for five or six seconds

[suprunp]

Her breathing became slightly agitated, and the rhythm with which her breasts rose and fell changed subtly for five or six seconds, but that was all.
(H. Murakami; 1Q84)

Does it mean "during" five or six seconds or "changed for five seconds and then came back to normal"?
I think it's the latter.

Thanks.

[bhaisahab]

Her breathing became slightly agitated, and the rhythm with which her breasts rose and fell changed subtly for five or six seconds, but that was all.
(H. Murakami; 1Q84)

Does it mean "during" five or six seconds or "changed for five seconds and then came back to normal"?
I think it's the latter.

Thanks.

Yes, it's the latter.

[suprunp]

And if I wanted to convey the former I would use 'during'.

Am I right?

Thanks.

[bhaisahab]

And if I wanted to convey the former I would use 'during'.

Am I right?

Thanks.

"During five or six seconds" seems an odd thing to say. Do you want to say that for some of a five or six second period her respiration changed?

[Tdol]

I'm honestly not sure what you mean by this- could you expand on the idea?

[suprunp]

What I want to say is that her rhythm has changed and it has happened not in an instant but taken some time, to be more precise 5 or 6 seconds were needed for the new state to settle. During this time her rhythm underwent some changes, but how long these changes are going to retain for we do not know.

[emsr2d2]

"Over the course of five or six seconds, her rhythm of her breathing changed and remained in an abnormal rhythm" = It took a duration of five or six seconds for her heartbeat to change and there is no clue how long this will remain the case.

"For five or six seconds, her chest rose at an abnormal rhythm but that was all" = The abnormal rhythm lasted for a duration of five or six seconds but then it went back to normal.