la giovinezza italian Veglia Sulle Tue Sorti O Patria

[JLEES]

Hello,
I just purchased an early Italian postcard and think it may have been issued around the time of D'annunzio march into Fiume. It just has a picture of Mussolini and D'annunzio with the words below "la Giovinezza Italian Veglia Sulle Tue Sorti O Patria". Could someone please translate this into English and give me your opinion. Does it deal with 1919 Fiume?

1919 Axis.jpg (33.5 KiB) Viewed 1236 times

[jwsleser]

I was hoping that a native Italian speaker would answer this question. This is a tricky line to translate.

Literally it is something like 'The Italian Youth Vigil over your Fate or Homeland'. But this doesn't make sense given the pictures on the postcard.

However, La Giovinezza is the anthem of the Fascist Party. In that context the meaning could be 'The vigil of Italian Fascism over your fate or homeland'. That better fits what is depicted.

I am bothered by the use of 'o' (or, either). I would have expected 'e' (and). Maybe there is something I am missing.

In terms of Fiume I can't say. Just my thoughts.

Pista! Jeff

[zaptiè]

the translation is correct

[Atheist78]

I was hoping that a native Italian speaker would answer this question. This is a tricky line to translate.

Literally it is something like 'The Italian Youth Vigil over your Fate or Homeland'. But this doesn't make sense given the pictures on the postcard.

However, La Giovinezza is the anthem of the Fascist Party. In that context the meaning could be 'The vigil of Italian Fascism over your fate or homeland'. That better fits what is depicted.

I am bothered by the use of 'o' (or, either). I would have expected 'e' (and). Maybe there is something I am missing.

In terms of Fiume I can't say. Just my thoughts.

Pista! Jeff

As Zaptie' wrote, the meaning of your translation is correct and the use of O is "poetic": as you know Italian Language is a direct descendant of Latin and Romans writers used O as an invocation (toward the subject of the phrase) ex.: O Tempora, O mores (Cicero)

[Ironmachine]

As Zaptie' wrote, the meaning of your translation is correct and the use of O is "poetic": as you know Italian Language is a direct descendant of Latin and Romans writers used O as an invocation (toward the subject of the phrase) ex.: O Tempora, O mores (Cicero)

If the "o" is used as an invocation, then jwsleser's traslation can not be correct. The correct meaning, IMO, would be something like "The Italian youth watchs over your fate, Oh homeland!". I think this makes more sense than the previous translations presented here.

[Atheist78]

Yep, i missed the r in jwsleser translation , and yes your translation is better IMHO

[jwsleser]

Thanks for the input. I wasn't completely happy with my translation.

However I feel that 'The Italian youth' doesn't work. Youth doesn't fit the scene depicted. I feel "The Italian fascists watches over your fate, Oh homeland!" as a play on the song title "La Giovinezza".

Pista! Jeff

[Atheist78]

Thanks for the input. I wasn't completely happy with my translation.

However I feel that 'The Italian youth' doesn't work. Youth doesn't fit the scene depicted. I feel "The Italian fascists watches over your fate, Oh homeland!" as a play on the song title "La Giovinezza".

Pista! Jeff

Maybe you are right but to be certain we should know at least two important things : who did issue the postcard (was it the State, a private firm, the PNF?) and when was the postcard printed and issued (during the Fiume "adventure", before Mussolini seized power, after ?)

Personally, i feel some Risorgimento/Irredentismo vibe from the Giovinezza bit, but , as I said, we can't be certain without knowing more particulars.

[jwsleser]

Agreed.