"Buttons and buttonholes were sewn on the edges of slit on the front which were trimmed with metallic lacework" (this is a description of an ancient dress). Is it clear from the phrase that the lacework was attached to the edges of the slit, not to the buttons and buttonholes?:)))
An explanation is due, I believe: this is MY translation of a Russian phrase, which essentially says that the edges of the slit had buttons and buttonholes sewn on AND a metallic lacework [were trimmed with a metallic lacework]] (as for the latter, the phrase "wire-thread filigree" suggested by provencepuss is probably a better choice).
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- mavisol (
mavisol) wrote in 
linguaphiles,
October 10 2012, 10:00:44 UTC 7 months ago
Hmmm it would help to know when this dress dates from.
19th century industrial prowess led to a lot of fine decorative work on accessories - I suspect that the 'metallic lacework' is more likely a wire-thread filigree. If this is the case it could be on the buttons and maybe even the buttonholes (especially if they were, in fact, 'loops' not 'holes'.) this was especially used on military and ambassadorial uniforms which became more and more elaborately decorated during the 18th and 19th centuries (all that gold braid and brocade work!)
However; the phrasing is ambiguous and the same wire-thread filigree may be on the edges of the slit.
October 10 2012, 10:19:20 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 10:04:16 UTC 7 months ago
On a purely syntactic reading, I would lean towards the lacework being attached to the buttonholes because "were" is plural. "Buttons and buttonholes [...] were trimmed with metallic lacework" is more grammatically correct (to me) than "[...] the slit on the front which were trimmed with metallic lacework" ... yet buttonholes rarely have lace...
Either way it's a hard sentence to parse.
October 10 2012, 10:19:26 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 10:25:59 UTC 7 months ago
Button loops - like the 'frogging' on a dress uniform (think cossaks and hussars!) are often quite thick and could hae this edging.
October 10 2012, 12:42:19 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 11:35:27 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 12:35:30 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 15:42:21 UTC 7 months ago
бокам разреза приши-вали петли и пуговицы,
а сам разрез окаймля-ли металлическим кру-жевом"
October 10 2012, 16:09:05 UTC 7 months ago
It's a more literal translation but hopefully it makes more sense.
Not sure about "on the edges of the slit on the front". Sounds a bit awkward to me. Maybe "on the edges of the front slit"?
October 10 2012, 16:48:23 UTC 7 months ago
Not sure about "on the edges of the slit on the front". Sounds a bit awkward to me. yes I agree
Maybe "on the edges of the front slit"? that is better or: "on the front slit edges". there is nothing wrong with stringing the 'adjectival' nouns here
however you parse it, 'slit on the front' sounds to me like it is a decorative 'placket' rather than an actual fastening - a placket is like an inverted pleat.
October 10 2012, 17:46:09 UTC 7 months ago
It would really help if we knew what kind of a dress we are talking about. But judging by the original text alone, it should be an actual fastening.
October 13 2012, 12:28:30 UTC 7 months ago
October 13 2012, 12:28:13 UTC 7 months ago
October 10 2012, 17:22:25 UTC 7 months ago
So both edges of the slit on the front were trimmed with metallic lacework? I originally thought if you was "was" instead of "were" then "was" would clearly refer to the front, and "were" would refer to the plural buttonholes. But if we're talking plural edges, then you still need "were" and then it IS a bit unclear.
The edges of the slits on the front, trimmed with metallic lacework, had buttons and button holes attached.
or, since I can't be sure if the lacework is sewn on the edges of the slits, or that the slits have lacework and the buttons are sewn on the edges:
The slits on the front, trimmed with metal lacework, had buttons and buttonholes sewn onto the edges.
October 11 2012, 06:45:18 UTC 7 months ago