This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Japanese to English
  3. Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

火を灯した

English translation: started to have a fire

20:37 Sep 30, 2021
Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
Japanese term or phrase: 火を灯した
Dear ProZ members,

could you help me to interpret the following sentence from a cartoon?

デジタルデータに命の火を灯すことはどうしてもできなかった
(I just couldn't light the fire of life in digital data.)

けれどあの日 ただのデジタルデータは命の火を灯したの。

Context is unclear, so I was wondering which of the following attempts are grammatically possible for the second sentence:
1) But that day, mere digital data lit the fire of life.
2) But that day, the fire of life was lit in mere digital data.
3) But that day, I lit the fire of life in mere digital data.

Thank you so much!
Riccardo91
Italy
English translation:started to have a fire
Explanation:
We don't know who started the fire in the second sentence as the subject is not shown.

"I couldn't set a fire of life in the digital data no matter how hard I tried. But, on that day, the mere digital data started to have a fire of life."

By using "started to have a fire", we don't have to presume who set the fire.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 5 hrs (2021-10-02 02:35:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In the ordinary sense, you don't use 灯した when a fire starts on its own like in a spontaneous fire. However, in a fantasy, it is possible. In the real world, who would set a fire in digital data unless you want to physically burn it down? But in the story you are translating, the girl was trying to do so. Likewise, digital data can start its own fire in a story.

Regarding your second question, I don't see the data giving life to other data.
Selected response from:

Port City
New Zealand
Grading comment
Thank you again!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1けれどあの日 ただのデジタルデータは命の火を灯したの
bishan sharma
3started to have a fire
Port City


  

Answers


10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
けれどあの日 ただのデジタルデータは命の火を灯したの


Explanation:
I think no. one is suitable answer.

bishan sharma
Local time: 19:04
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you! It sounds a bit strange because in the previous sentence she was talking about giving life *to* digital data, and now the digital data itself are supposed to give life to something else. But after all that's what the grammar choice seems to suggest (デジタルデータに in the first sentence, then デジタルデータは in the second one). Thanks again!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jason Paris
16 hrs
  -> Thank you.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
started to have a fire


Explanation:
We don't know who started the fire in the second sentence as the subject is not shown.

"I couldn't set a fire of life in the digital data no matter how hard I tried. But, on that day, the mere digital data started to have a fire of life."

By using "started to have a fire", we don't have to presume who set the fire.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 5 hrs (2021-10-02 02:35:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In the ordinary sense, you don't use 灯した when a fire starts on its own like in a spontaneous fire. However, in a fantasy, it is possible. In the real world, who would set a fire in digital data unless you want to physically burn it down? But in the story you are translating, the girl was trying to do so. Likewise, digital data can start its own fire in a story.

Regarding your second question, I don't see the data giving life to other data.

Port City
New Zealand
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 6
Grading comment
Thank you again!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. I was wondering: if you use the verb 灯した are you implying that someone/something actually started that life? I mean, it can't be used to mean that the data took life on their own, right? Also, are you excluding the interpretation about the data giving life to other data (check my note to the other answerer about the は particle)? Sorry if I insist, but the context is a bit unclear and I want to be sure I'm understanding the sentence from a grammatical point of view. Thanks!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search