Hi,
I have done a translation for my Italian class, i think it is ok but there are a few sentences that have confused me as it is using the imperfect subjunctive. I think i have selected the correct words from the dictionary but i also struggled with "arrivato in basso"...Here is the translation, any criticism or addition etc. is welcome as i am still not happy with it but cannot make any sense out of it.
Thank you in advance for taking time out to help me.
Arrivato in basso, il commissario si fermò a considerare un istante, senza simpatia, la gente già in buona parte scamiciata che affollava l'atrio dei passaporti. Se il signor Campi ci fosse stato, alto com'era l'avrebbe visto subito. Ma non c'era, naturalmente. Dovevano averlo mandato subito di là, nell'ufficio di Ajello, dove il passaporto del suo amico era già pronto e firmato, lontano dalla folla dei postulanti che scalpitava e ondeggiava davanti agli sportelli. Il commissario si aprì la strada tra quegli agitati. Le vacanze, la macchina, gli itinerari: non c'era nessuno che stesse fermo, neanche qui.
- Hai visto il dottor Campi? è venuto da te? - chiese affacciandosi alla porta del collega. Bisognava stare al gioco: per uno come Ajello era inconcepibile che uno come il signor Campi non fosse dottore e non venisse chiamato dottore.
- Sì, era qui adesso. è venuto a prendere il passaporto di quel suo amico. Perché? Lo volevi?
- Niente, niente, - disse il commissario.
Andò in fretta fino al portone, scostando la gente, e uscì sul marciapiede per vedere se il signor Campi non fosse lì attorno, ad aspettare per delicatezza l'ora precisa: o se per caso non se ne stesse addirittura andando: con l'idea, magari, di presentarsi tutto festoso quando lui avesse perso ogni speranza di vederlo.
(Fruttero - Lucentini)
Arriving late, the inspector stopped to consider for a moment, without sympathy, the people already, for the most part, in disarray crowding the lobby of the passport office. If signor Campi had been there, tall as he was, he would have seen him immediately. But he was not there, of course. They must have sent him in there straight away, in the office of Ajello, where his friend’s passport was signed and ready, away from the crowd of applicants who were champing at the bit and hovering in front of the counters. The inspector opened up a pathway for himself through those agitated people. Holidays, the car, the itinerary: nobody was keeping still, even here.
“Have you seen Dr. Campi? Has he come to you?” – He asked appearing at his colleague’s window.
You had to play the game: for someone like Ajello it was inconceivable that someone like signor Campi not to be a doctor and not to be called doctor.
“Yes, he was just here. He came to collect his friend’s passport. Why? Did you want him?”
“Nothing, nothing,” said the inspector
He rushed to the door, pushing people, and went out onto the street to see if signor Campo was around out there, to wait in consideration for the precise time: or if by chance he himself was not even there: with the idea perhaps, of appearing cheerful when he had lost all hope of seeing him.Could somebody please check my italian to english translation please?
Arriving downstairs, the inspector stopped to consider for a moment, without sympathy, the people already, for the most part shirtless crowding the lobby of the passport office. If signor Campi had been there, tall as he was, he would have seen him immediately. But he was not there, of course. They must have sent him over there straight away, in the office of Ajello, where his friend’s passport was already signed and ready, away from the crowd of applicants who were champing at the bit and hovering in front of the counters. The inspector opened up a pathway for himself through those agitated people. Holidays, the car, the itinerary: nobody was keeping still, even here.
“Have you seen Dr. Campi? Has he come to you?” – He asked appearing at his colleague’s door.
You had to play the game: for someone like Ajello it was inconceivable that someone like signor Campi was not a doctor and was not called doctor.
“Yes, he was just here. He came to collect his friend’s passport. Why? Did you want him?”
“Nothing, nothing,” said the inspector
He rushed to the door, pushing aside people, and went out onto the sidewalk to see if signor Campi was around out there, to wait in thoughtfulness for the precise time: or if by chance he was actually leaving: with the idea perhaps, of cheerfully reappearing when he had lost all hope of seeing him.
"Arrivato in basso" describes someone who's probably just come down from a flight of stairs or something similar.
"Signor Campi" or "Signor Ajello" somehow don't sound right; either you say "il signor Campi" or "Mr Campi".
You use "Signor Campi" only when you're actually calling after him.
I changed a few words here and there but you really did a great job, it's pretty difficult and logics don't work for you since this is obviously a tiny piece of a much longer novel; I myself can't figure out who Mr Campi is and why the inspector is apparently chasing him :-SCould somebody please check my italian to english translation please?
Instead of 'in basso" why not use "in ritardo?"Could somebody please check my italian to english translation please?
Arrivato in ritardo, l'ispettore si fermò un istante a considerare, senza simpatia, le persone già, per la maggior parte, in disordine che affollavano l'atrio dell'ufficio dei passaporti. Se il signor Campi fosse stato lì, alto com'era, l'avrebbe visto immediatamente. Ma lui, naturalmente non era lì. Lo devono aver spedito direttamente nell'ufficio di Ajello, dov il passaporto dell'amico era firmato e pronto, lontano dalla folla di richiedenti che si trattenevano a stento, indugiando davanti agli sportelli. L'ispettore si aprì un varco tra le persone agitate per passare. Le vacanze, la macchina, gli intinerari: nessuno stava fermo, nemmeno qui.
''Ha visto il Dottor Campi? è venuto da lei?''- domandò affacciandosi alla finesta del collega.
Bisognava stare al gioco: per qualcuno come Ajello era inconcepibile che qualcuno come il signor Campi non fosse un dottore e non venisse chiamato dottore.
''Sì, era proprio qui. è passato e prendere il passaporto del suo amico. Perché? Le serviva?''
''Niente, niente'' disse l'ispettore.
Corse verso la porta, spingendo le persone, e uscì in strada a vedere se il signor Campi fose lì attorno/ lì fuori, ad aspettare con riguardo l'ora precisa: o se per caso non se ne fosse andato: con l'idea, magari, di sembrare allegro anche quando aveva perso tutta la speranza di trovarlo lì.
Come down, the inspector stopped to consider for a moment, without sympathy, people already in good part Scamiciata crowding the lobby of passports. If Mr. Fields had been there, tall as he was would have seen immediately. But there was, of course. They were immediately sent him there, in the office of Ajello, where the passport of his friend was ready and signed off by the crowd of petitioners who stamped and swayed in front of the doors. The inspector opened the road between those agitated. Holidays, the car, the routes: there was nobody to stop them, even here.
- Have you seen Dr. Fields? He came to you? - Churches in the doorway of his colleague. You had to play the game: for someone like Ajello was inconceivable that someone like Mr. Fields was not a doctor and no doctor was called.
- Yes, he was here now. He came to take the passport of his friend. Why? He wanted?
- Nothing, nothing, - said the inspector.
He went quickly to the door, pushing people, and went out onto the sidewalk to see if Mr. Fields was not around there, waiting for delicate precise time: or whether he was standing even going: the idea maybe, to appear cheerful when he had lost all hope of seeing him.
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