Guest guest Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Complexion doesn't refer only to skin color. In American English at least the words "bad complexion," for example is an idiomatic expressing meaning skin that is diseased with acne or disfigured by scars from acne, small pox, or someother irregularity. Hare Krsna ys, kbdg > > Please accept my humble obeisances. > All glories to Srila Prabhupada! > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low > family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or > infirm body. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > I wonder how to render "bad complexion" in Dutch. Throughout Srila > Prabhupada's books "complexion" refers to "skin colour" (at least in the > word-for-word translations; "golden complexion", "having a complexion > resembling bluish rainclouds", etc.). > > > However, "skin colour" in combination with "bad" will very likely get us > into trouble with Dutch readers who are not unlikely to consider us as > racist if I render this as "bad skin colour" (even though the "good" > colour isn't mentioned). > > > I'm inclined to use "(outward) appearance". Would that cover the meaning, > you think, or should the meaning specifically pertain to the skin > (colour)? > > > Otherwise, perhaps it's an idea to use "unhealthy" or something similar > for "bad"? > > > > OED > > 1. a. In the physiology and natural philosophy of the Middle Ages: The > combination of supposed qualities (cold or hot, and moist or dry) in a > certain proportion, determining the nature of a body, plant, etc.; the > combination of the four ‘humours’ of the body in a certain proportion, or > the bodily habit attributed to such combination; ‘temperament’. Obs. exc. > Hist. > > lb. Also used as equivalent to ‘humour’, or to ‘collection of humours’. > Obs. > > l2. a. Bodily habit or constitution (orig. supposed to be constituted > by the ‘humours’). Obs. > > lb. Physical constitution or nature (of members of the body). Obs. > > l3. Constitution or habit of mind, disposition, temperament; ‘nature’. > Obs. (exc. as fig. of 4). > > 4. a. The natural colour, texture, and appearance of the skin, esp. of > the face; orig. as showing the ‘temperament’ or bodily constitution. (Now, > without any such notion, the ordinary sense.) > > lb. Rarely, the colour of hair or beard. Obs. > > lc. Countenance, face. Obs. rare—1. > > 5. transf. Of other things: Colour, visible aspect, look, appearance. > > l6. A colouring preparation applied (by women) to ‘give a complexion’ > to the face. Obs. > > 7. a. fig. (from senses 1–3). Quality, character, condition; in mod. > use often with some notion of ‘tinge, colour, aspect’ from senses 4–5. > > b. (fig. from 4 or 5.) Appearance, aspect. > > ------ > > > Thank you very much! > > Hare Krishna. Your humble servant, > Rupa Sanatana Dasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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