E sempre vero che

[Danz]

I'm stuying "La Pelle" (a film by Liliana Cavani)

VERY gory and horrific film set in Napoli during the Italian liberation from the Germans (by the Americans) in 1944. Not enjoyable but I have to write an essay on it for university.

I need to know how to translate a phrase but I guess I need to explain the context first.

There's an Italian liaison officer (the protagonist) and he takes an American Colonel (female) to a place in the heart of the city where women are selling their children in return for food.

She freaks out says to him:
"Non si vendono i bambini per un pacco di sigarette!"

He replies:
"Un pacco di sigarette? No, e` per il cibo! Ma e` sempre meglio venderli, che mangiarli."

Does the word sempre mean "still" or "always"? or something else?

 

[Rob625]

There is a common expression "E' sempre vero che ..."; we would say "Still, it's true that ...". So here, I would translate: "But still, it's better to sell them than eat them."

 

[Silvia]

Yeah, Rob. I would have translated it as: But it's better sell them than eat them".

Danz, now the question is, are you aware of the fact that that sentence is allusive?

 

[Danz]

You mean that the Neapolitans would never actually eat their children?

PS.............Don't watch the film!!!!

Che schifo!!!

 

[Silvia]

Obviously not Daniela. It should be a political innuendo.

Anyway, I didn't see the movie and not going to look for it either

 

[Danz]

Sorry, just re-read what I wrote before... looks as if I thought it was a possibility that they'd eat their children....haha!! no I'm honestly not that stupid, i promise!! hahaha!! just bad wording!!

Meant to say...."Yes I understand what you mean about it being allusive....that is... if you were referring to the fact that the Neapolitans wouldn't actually......blah blah blah"

But...I have no idea what inuendo means!! I think your English is better than mine! Clearly I don't have a wide vocab!!

????

Thanks so much for your help silvia..