Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2014 July 2

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July 2[edit]

the meaning of "parting lives"[edit]

What does "parting lives" mean in the following context? "My parents' divorce was final. The house had been sold and the day had come to move. Thirty years of the family's life was now crammed into the garage. The two-by-fours that ran the length of the walls were the only uniformity among the clutter of boxes, furniture, and memories. All was frozen in limbo between the life just passed and the one to come...I hoped my father would return soon with the truck so we could empty the garage and leave the cryptic silence of parting lives behind." Thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 222.128.169.21 (talk) 01:23, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

The lives of the narrator's parents are parting; in other words, they are no longer a couple and are living separate lives independent of each other. The items in the garage represent the last remnants of their lives together; no longer being our stuff, instead being father's things and mother's things in a chaotic disarray; —a fitting metaphor, perhaps.  —71.20.250.51 (talk) 01:52, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

the meaning of "ever again"[edit]

What does "ever again" mean in the following context? Does the phrase mean "one more time" or something else? "The sunlight pushing its way through the window splattered against a barricade of boxes. Like a fluorescent river, it streamed down the sides and flooded the cracks of the cold, cement floor. I stood in the doorway between the house and the garage and wondered if the sunlight would ever again penetrate the memories packed inside those boxes." Thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 114.249.214.235 (talk) 13:34, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, one more time, at any future point. If you don't see something ever again, you see it never again. Or never see it again. Either order works. InedibleHulk (talk) 13:40, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Also, it's a bit weird to say the sunlight "splattered" on the boxes, but later wonder if it will "penetrate" them again. Splattering is what an egg does, and penetrating's for spears. A mixed metaphor. InedibleHulk (talk) 13:42, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Actually, no. The metaphor's fine. Seeing it splatter made her wonder if it ever could still penetrate, like it did before it splattered. My mistake. InedibleHulk (talk) 13:47, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]
In this case, it is a simile instead of a metaphor; since the sunlight "splatters" ... "like a fluorescent river" ... "streams down" ... etc.  —71.20.250.51 (talk) 16:59, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[17:04, 2 July 2014 (UTC)] (P.s.:  see also Wiktionary: metaphor, simile — sorry, I "clarified" my reply after your response, IH[reply]
Yeah, could be. I saw the river as a separate bit, describing the post-splatter part (like how an egg only runs when it's broken). But I guess a river can also splatter/splash and penetrate through erosion. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:55, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Requests for transcriptions of Armenian and Arabic[edit]

What are the Armenian and Arabic transcriptions of these images?

Thank you WhisperToMe (talk) 14:56, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Armenian Prelacy sign says مطرانية الارمن in Arabic.
Gertasirats school says مدرسة دار التربية الخاصة in Arabic and Կրթասիրաց Վարժարան in Armenian.
That's all I was able to figure out. -- Cam (talk) 16:37, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]
OK got the Armenian Prelacy sign, it says Առաջնորդարան Հայոց in Armenian. -- Cam (talk) 19:05, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you! Got the Arabic and the first Armenian one, and I am awaiting the other three! WhisperToMe (talk) 22:34, 2 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Is the name of the Armenian school in File:Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian school.jpg... Ռոզ եւ Ալեքս Փիլիպոս Ազգային վարժարանի? And what are the names in File:Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian school - library and gym.JPG? Cam, thank you so much! WhisperToMe (talk) 09:54, 4 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]