A tale with mixed phrasal verbs I caught sight of her in the crowd. She made a beckoning and I went over (avvicinai) to her table: “How time does fly!” She said. “We’re none of us getting any younger

Gabriele

A tale with mixed phrasal verbs I caught sight of her in the crowd. She made a beckoning and I went over (avvicinai) to her table: “How time does fly!” She said. “We’re none of us getting any younger! How are you?” “I’m not very well. I’m earning barely enough to keep body and soul together” “I’d like to have a chat with you some of this days” she said “as I’m startled (spaventata) by my neighbour. If you would want to help me, I’ll give you a lot of money” “Now, are you hungry?” “Yes, I’m starving”. “Well, I’ll have eggs and bacon and while they are being cooked, I’ll go to the toilet. Would you kindly order for me? Order what you like of course, I’ll pay for you”. My heart sank a little. “thank you mylady, I never mind to eat something”. “I fancy (immagino) you are very hungry” and she bound to the toilet. I ate gaily and I didn’t mind about the awkward situation so that a woman could pay for me the bill. I ate hot bread with melted butter and jam which I spread over it, a mutton chop and I thrust it down my throat in large voluptuous mouthfuls. I was past caring about my poor condition, I was only happy to fill my stomach. I was glad that God took a hand in the matter (to take a hand…prendersi cura). She addressed me brightly:”this restaurant is so far beyond your means, isn’t it? "Would you like anything else from bill of fare? Presently, I have to go home"

Sep 1, 2014 2:27 PM

Corrections · 8

A tale with mixed phrasal verbs

I caught sight of her in the crowd. She made a beckoning gesture and I went over (avvicinai) to her table: “How time does flies!” She said. “We’re None of us are getting any younger! How are you?”
“I’m not very well. I’m earning barely enough to keep body and soul together”
“I’d like to have a chat with you some one of this days” she said “as I’m startled (spaventata) by my neighbour. If you would want to help me, I’ll give you a lot of money” “Now, are you hungry?” “Yes, I’m starving”. “Well, I’ll have eggs and bacon and while they are being cooked, I’ll go to the toilet visit the restroom (more polite). Would you kindly order for me? Order what you like of course, I’ll pay for you”.
My heart sank a little. “thank you mylady, I never mind to eat something”. (not sure what you mean here.)
“I fancy (immagino) you are very hungry” and she bound hastened to the toilet ladies room.
I ate gaily (Or...with gusto) and I didn’t mind about the awkward situation so that feel awkward about having a woman could pay for me the bill.
I ate hot bread with melted butter and jam which I spread over it, a mutton chop and I thrust it down my throat in gorged myself with large voluptuous mouthfuls.
I was past caring about my poor condition, I was only happy to fill my stomach. I was glad that God took a hand in the matter (to take a hand…prendersi cura).
She addressed me brightly:”this restaurant is so far beyond your means, isn’t it?
"Would you like anything else from bill of fare( Not sure what you mean by this. Maybe it's a British phrase)? Presently (Or...Now), I have to go home"

October 3, 2014

A tale with mixed phrasal verbs (well lots of idioms ...)

I caught sight of her in the crowd. She made a beckoning gesture towards me/in my direction and I went over (avvicinai) to her table: “How time does fly!” She said. “We’re none of us getting any younger! How are you?”
“I’m not very going so well (mmm doesn't quite fit with the following sentence). I’m earning barely enough to keep body and soul together”
“I’d like to have a chat with you some/one of these days” she said “as I’m startled alarmed (spaventata) by my neighbour. If you would want like to help me, I’ll give you a lot of money” (hahaha!) “Now, are you hungry?” “Yes, I’m starving”. “Well, I’ll have eggs and bacon and while they are being cooked, I’ll go to the toilet. Would you kindly order for me? Order what you like of course, I’ll pay for you”.
My heart sank a little. “thank you my lady, I never mind to eat having a little something to eat”. (this is a little bizarre)
“I fancy (imagino) you are very hungry” and she bounded away to the toilet. (kangaroo style perhaps)
I ate gaily/happily (woooh we don't use that word so often!) and I didn’t mind about the awkward situation - that a woman would pay for me the bill for me.
I ate hot bread with melted butter and jam which I spread over it, then a mutton chop and which I thrust it shoved down my throat in large voluptuous mouthfuls. (you've got me giggling, it's like the Rocky Horror Word show)
I was past caring about my poor condition, I was only but happy to fill my stomach and I was glad that God took had taken a hand in the matter (to take a hand…prendersi cura).
She addressed me brightly:”this restaurant is so far beyond your means, isn’t it?
"Would you like anything else from the bill of fare? Presently/Shortly I will have to go home"

Ok, interesting - hope you had fun with it!

September 1, 2014

A tale with mixed phrasal verbs

I caught sight of her in the crowd. She made a beckoning gesture and I went over (avvicinai) to her table: “How time flies!” she said. “We’re none of us getting any younger! How are you?”

“I’m not doing so well / Not so good. I’m earning barely enough to keep body and soul together”

“I’d like to have a chat with you one of these days/some time” she said “as I’m worried / alarmed (spaventata) by my neighbour. If you're interested in helping me, I’ll pay you well. Now, are you hungry?”

“Yes, I’m starving”.

“Well, I’ll have eggs and bacon and while they're (the elision sounds more natural) being cooked, I’ll go to the toilet. Would you kindly order for me? Order what you like for yourself of course, my treat”. (This is the English equivalent of 'offro io'.)

My heart sank a little. “Thank you milady**, I never turn down a free meal / I never say no to good food”. (This sounds more natural than the way you originally wrote it).

“I imagine (immagino) you are very hungry” she said, before heading to the toilet.

I ate with gusto, not in the least bothered that she was paying. (If you do something 'with gusto' it means you do it with enjoyment and enthusiasm. To 'not be bothered' is the English equivalent of non me ne frega niente - although it's not rude or vulgar like the Italian version. If you wanted the English equivalent of 'non me ne frega un cazzo' it would be something like: 'I didn't give a fuck/ didn't give a shit that she was paying').

I ate hot bread slathered with melted butter and jam, then followed it with a mutton chop, which I wolfed down in great mouthfuls. ('slathered' implies abundance or excess, 'wolfed down' implies eating ravenously (come un lupo). In England it's impossible to buy mutton (la carne di montone) - butchers and supermarkets only sell lamb (l'agnello). So we'd only have lamb chops not mutton chops, especially in a posh restaurant).

I was past caring about being skint ('skint' is a colloquial way of saying you're poor), and just took pleasure in filling my stomach. I was glad that God had sent me a helping hand. (I think this is the closest English equivalent of 'prendersi cura' in this scenario)

She addressed me brightly: ”This restaurant is way beyond your means, isn’t it? Would you like anything else from the menu before I settle the bill? I have to head home in a minute." (We would never say 'bill of fare' in informal conversation. Instead we'd say something like 'would you like anything else before I head off?')

** Se intendi dire che lui sta scherzando e sta insinuando che la signora si comporta come 'Lady Muck', dovresti dire 'milady' invece di 'my lady' per metaforicamente 'tug one's forelock' (tirarsi il ciuffo) in una maniera servile.

Ben fatto, Gabriele...sei veramente in gamba!

September 1, 2014

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