Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
in the slivered heart of the half second...
English answer:
in the heart of that very small moment (a small slice of a second)
Added to glossary by
Stephanie Ezrol
Nov 15, 2010 11:40
13 yrs ago
English term
in the slivered heart of the half second...
English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
literature
The whole sentence like this:" They are two real bodies in a room. This is how she feels them, in the slivered heart of the half second it takes to edge around the doorpost, with hands that touch and rub and mouths that open slowly."
How can I understand " in the slivered heart of the half second it takes to edge around the doorpost,..."?
I'll very appreciate if someone will help me with the phrase.
How can I understand " in the slivered heart of the half second it takes to edge around the doorpost,..."?
I'll very appreciate if someone will help me with the phrase.
Change log
Nov 20, 2010 12:33: Stephanie Ezrol Created KOG entry
Responses
+2
35 mins
Stephanie Ezrol
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
French to English, English to English
Native in: English
Works in: English, French to English, French Middle (ca.1400-1600) to English
Related KudoZ points
:
27
Selected
in the heart of that very small moment (a small slice of a second)
To understand the sentence it is probably best to take it apart. First sliver, the verb is the act of creating the sliver, or very small slice.
The author is referring to a:
a slivered half second -- a slivered piece of a half second - a sliver type slice of a half second.
And the character's feeling occurrs in the "heart" or center of that moment in time.
The author is using heart as here defined by the webster online dictionary:
a : the central or innermost part : center
b : the essential or most vital part of something
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart
The author is referring to a:
a slivered half second -- a slivered piece of a half second - a sliver type slice of a half second.
And the character's feeling occurrs in the "heart" or center of that moment in time.
The author is using heart as here defined by the webster online dictionary:
a : the central or innermost part : center
b : the essential or most vital part of something
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Allison Wright (X)
: Stephanie has broken the phrase down nicely. Is the character about to discover something shocking (a cheating spouse, perhaps?)
4 hrs
|
|
Thanks Allison. This is from the Body Artist which has its own rather difficult style at first viewing
|
|
| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: but I think there may also be something to Lisa's suggestion, that it is also a hint to of the person's own broken heart: it only takes half a second to see something that breaks your heart. These double meanings are quite common in poetry.
1 day 5 hrs
|
|
Thanks Tina. Much of this story does deal with the main character's broken heart in a sense, and the writing is rich in double meanings
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for help! really!"
Discussion