How should “aerials” be translated here?
Thread Content
When your antennas are lowered, and your spirit is covered by the snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are old, even at 20; but as long as your antennas remain raised to capture waves of optimism, there is hope that you may die young at 80. Once the antennas are lowered, determination is covered by cynicism and despair, and even at the age of 20, one feels already old； Thus, as long as you erect an antenna to capture optimistic signals, you can hope to feel young even as you bid farewell to this world at the age of eighty. This is a prose piece, and I think the translation doesn’t make sense; especially regarding the term “aerials”. Does anyone have a better understanding of it?
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this translation; after all, it’s prose and therefore certainly carries some underlying meaning. As for the translation of “aerials,” using it to refer to antennas is appropriate as well – it seems to serve as a metaphor for a certain spirit or mindset.
In my opinion, here, “When the aerials are down” can be translated as “When people are disheartened and their morale is low.””； “But as long as your aerials are up” can be translated as “But as long as you hold your head high and face challenges bravely.