Translating Heavenletters
Although I enjoy translating as I said earlier it is not always easy to find the correct word or correct expression in Dutch. I always use Google translator first and if that does not help me I go to the English-Dutch dictionary. If that also does not help I get my Merriam Webster dictionary and usually I then find an explanation that will help me further. However, in Heavenletter #3429 "Greener Pastures" this week God said: "I ask you to take yourself in your stride. I ask you to take your life in your stride." and I did not have a clue what He meant. No dictionary or translator could help me any further and finally I decided to leave these sentences out. But I was not happy to do so.
Fortunately I have the Community Miracles Center forum and I contacted one of the participants asking him to explain the meaning of these two sentences, but the man is traveling right now. Tonight I called with the CMC for some other reason and I made use this opportunity to ask my question. Now I know that taking something in your stride means "do not let it stop you from moving forward".
Now that I could add the missing sentences to my translation I can be at peace again.
Anyway, the next time I have this kind of a problem I know whom I can ask for advice.
Correction
Now I received the explanation from another CMC friend who used to be a teacher and this makes much more sense, so I needed to make another correction.
Dear Luus, whenever you have
Dear Luus,
whenever you have a problem with the translations, you can write your questions here! This is exactly the place where to ask your questions, and Gloria or someone of the other translators will certainly answer. As for the expression ' to take sthg. in one's stride', the Italian dictionary says, 'to face something without problems'.
Love,
Paula
******
Never think that you are I. Know that I am you. /HEAVEN #515)
Paula took the words right
Paula took the words right out of my mouth! Yes, by all means, ask your translating questions here! Who can help better than other translators themselves!
There are so many idioms in English. Translating is an amazing feat.
I also think that posting questions here is a gift you give to us.
Thank you for your conscientiousness.
Luus, it is usually hard for me to let go of things, yet it has been easy to let go of the translations. The translating angels who come here come from their hearts and are so conscientious. In God I trust, and in Heaven's beautiful translators.
Right after I posted my
Right after I posted my second message I also thought myself that this is the place to ask when there is something that does not make sense.
Here is what my friend, who by the way found Heavenletters through my posting them on the CMC forum, says about taking something in stride:
"When you take something IN STRIDE it is like saying AT YOUR OWN PACE OR SPEED. When it says "I ask you to take yourself in your own stride" it means "I ask you to do things at your own pace or at your normal speed." Don't try to rush things nor try to slow things down but do them as you would normally do them or IN YOUR OWN STRIDE.
I ask you to take life in YOUR STRIDE is asking one to take life at a pace or speed that is comfortable for them or IN THEIR STRIDE. Stride in this case refers to pace of life as one normally would do things. Don't try to force anything or attempt to delibrately slow things down. But do them as you would normally."
Dear Luus, just to expand on
Dear Luus,
just to expand on what you already found and what Paula said, here's from the digital Oxford New American Dictionary:
take something in ( one's) stride: deal with something difficult or unpleasant in a calm and accepting way. Synonyms: deal with easily, cope with easily, not bat an eyelid.
Thank you Paula en Jochen
Thank you Paula en Jochen for your suggestions. In the meantime I received another email from a friend with her explanation, and all five I received are different and that makes it so difficult to find the correct translation.
Yes, dear Gloria, you need not worry about your translators for they are all dedicated and will do the best they can.
Beloved Luus, You can
Beloved Luus,
You can believe what Paula and Jochen told you. You can always rely on them:
"When you take something IN STRIDE it is like saying AT YOUR OWN PACE OR SPEED. When it says "I ask you to take yourself in your own stride" it means "I ask you to do things at your own pace or at your normal speed." Don't try to rush things nor try to slow things down but do them as you would normally do them or IN YOUR OWN STRIDE.
I ask you to take life in YOUR STRIDE is asking one to take life at a pace or speed that is comfortable for them or IN THEIR STRIDE. Stride in this case refers to pace of life as one normally would do things. Don't try to force anything or attempt to delibrately slow things down. But do them as you would normally."
Take something in ( one's) stride: deal with something difficult or unpleasant in a calm and accepting way. Synonyms: deal with easily, cope with easily, not bat an eyelid.
The opposite of taking life in your stride would be getting upset, frazzled, frantic, worried....
God bless you.
Heavenletter #3453
In today's Heavenletter God says in the 6th alinea: "It was just the lay of the land on the particular day." If I translate this in exactly the same words it does not make any sense in Dutch and I suspect that "the lay of the land" is an English expression. If this is so, could anyone give it in other words for me, please?
My friend Robert was very
My friend Robert was very quick in answering my questions and it may also be helpful to other translators:
A good dictionary meaning of "lay of the land" would be “An assessment or analysis made with regard to a particular situation, to gain further knowledge and insight into it.”
Used in a sentence:
"We need to get the lay of the land before we suggest what improvements should be done in that neighborhood."
Another usage is “The arrangement or organization of something other than land.” Used in a sentence:
“As soon as I get the lay of the land in my new job, things will go better. Or, The company's corporate structure was complex, so understanding the lay of the land took time.”
In common everyday usage you could say it means the way things are in a particular situation.
Dear Luus,
this is what I find:
the lay ( Brit. lie) of the land: the way in which the features or characteristics of an area present themselves. • Figurative: the current situation or state of affairs; example : she was beginning to see the lay of the land with her in-laws.
Dear Jochen, thank you so
Dear Jochen, thank you so much. Where can I find this online dictionary?
Luus, this one is on my
Luus, this one is on my computer, it came as part of the (Mac) operation system.
But there are lots of online dictionaries. Just google "online dictionary".
Here is one that has a good enough definition for "lay of the land":
http://www.yourdictionary.com/lay-of-the-land
Thank you, Jochen. I am sure
Thank you, Jochen. I am sure that I will consult this online dictionary often, for the Google translator does not always give a correct translation and then I need to ask for a better translation.
And please don't hesitate to
And please don't hesitate to ask us, dear Luus.
Luus, when I use a Google translator to understand what someone in a different language has written to me, the translation in English makes no sense at all! I mean no sense!
I imagine you do most of your translating through your beautiful heart.
Loving you, Gloria