Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2010 January 11

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January 11

Reinforcing existing prejudices

Is there a phrase for this? Possibly Latin? And is there a phrase which encompasses the route out of that circular condition? Kittybrewster ☎ 13:57, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

This condition is called Confirmation bias. The article quotes Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War and Francis Bacon Novum Organum on this subject, so the Latin texts of those works should have what you look for. I have read neither, unfortunately, so I cannot help with the exact quote. --71.142.58.78 (talk) 17:44, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

Thucydides' original was, though, written in Greek...but over the ages Latin versions probably cropped up.--达伟 (talk) 19:35, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

But as you can tell from the English translations of Thucydides and Bacon, they didn't have a pithy phrase for it, just a couple of sentences of a description. Adam Bishop (talk) 05:54, 12 January 2010 (UTC)

"Piange ... Il Telefono" (Italian song)

I would like some information on "Piange ... Il Telefono", which is an Italian pop song from 1975 sung by Domenico Modugno. First, I'd like an appropriate English translation to the lyrics. Second, I'd like to know what is the song / story / plot all about. I have searched all over the internet (including Italian Wikipedia), but I was not able to find much information of any help. Also, I was able to get a direct word-for-word translation from Italian to English. But, that was not helpful in translating the real / actual / contextual meaning of the lyrics. Below are the lyrics into which I placed line numbers for reference. The basic story is of a man making a telephone call, and a child answers the phone. The man's lyrics are printed plainly below, while the child's lyrics are parenthesized. Again, I am less interested in a direct literal translation, but rather a contextual translation for meaning / plot / story line. If it makes any difference, I think that the language is actually Neapolitan language (Nnapulitano / Naples), and not Italian per se. Also, if this is not the best place to ask this question, please direct me otherwise. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. (Joseph Spadaro (talk) 19:47, 11 January 2010 (UTC))

Italian lyrics to "Piange ... Il Telefono"

Title: Piange ... Il Telefono (Pronto) Ascolta Mamma è vicino a te? Devi dire a mamma c'è qualcuno che (Chi sei il signore dell'altra volta?) (vado a chiamarla) (Ma sta facendo il bagno) (non so se può venire!) Dille che son qui dille che è importante che aspetterò (Ma tu hai fatto qualche cosa) (alla mia mamma?) (Quando chiami tu mi dice sempre:) (Digli che non ci sono!) Ma dimmi sai scrivere di già E' bella la tua casa? A scuola come va? (Bene... ma dato che la mia mamma lavora) (è una vicina che mi accompagna a scuola) (però ho solo una firma sul mio diario) (Gli altri hanno quella del loro papà) (Io no!...) Dille che son qui che soffro da sei anni Tesoro proprio la tua età (Ah no... Io ho cinque anni!!) (Ma tu la conosci la mia mamma?) (Non mi ha mai parlato di te!) (Aspetta eh...) Piange il telefono perchè lei non verrà anche se grido: ti amo lo so che non mi ascolterà Piange il telefono perchè non hai pietà? Però nessuno mi risponderà L'estate andate a villeggiare all'Hotel Riviera? ti piace il mare? (Oh si tanto!) (Lo sai che so nuotare? Ma dimmi) (Come fai a conoscere l'Hotel Riviera) (Ci sei stato anche tu?) Dille la mia pena e quanto a tutte e due: vi voglio bene (Ci vuoi bene?) (Ma io non ti ho mai visto!) (Ma che cos'hai!) (Perchè hai cambiato voce?) (Ma tu piangi! Perchè?) Piange il telefono perchè lei non verrà anche se grido: ti amo lo so che non mi ascolterà Piange il telefono perchè non hai pietà? Però nessuno mi risponderà Ricordati però piango al telefono l'ultima volta ormai ed il perchè domani tu lo saprai Falla aspettare (Sta uscendo!) Falla fermare (E' andata via!) Se è andata via allora... addio... (Arrivederci signore) Ciao piccola!

Here is my translation.

-- Wavelength (talk) 21:10, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

[I am revising my quick translation. -- Wavelength (talk) 21:41, 11 January 2010 (UTC)]

Can we truncate this, please? It's far too long. Cheers! --KageTora - (影虎) (Talk?) 21:12, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

The lyrics in French, Spanish, Italian, and English are at Le téléphone pleure - Claude François - LEXILOGOS >>.

The introduction in French says: "This is the story of a man who telephones his former lover whom he has not seen again for six years. At the end of the line, a little girl answers him. The man discovers then that he is her father ... This song, which came out in 1974, surpassed all the sales records of the career of Claude François: 2,800,000 45-rpm records." (I have the record and the girl's part is sung by Francesca Guadagno.)

-- Wavelength (talk) 21:32, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

Cheers! :) --KageTora - (影虎) (Talk?) 22:44, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

[I am revising my translation. Also, when I made the navigation box at 22:09, 11 January 2010 (UTC), I forgot to leave a comment in this section.

-- Wavelength (talk) 00:13, 12 January 2010 (UTC)]

Thanks so much for the input. This was very, very helpful ... and I appreciate it. Thanks! (Joseph Spadaro (talk) 17:45, 12 January 2010 (UTC))