How to use metaphors to express the impact of time on memory

[chance22]

If I want to express the idea that memory will not fade with time passing by, can I use expressions like 1"time does not dye; memories do not fade" or 2"time does not erode; memories do not fade" or just 3"the stream/current of time will never wash away memories". Are the three examples acceptable? Are the two words "dye" and "erode" correctly used here? Or are there better ways to convey the same idea? Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Matthew Wai]

A timeless memory.

Not a teacher.

 

[chance22]

And it's better to use the form of couplet.

 

[Rover_KE]

If I want to express the idea that memory will not fade with time passing by, can I use expressions like these?

1) "Time does not die; memories do not fade".

2) "Time does not erode; memories do not fade".

3) "The stream/current of time will never wash away memories".

Are the three examples acceptable? Are the two words "die" and "erode" correctly used here? Or are there better ways to convey the same idea?

[STRIKE]Thank you in advance for your help.[/STRIKE] Unnecessary – just click Thank when you get a useful reply.

I have improved the layout of your post.

 

[chance22]

Here the word dye is used, meaning(hopefully) time will not affect memory as if time could dye memory some color, or exert influence on memory

 

[bhaisahab]

Here the word dye is used, meaning(hopefully) time will not affect memory as if time could dye memory some color, or exert influence on memory

That doesn't work I'm afraid. You could say "time does not colour", for example.

 

[chance22]

That doesn't work I'm afraid. You could say "time does not colour", for example.

Then what about the other two expressions? Do they sound unnatural to native speakers?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Is it OK to say 'the passage of time will not dissipate the memory'?

 

[lotus888]

It's usually the other way around.
Memory fades with time.

If you want say that memory does not fade with time, it's usually for a specific memory or image.
The memory of her mother does not fade with time.

If you want to be more poetic, you can say something like:
Her memory of her mother is as perennial as time.
The colours of her memory do not fade with time.


--lotus

 

[Rover_KE]

The colours of her memory [STRIKE]does[/STRIKE] do not fade with time.

.

 

[chance22]

It's usually the other way around.
Memory fades with time.

If you want say that memory does not fade with time, it's usually for a specific memory or image.
The memory of her mother does not fade with time.

If you want to be more poetic, you can say something like:
Her memory of her mother is as perennial as time.
The colours of her memory do not fade with time.


--lotus

Thank you. Here the memory refers to a specific memory that will forever stay. Then I really wonder what you native think about the three expressions I've listed above. Are they totally not acceptable? Or can they be altered a bit? Is it possible to use the pattern like "Time does not ...; memories do not fade... " to show that time will not change anything and memory will stay in a poetic way?

 

[chance22]

Specifically, in the following expressions
1) "Time does not dye; memories do not fade".

2) "Time does not erode; memories do not fade".

3) "The stream/current of time will never wash away memories".

a. Grammatically, is it OK to use "Time won't dye" to mean time won't impart color to sth? Or do I have to use it as a transitive verb like time won't dye sth to indicate the same meaning? According to bhaisahab, this expression is unnatural, and then if it is changed to "Time won't color, and memories won't fade", is it understandable?
b. Similarly, grammatically, can I say "time won't erode", or should I use it as a transitive like "time won't erode anything"? Then about the metaphor, is this kind of expression acceptable?

 

[lotus888]

I like number 3.

Number one sounds awkward because dye sounds like die. Also, the fading of dye is not well connected with the fading of memory.

Number two sounds awkward because we usually think of erosion as a physical thing, like the erosion of soil on a river bank.

Number three sounds better. Similarly, you can say:


The ripples of time did not wash away her precious memories.
The passing seasons did not fade the vivid memories of her mother.

There are many possibilities. There are no "wrongs" in poetry, just what sounds good to you. Often, images translated from another language may sound awkward when written or said in English -- yet, the use of metaphors is quite universal. Play with the images -- try it. Something new and wonderful may come out.



--lotus