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Julia Quinn - The Duke and I

Lenka
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Julia Quinn - The Duke and I

Post by Lenka » Sun November 18th, 2012, 2:22 pm

Hello,
I would like to ask for help with some lines from this book, because I´m translating it to my mother language - Slovak.

So can somebody help me with the meaning of wickedly droll when you talk about sense of humor? :confused:

Thanks

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Vanessa
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Post by Vanessa » Sun November 18th, 2012, 4:04 pm

I would say it means being mischievously witty - to say something amusing with a glint in your eye!
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sun November 18th, 2012, 4:33 pm

[quote=""Vanessa""]I would say it means being mischievously witty - to say something amusing with a glint in your eye![/quote]

I agree. Dry wit with a healthy dose of sarcasm?
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annis
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Post by annis » Mon November 19th, 2012, 8:33 am

Wickedly droll = Roguish ironic wit

Slightly off the subject, but I'm irresistably reminded of Peter Mountford's funny story about how he ended up helping a Russian guy translate Mountford's own pirated book:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc ... ok/309105/

Lenka
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Translating

Post by Lenka » Mon November 19th, 2012, 3:45 pm

Thanks for sharing that story about Peter. :) I´m the owner of a small publishing company and also a translator who reads this kind of books :) that ´s why I set it. I was really happy when I obtained the rights for Slovakia. It took me 4 months to sign contract - not beacuse of me but because of the literary agency and agents of Julia Quinn. Sometimes I really have the feeling that I would like to write an e-mail to JQ but I don´t want to burden her with this.

That´s why I thank you for your help :) and also for your future help.

Lenka
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translation

Post by Lenka » Mon January 7th, 2013, 2:25 pm

Could somebody please explain to me the meaning of : Ambitious mamas were nudging their daughters and pointing to the two Bridgerton brothers, off by themselves with no company save for their sister.. I haven´t the faintest idea...and I don´t want to leave it out.

Thanks for help. :)

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Lisa
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Post by Lisa » Mon January 7th, 2013, 2:37 pm

[quote=""Lenka""]Ambitious mamas were nudging their daughters and pointing to the two Bridgerton brothers, off by themselves with no company save for their sister.. [/quote]

Hi! I haven't read the book, so this is assuming that the scene here is a gathering of people (a reception/dance or something like that) and the bold text is referring to the Bridgerton brothers.

It would mean that the brothers were probably slightly apart from the rest of the crowd ("off by themselves"), and the only person accompanying them was their sister ("save for" meaning "except for").

However, depending on the context, "off by themselves" could also just mean the brothers are usually escorted or protected in some way, but on this occasion they aren't (apart from by their sister, who apparently won't get in the way of the "ambitious mamas"). It should hopefully be easy to tell which meaning is correct though, knowing the rest of the book!

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Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Mon January 7th, 2013, 3:21 pm

In context, the clause refers to the fact that two brothers (one or both a very good catch, as inferred by the adjective 'ambitious' added to mamas) haven't yet been 'claimed' by any of the daughters (as inferred by the fact that the only woman with them is their sister, who, of course, is not going to marry either).

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Post by Lenka » Mon January 7th, 2013, 3:30 pm

The sister was hiding from a suitor. She was standing alone in the corner of a ballroom but her brothers noticed her and came to her to talk. And because they were attractive, mothers of unmarried young ladies were pointing at them and sending their daughters to talk to them. And because brothers were the aim of unmarried girls who were also the aim of the sister´s suitor, the suitor would finally find the sister.

Could I translate the meaning : Ambitious mamas were nudging their daughters and pointing to the two Bridgerton brothers, off by themselves with no company save for their sister..that they were standing there alone except for their sister?

Or were they her save? Or their company was not save anymore?

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sweetpotatoboy
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Post by sweetpotatoboy » Mon January 7th, 2013, 3:51 pm

[quote=""Lenka""]Could I translate the meaning : Ambitious mamas were nudging their daughters and pointing to the two Bridgerton brothers, off by themselves with no company save for their sister..that they were standing there alone except for their sister?

Or were they her save? Or their company was not save anymore?[/quote]

Your first interpretation is correct. The brothers are standing or sitting away from the rest of the crowd (off = away from everyone else). They are "by themselves" (alone) and "with no company" (unaccompanied) - so these two phrases really mean the same thing. The only exception is their sister. "Save for" is simply a slightly archaic/formal way of saying "except". You should not interpret it in any other way.
There are on their own. The only person accompanying them is their sister.

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