meaning of...

[Anonymous]

First I want to thank to Mike. I am so glad to read Mike's version- the words became vivid and the excerpt became splendid. It's pleasure to read it. What difference? Of course, I am convinced that everybody should translate in his/her own language. But I have an exam and I should be ready for both types of translations. That's why I want to ask you about some sentences from original texts.

BGstudent: I can't understand what does the author want to explain in the following phrase?

1. "in their well seasoned late twenties." in the sentence:
They were older when they married than most of their married friends:in their well seasoned late twenties.

2. "ways forward for himself" BGstudent: Is it connected with his career?
3. "he shrank from the dealing of blows" BGstudent: Does it mean that he doesn't want to fight with fists, but then what about hte word "deal"? It's not quite clear to me.
4. "having been born east of a certain arbitrary line" BGstudent: What does arbitrary line mean? What kind of place it could be?

in the excerpt: The harm which Hunter had done in his life had usually been done accidentally in the course of seeking easy and unobtrusive ways forward for himself. However just the case,he shrank from the dealing of blows. What Stefan would be punished for if Hunter moved would be the fact of having been born east of a certain arbitrary line.

 

[MikeNewYork]

First I want to thank to Mike. I am so glad to read Mike's version- the words became vivid and the excerpt became splendid. It's pleasure to read it. What difference? Of course, I am convinced that everybody should translate in his/her own language. But I have an exam and I should be ready for both types of translations. That's why I want to ask you about some sentences from original texts.

You're very welcome. I appreciate your kind words.

BGstudent: I can't understand what does the author want to explain in the following phrase?

1. "in their well seasoned late twenties." in the sentence:
They were older when they married than most of their married friends:in their well seasoned late twenties.

The word "season" has several meanings. In this case, it means prepared by experience. The analogy is to the effects of the seasons on exposed wood. The idea is that the older folks are better able to deal with stresses of a marriage than their younger colleagues.

2. "ways forward for himself" BGstudent: Is it connected with his career?

It could be his career, but it could also apply to other tasks, journeys, or relationships.

3. "he shrank from the dealing of blows" BGstudent: Does it mean that he doesn't want to fight with fists, but then what about hte word "deal"? It's not quite clear to me.

It is not clear to me either. The word "deal" in this context means "to administer", "to deliver". It is not clear whether these "blows" are physical blows or another form of hostility.

4. "having been born east of a certain arbitrary line" BGstudent: What does arbitrary line mean? What kind of place it could be?

An arbitrary line is one that is drawn somewhere for no particular reason. For example, the line drawn between one school district and another schol district might be drawn arbitrarily -- not based on real data such as population density, demographics, etc. In this case, the arbitrary line might be a national/international border, something like the Berlin wall.

 

[Tdol]

Re having been born east of a certain arbitrary line

We have the expression born 'on the wrong side of the track' for someone born in an area of social deprivation. ;-)