Wu Ting
How would you interpret these two sentences? How would you interpret the first two sentences in the second passage? 1 Our family is not so good that it is degenerating. Does it refer to the physiognomy of his family or the wealth and reputation of his family? 2 As yet no physiognomy in our family is coming out in edition after edition on increasingly thinner paper. How would you interpret this sentence? Thanks. And it’s from My Little Boy written by the famous Danish writer Carl Ewald.the context: I wander into the dining room where the family portraits hang. It is right to hang one's ancestors in the dining room. Then one is always sure to have a couple of people of good family at one's table. I turn on all the lights, pull my easy chair over and settle down with my best cigar and a good glass of wine. Then I take a look at the faces I already know by heart. Our family is not so good that it is degenerating. As yet no physiognomy in our family is coming out in edition after edition on increasingly thinner paper. We have our own, rather strong features. And with free choice and no petty family squabbles we take wives who impress their own strong noses on the faces of our sons.
Oct 29, 2017 1:20 PM
Answers · 6
Are you sure the first sentence of the second paragraph is translated correctly? Our family is not so good that it is degenerating - that doesnt read right Basically he is comparing the generations of his family in the pictures, their once strong features being diluted (new generations are figuratively 'thinner paper') in successive generations. Their once common physical characteristics are being lost/
October 29, 2017
Thank you very much, George.
January 30, 2019
These two sentences are funny, as in self depreciating humor. 1 Our family is not so good that it is degenerating. Means: Our family is not wealthy, or powerful enough to be marrying our cousins or other close relatives to maintain wealth or power. 2 As yet no physiognomy in our family is coming out in edition after edition on increasingly thinner paper. Means: From generation to generation the shape of our noses, eyes or smiles are different. The second sentence is re-enforcing the first. Saying that as well as the family not being wealthy or powerful, it is also doesn't have strong physical characteristics.
January 30, 2019
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