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antes nascer

English translation: rather been born/better to be born

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Portuguese term or phrase:antes nascer
English translation:rather been born/better to be born
Entered by: Tereza Rae

15:53 May 9, 2020
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Portuguese term or phrase: antes nascer
I'm not sure I understand the construction of this sentence - or perhaps it's an idiomatic expression I'm not aware of? The paragraph reads: "As pessoas são de uma imbecilidade crônica. Antes nascer todo mundo lagarta, mais sentido prático haveria." It's that second sentence that has me stumped, and I'm not sure if it's the metaphor of the caterpillar, or if I'm just not understanding the construction with "antes nascer," which would seem to conflict with that conditional in the next clause. Perhaps that "antes nascer" is being used in the sense of "rather"? Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!
AJSComm
Local time: 09:30
rather been born/better to be born
Explanation:
Sugestão

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Note added at 12 mins (2020-05-09 16:05:04 GMT)
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Maybe the sentence construction should be changed around, something like: 'It would be more practical if everyone was born a caterpillar.'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2020-05-09 16:07:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to answer the asker's question: 'antes nascer' is not an idiomatic expression in (Brazilian) Portuguese, to the best of my knowledge.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2020-05-09 16:14:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you prefer to maintain the grammatical structure of the original sentence, you could say: 'rather have everyone been born a caterpillar,...'
Selected response from:

Tereza Rae
Canada
Local time: 09:30
Grading comment
Thank you Tereza, this perfectly answers my question!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4rather been born/better to be born
Tereza Rae
4had everyone been born a caterpillar
Paul Dixon
3For all practical purposes, they might as well have been born a caterpillar.
Anderson Calixto


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
rather been born/better to be born


Explanation:
Sugestão

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2020-05-09 16:05:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Maybe the sentence construction should be changed around, something like: 'It would be more practical if everyone was born a caterpillar.'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2020-05-09 16:07:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just to answer the asker's question: 'antes nascer' is not an idiomatic expression in (Brazilian) Portuguese, to the best of my knowledge.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2020-05-09 16:14:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you prefer to maintain the grammatical structure of the original sentence, you could say: 'rather have everyone been born a caterpillar,...'

Tereza Rae
Canada
Local time: 09:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you Tereza, this perfectly answers my question!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fausto Machado Tiemann
3 hrs
  -> Obrigada, Fausto! 😊
agree  Luis Fernando Arbex: Fully agree.
5 hrs
  -> And I fully thank you! 😊
agree  Verginia Ophof
8 hrs
  -> Obrigada, Verginia! 😊
agree  Susanne Toito
1 day 23 hrs
  -> Obrigada, Susanne! 😊
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Antes nascer todo mundo lagarta, mais sentido prático haveria.
For all practical purposes, they might as well have been born a caterpillar.


Explanation:
suggestion

Anderson Calixto
Brazil
Local time: 10:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Portuguese
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
had everyone been born a caterpillar


Explanation:
Had everyone been born a caterpillar, there would have been more practical sense.

Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 10:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 18
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