Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Portuguese term or phrase:
O que não falta é assunto.
English translation:
The one thing that they didn’t have trouble with was finding things to talk about ; there was certainly no shortage of things to talk about
Added to glossary by
Teresa Cristina Felix de Sousa
May 19, 2019 19:47
5 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Portuguese term
Brazil
Teresa Cristina Felix de Sousa
Technical Translation Specialist
Native in: Portuguese
Works in: English to Portuguese
O que não falta é assunto.
Portuguese to English
Other
Poetry & Literature
Estou fazendo uma versão para o inglês, e apareceu essa frase no meio do segmento.
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Elas conversavam sobre tudo, desde a pobreza em que viviam, até política, novas tecnologias, ciências e, principalmente, sobre uma força sobrenatural que contribuía para fortalecer os dias sem alimentos e com um profundo desamor entre os colegas daquele lugar. Com o olhar pregado no horizonte, o que não falta é assunto.
====================
Recebi uma orientação do editor para não mudar a tônica e a construção sintática e interpretativa.
Ou seja, não posso mudar a frase, mesmo que signifique a mesma coisa.
Alguma sugestão dos meus mestres? Tks in advance for yr kind assistance on this.
O QUE NÃO FALTA É ASSUNTO
===================
Elas conversavam sobre tudo, desde a pobreza em que viviam, até política, novas tecnologias, ciências e, principalmente, sobre uma força sobrenatural que contribuía para fortalecer os dias sem alimentos e com um profundo desamor entre os colegas daquele lugar. Com o olhar pregado no horizonte, o que não falta é assunto.
====================
Recebi uma orientação do editor para não mudar a tônica e a construção sintática e interpretativa.
Ou seja, não posso mudar a frase, mesmo que signifique a mesma coisa.
Alguma sugestão dos meus mestres? Tks in advance for yr kind assistance on this.
O QUE NÃO FALTA É ASSUNTO
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
1 hr
Robert Forstag
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
The one thing that they didn’t have trouble with was finding things to talk about.
Or:
....was finding plenty to talk about.
If you want to preserve the negative grammatical construction of the Portuguese (i.e., “o que não falta”) this is one way of doing so in a way that sounds entirely natural in English. Katarina’s original suggestion preserves this structure, but “What is not lacking is a subject” is awkward English.
If you were not obliged by the strictures you have described, Gilmar’s suggestion would work just fine.
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:45:14 GMT)
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I also like the the use of the word “trouble” here, since it not only works semantically, but highlights the fact that one ray of sunshine in the difficult lives of the two persons in question was their ability to connect with one another about their trying circumstances.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2019-05-19 22:16:59 GMT)
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You are most welcome.
Here is another (somewhat more economical) variant that preserves the double negative of the original:
In the end, there was certainly no shortage of things to talk about.
....was finding plenty to talk about.
If you want to preserve the negative grammatical construction of the Portuguese (i.e., “o que não falta”) this is one way of doing so in a way that sounds entirely natural in English. Katarina’s original suggestion preserves this structure, but “What is not lacking is a subject” is awkward English.
If you were not obliged by the strictures you have described, Gilmar’s suggestion would work just fine.
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:45:14 GMT)
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I also like the the use of the word “trouble” here, since it not only works semantically, but highlights the fact that one ray of sunshine in the difficult lives of the two persons in question was their ability to connect with one another about their trying circumstances.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2019-05-19 22:16:59 GMT)
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You are most welcome.
Here is another (somewhat more economical) variant that preserves the double negative of the original:
In the end, there was certainly no shortage of things to talk about.
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much for yr kind and precise answer, Robert. Good night. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Danke schön you all
Abração"
3 mins
Lucas Felix dos Santos
Brazil
Brazil
Native in Portuguese
Specializes in field
Brazil
IT, Games, Linguistics and Marketing
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian) 
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Spanish to Portuguese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
they would talk like this for hours on end
Sugestão possível.
+2
12 mins
Mark Robertson
Native in English
Translations by lawyers for lawyers
Native in: English 
Works in: Portuguese to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
there is always something to talk about.
Fits.
+2
17 mins
Gilmar Fernandes
United States
United States
Native in Portuguese
&
English
United States
25 + yrs. Business experience PORT- ENG
Native in: Portuguese , English
Works in: Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese
Related KudoZ points
:
84
There was always plenty to talk about.
One way of saying it.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sara Marques
14 hrs
|
|
Thank you Sara :)
|
|
| agree |
Maria da Glória Teixeira
1 day 1 hr
|
|
Obrigado, Glória :)
|
+1
37 mins
Katarina Peters
Canada
Canada
Native in English
Specializes in field
Canada
Accuracy and A1 presentation
Native in: Hungarian , English (Variant: US)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Hungarian to English, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
76
what is not lacking is a subject.
literally - If you cannot change the tone and the syntax.
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:04:54 GMT)
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simply:
"fixed on the horizon, they had lots to talk about."
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:45:20 GMT)
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You are welcome, Teresa :)
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:04:54 GMT)
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simply:
"fixed on the horizon, they had lots to talk about."
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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:45:20 GMT)
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You are welcome, Teresa :)
Note from asker:
| Tks a ton, dear Katarina. What would you suggest as colloquially used? Tks again |
| Thank you very much, dear. Teresa |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Verginia Ophof
: what is not lacking are subjects/subject matter
2 hrs
|
|
Yes, thank you, Verginia.
|
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