stawali nawzajem

[zzjing]

usiłowałem zajrzeć jej w oczy, ale nie mogłem tego zrobić, bo wciąż było wszystko pozmieniane proporcjami, bo nie było tu żadnych kierunków i tylko w jakimś rozmodlonym milczeniu odkrywaliśmy się i stawali nawzajem,​

What does "stawali" mean here?

 

[zaffy]

I guess there is a dash in front of 'nawzajem' in the original text. Isn't there?

miałem już twarz i oddychający tors, powołane do istnienia tym - symetrycznym - aktem stworzenia: bo i ja, stwarzany, stwarzałem z kolei, i pojawiała się twarz, jakiej nigdy jeszcze nie widziałem, obca, znana, usiłowałem zajrzeć jej w oczy, ale nie mogłem tego zrobić, bo wciąż było wszystko pozmieniane proporcjami, bo nie było tu żadnych kierunków i tylko w jakimś rozmodlonym milczeniu odkrywaliśmy się i stawali - nawzajem, a byłem już żywym sobą, ale spotęgowanym jak gdyby bez granic, i tamta istota - kobieta? - trwała wraz ze mną w znieruchomieniu.

I believe this extract talks about an 'act of creation' between a male and a female in blurred surroundings. They discovered and created each other. At least that's how I see that.

 

[zzjing]

I guess there is a dash in front of 'nawzajem' in the original text. Isn't there?

There isn't in the version I was given.

I believe this extract talks about an 'act of creation' between a male and a female in blurred surroundings. They discovered and created each other. At least that's how I see that.

So it means "created" here?

 

[zaffy]

I guess so, let's wait and see what others say. 'Stawali' doesn't make sense in that context. That is just my interpretation. The 'nawzajem' (each other) after the dash would refer to both 'odkrywaliśmy się' and 'stawaliśmy się', so I would interpret it as 'we discovered and created each other'.

 

[jasio]

I would also assume that it is reflexive and means "became" - a regular meaning of this word. With or without the dash.

But still I have little idea how it's expected to match the rest of the phrase. Solaris belongs to the most difficult Lem's texts.

But indeed the paragraph is about a mutual creation.

 

[zzjing]

I would also assume that it is reflexive and means "became" - a regular meaning of this word. With or without the dash.

But still I have little idea how it's expected to match the rest of the phrase. Solaris belongs to the most difficult Lem's texts.

But indeed the paragraph is about a mutual creation.

Thanks. The new translation does have it as "mutually becoming".