.html

Selected response from:

Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 18:14
Grading comment
Thanks for all your time, links and help on this one. Giles liked the "...". SUE
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4white whale (Moby Dick)
Michele Fauble
4the white elephant
swisstell
1see under
Monique Laville


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
balena bianca (in this context)
the white elephant


Explanation:
in English, one is not talking of a "white whale" but much more
commonly of the "White Elephant" - with the same eventual meaning.

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 03:14
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Will Matter
1 min
  -> grazie, Bill, (also still or already up?)
disagree  Michele Fauble: The reference is to Moby Dick, the white whale that symbolizes an obsession.
25 mins
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
balena bianca (in this context)
see under


Explanation:
Yes this is an italian saying. This is how the ex-DC political party was named "la balena bianca".

"quando si pensa alla balena bianca vengono in mente due cose: il romanzo omonimo di Melville da un lato, la definizione giornalistica e massmediologica del partito democristiano dall'altro. Mettiamo da parte questo secondo significato, troppo tipicamente " all'italiana". ..."

Probably, it generally refers to something huge, the presence of which can be noticed or observed in various places at nearly the same time. I don't know if this can apply to your context, but I think that it can be helpful to understand its meaning.


    Reference: http://www.tg5.it/terra/schede/scheda_010120084031.shtml
Monique Laville
Italy
Local time: 03:14
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Michele Fauble: It refers to something with which one is obsessed, in this case an obsession with the Crusades in European history.
15 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
balena bianca (in this context)
white whale (Moby Dick)


Explanation:
Inseguendo la balena bianca da Moby ...
www.teatrocomunaleferrara.it/ pag1/lestagioni/ragazzi/0102/balenabianca.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2004-11-13 09:06:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... La Balena Bianca nuotava davanti a lui come l’ossessiva incarnazione di tutte quelle forze maligne da cui alcuni uomini profondi si sentono divorati, finché ...
www.superdante.it/inside.asp?id=671

Everybody has a white whale to catch, that elusive goal that, if
we\'re not careful, can turn into an unhealthy obsession. For ...
www.zwire.com/site/myzwire.cfm?BRD=1091& dept_id=343157&newsid=13192706&PAG=461&rfi=9

... world, the oil-producing world, the Arab world, the Middle East--those areas ... was a man possessed with an obsessional drive to pursue the white whale which had ...
www.matrixmasters.com/ wtc/esaid/progintvw/progintvw.html

... terrorism campaign we have undertaken\" and risk \"an Armageddon in the Middle East.\". ... obsessive character of a Captain Ahab in pursuit of the great white whale. ...
www.peacecouncil.net/pnl/02/714/714StalkingMoby.htm





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2004-11-13 09:13:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------



... Il problema è questo: la crociata è una sorta di Moby Dick, di balena bianca nella
storia dell’Occidente. Si dice crociate e quindi Medioevo, è tanto vero ...
web.genie.it/utenti/e/enigmagalgano/ contributi/Tempi_di_Crociate/cardini.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2004-11-13 10:13:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...crociata, che Cardini, membro del comitato scientifico, definisce melvillianamente «una balena bianca nella storia ...
www.giornaledibrescia.it/ giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTURA/T2.html



Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 18:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks for all your time, links and help on this one. Giles liked the "...". SUE

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Giles Watson: It might be clearer to say "an obsession (like Captain Ahab's white whale)". The reference is certainly to a comment by Franco Cardini: http://www.giornaledibrescia.it/giornale/2000/03/22/05,CULTU...
1 hr
  -> Thanks. I would hope that educated English speakers would be familiar with the symbolism of "the great white whale".
agree  Laurel Porter (X)
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  Kim Metzger
4 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  tr. (X): elusive, hard to define - "realtà proteiforme, fonte inesauribile di metafore, mito, oggetto infinito di apologie, condanne, polemiche e malintesi capace di riproporsi in situazioni diverse" http://www.identitaeuropea.org/iniziative/cardini_crociata.h...
6 hrs
  -> thanks
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