[extropy-chat] blatant self aggrandizement

[BillK]

On 1/29/07, scerir wrote:
> after much work now I know that
> self aggrandizement = autoincensamento
> :-)
>

Google translates autoincensamento as self-praise.

I guess that gets the meaning over, but it loses a lot in translation.  :)

self-aggrandizement (with a hyphen) is a much richer term in English
than mere self-praise.

One useful trick for translating foreign words, (as well as just
feeding the word itself into Google translate) is to look the word up
in its own language dictionary, then feed the whole dictionary
definition into Google translate.

e.g. self-aggrandizement produces:
The act or practice of enhancing or exaggerating one's own importance,
power, or reputation.

With a bit of hacking about to get a reasonable translation, Google
says in Italian:
Un'azione da aumentare o esagera la vostra propria importanza,
autorità, o reputazione.


But there's more........

In Damien's case you have to remember that he comes from an Australian
cultural background, where mocking the self-important is traditional.

If you have ever seen Barry Humphries' comedy portrayal on tv of the
Australian Cultural Attache, Sir Les Patterson, you would understand.
 :)


BillK