Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
gioco cosmico dell'universo
English translation:
great cosmic game
Added to glossary by
KayW
Jun 12, 2010 09:09
13 yrs ago
Italian term
Spain
gioco cosmico dell'universo
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Philosophy
oriental mysticism
Here's a nice one for you. From a question referring to an intuitive eureka moment for a scientist:
si è sentito improvvisamente parte del gioco cosmico dell'universo, da lei definito come la "danza di Shiva"
cosmic game of the universe doesn't do it for me: any ideas :)
si è sentito improvvisamente parte del gioco cosmico dell'universo, da lei definito come la "danza di Shiva"
cosmic game of the universe doesn't do it for me: any ideas :)
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jun 14, 2010 10:24: KayW Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
5 mins
Selected
great cosmic game
A suggestion. Perhaps universe is superfluous when you already have cosmic
Note from asker:
| thanks, i think perhaps you're right |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "It is the simplicity of this solution which works for me. "
+1
30 mins
Daniela Ciafardoni
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Italian
&
English
United Kingdom
Translations with a meaning
Native in: English 
, Italian
Works in: Italian to English, French to English, English to Italian, and 5 more.
has suddenly felt part of the universe puzzle
or
"has suddenly found a key piece of the universe puzzle" if you would like to deviate a little ...
"has suddenly found a key piece of the universe puzzle" if you would like to deviate a little ...
Note from asker:
| thanks, an interesting alternative |
4 hrs
Oliver Lawrence
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Italy
Texts with zest by a Chartered Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
that great cosmic game that is the universe
I think if you like out the universe it just sounds like a great cosmic game as if people are supposed to know what that is; IMHO the scientist is likening the universe and its workings to a great game on a cosmic scale.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2010-06-12 15:23:18 GMT)
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the universe and its workings probably, who knows
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Note added at 6 hrs (2010-06-12 15:23:18 GMT)
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the universe and its workings probably, who knows
Note from asker:
| i had a feeling this was going to start to get philosophical: is the game in the universe or is the universe the game itself? |
| I would have used 'that great cosmic game that is the universe and its workings' for accuracy, however in the context of a paraphrased informal question it seemed excessive: thanks anyway :) |
+1
49 mins
the great cosmic joke
IMO
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Note added at 56 mins (2010-06-12 10:06:15 GMT)
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I've heard this phrase frequently and it's what immediately came to mind.
It's definitely a "pop philosophy" phrase, which might make sense in this context.
Also, a quick google search yields 120,000 hits for the phrase, which says something about its frequency of use.
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Note added at 7 hrs (2010-06-12 16:26:19 GMT)
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Sorry, I thought that you meant that "cosmic game" was not right in the context, so I crossed it out as a possibility!
What is the nature of the scientist's "a-ha" moment?
If on figuring out whatever he figured out he felt duped, or tricked, or foolish, or made the fool, or something along those lines, "joke" might be it.
But if his "a-ha" moment made him feel like he was playing a part in something, then "game" might be it.
Hmmm...
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Note added at 56 mins (2010-06-12 10:06:15 GMT)
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I've heard this phrase frequently and it's what immediately came to mind.
It's definitely a "pop philosophy" phrase, which might make sense in this context.
Also, a quick google search yields 120,000 hits for the phrase, which says something about its frequency of use.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2010-06-12 16:26:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry, I thought that you meant that "cosmic game" was not right in the context, so I crossed it out as a possibility!
What is the nature of the scientist's "a-ha" moment?
If on figuring out whatever he figured out he felt duped, or tricked, or foolish, or made the fool, or something along those lines, "joke" might be it.
But if his "a-ha" moment made him feel like he was playing a part in something, then "game" might be it.
Hmmm...
Note from asker:
| his 'eureka' moment is more general than that: to be more precise we've got an interviewer who has read this scientist's book paraphrasing the original english into Italian; "Ne ***** ***** lei descrive una sua forte intuizione come un momento irrazionale in cui si è sentito improvvisamente parte del gioco cosmico dell’universo, da lei definito come la «danza di Shiva»." hth |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mr Murray (X)
: I think this idiom is usually used in an ironic manner - so joke or similar is appropriate
8 hrs
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Thank you, Mr Murray! "Idiom" is also the word I was looking for to establish the cultural status of my answer - thanks for that, too.
|
+1
9 hrs
cosmic interplay of the universe
I would keep both 'cosmic' and 'universe'. As I read this 'cosmic' is about the scale into which the scientist entered the 'game' within the larger setting of the universe; that is, it was not just a local aberration or phenomenon.
For 'gioco' 'game' would probably work; I do not like 'joke' at all, as that carries nihilistic interpretive baggage that I do not see in the original.
I chose 'interplay' as a more neutral term, an attempt to step back from the implications of 'game' as carried out between specific actors for determined ends, as an expression of some sort of teleology. My understanding of the essentially Hindu worldview expressed in the "danza di Shiva" is that it is more impersonal than the Judeo-Christian worldview or the Greek myths of the gods, for example, but less reductive than is usually associated with Western naturalism.
For 'gioco' 'game' would probably work; I do not like 'joke' at all, as that carries nihilistic interpretive baggage that I do not see in the original.
I chose 'interplay' as a more neutral term, an attempt to step back from the implications of 'game' as carried out between specific actors for determined ends, as an expression of some sort of teleology. My understanding of the essentially Hindu worldview expressed in the "danza di Shiva" is that it is more impersonal than the Judeo-Christian worldview or the Greek myths of the gods, for example, but less reductive than is usually associated with Western naturalism.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ernestine Shargool
: Yes: imo 'interplay', as in "gioco d'equilibrio", is spot on.
7 hrs
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18 hrs
cosmic play (of the universe)
Example sentence:
Nataraja’s dance is an artistic expression of Ashtanga Yoga, his cosmic play...
Note from asker:
| thks. this is nice, with a very similar context in the link |
1 day 12 hrs
cosmic maze of the universe
Using this idea "going beyond mental boundaries of the rational in order to reach a breakthrough - at the same time achieving a quasi-mystical state" - this is getting close to transcendence, and with the idea of 'games' and 'boundaries' with an eventual 'breakthrough' - the best metaphor I can think of - in English - is 'maze'. If it was a question of emphasizing the 'play' part - I might switch 'maze' to 'playground' but that'd belittle the subject. I feel mazes can be joyful fun places - playful, yet, places of potential fear and confusion, mimicing the mysticism of Shiva's dance.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Michael Brennen
: My sense here is that 'maze' feels too static, lacking an intrinsic dynamic quality, depending on an interpolation that a maze is something to be traversed.
1 hr
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Yes, I also felt that barrier idea originally, but based my answer more on the discussions - TY
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Discussion