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Posted

A translation question. Two children are best friends, but lately they each have a secret that is weighing heavily on them and that they can't share with the other. They both act as if nothing has changed, but meanwhile a lot has. The interior monologue of one of the children goes: 是秘密,先于我们存在的秘密离间着我们的感情。

 

I don't get that sentence. 'It was the secrets, [somethingsomething] was driving a wedge between our friendship.', but I don't get what's going on with 先于 and 存在 here.

 

This is for a novel I'm translating into Dutch, so very specific suggestions on word choice are welcome but not necessary, once I understand the sentence I can handle the translation part.

 

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance!

Posted
7 hours ago, pinion said:

I think it's "secrets that existed before us," i.e. secrets from before they were born.

That makes perfect sense, and now that I know what is meant I understand what's going on with the sentence. Thank you!

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