Translating Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad

E

endemikbitkiler

New member
Hi there everyone. Couple of months ago I was translating Great Expectations and I got great help from someone (thanks again:) in this forum. So, here I am again seeking help for Mirror of the Sea this time. It has never been translated to Turkish; that's why I'm extra excited and cautious. Besides, Conrad has his own special way of narrating and as the ones who read the book would know, it is basically about sea and seamanship. So, I hope I could get your guidance when I face some difficulty about the language or special terms and usages. Here comes the first one:

"He walks the poop darting gloomy glances, as though he wished to poison the sea, and snaps your head off savagely whenever you happen to blunder within earshot. And these vagaries are the harder to bear patiently, as becomes a man and an officer, because no sailor is really good-tempered during the first few days of a voyage."

Here Conrad talks about how some captains get grumpy during the first days of a voyage and how they behave. I could not fully understand the part "as becomes a man and an officer". I have doubts whether it means that none of them are able to bear it patiently because no sailor is really good-tempered during the first few days of a voyage. Does it mean so?:confused:
 
Liam

Liam

Administrator
One of the meanings of the verb "become" in English is "to suit, to be appropriate for"--and in this sentence it refers to "bear patiently." What that bit of the sentence implies is that it is appropriate for men and officers to patiently bear whatever vagaries come their way. In other words, if you're a man or an officer, and especially when you're both, it "becomes" you, it suits you, it is expected of you by society, to be patient and to bear life's "vagaries" with patience. Hope this clears it up a bit! Good luck with your translation and let us know how it goes!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top