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Mary Mansur's avatar

Knowing only English, I am astounded by the thought process in translating the author’s meaning of a simple phrase. I feel you have captured it .Good work Phoebe!

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Zora O'Neill's avatar

This is a really great process! Thanks for sharing like this. I wonder if takbeerat could be translated as hosannas? Usually associated with Christian worship, but not necessarily, and it has a kind of comical feel to it that would be appropriate. (I'd written "comical, olden-days feel" but didn't want to imply takbeer is old-timey in an Arabic context. But given the dad's rededication to religion, it reminds me of sheikhs who are constantly urging takbeer -- exulting and a little grandiose. Which is what hosanna carries for me.) So something like: For the first time ever, the bar rang with hosannas.

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