Chaucer analysis and translation

[turtle27]

I just wanted to make sure I got the translation of this text right. If there is a way you'd translate it different than me, please let me know!

Original text:
Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.
Upon an amblere esily she sat,
Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
For she koude of that art the olde daunce.




This is my translation:
Gap-toothed was she, it is the truth I say.
Upon a pacing horse easily she sat,
Wearing a large wimple, and over all a hat
As broad as is a buckler or a targe;
An overskirt was tucked around her buttocks large,
And her feet spurred sharply under that.
In company well could she laugh and chat.
The remedies of love she knew, perchance,
For of that art she'd learned the old, old dance.

I'd also like to know the significance of her riding a horse so easily and the detailed description about her clothing. I am thinking the horse thing is somehow sexual, and the clothing is to make her seem like a gold digger. I think she is described as a manipulative woman. Possibly even heartless because of her "knowing the dance of love".

Got any ideas?

[stlukesguild]

Here is how I would translate it:

Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.
Upon an amblere esily she sat,
Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
For she koude of that art the olde daunce.

In other words... why would you need to translate it? In other words... there is no need to translate Chaucer. Just some good foot-notes and annotations should do. As for the interpretations... considering this is but a second post perhaps you might like to expand upon your own ideas initially lest we come to the conclusion you are but seeking someone to help you do your homework.

[The Ol' Man]

I think that Chaucer deserves a translator in his own right, that an elucidation of those lines, the archaic spelling, would not go amiss. I find him one of the most intractable writers I have ever read. A translation would not affect his dialect, only his spelling, which is often beyond comprehension, and which slows the reading down intolerably. Otherwise, he demands an unnaturally patient reader.

[maud's_mead]

Translating is a good practice to begin to understand Chaucer. While it's true that in translation many things are generally lost, I feel readers must first learn to translate in order to understand what is being said and to help with re-reading in the orginial text at some point in the future.