Expression "A contradiction still"

[Haihao]

Hi,

First, please let me declare that I am by no means a sexist or a feminist but a permanent neutralist. The quotation below is only for English study thus without any other purposes whatsoever.

[NinaZara]

Haihao,

I think "still" here means "no matter what".

And, does it mean, no matter what, "women being perverse" is the best thing about women?

Nina

[Haihao]

Oh, what a fool I am! You're down right, Nina, "still" here means "still"! In fact, I was a little tired when I came across the phrase and thought "still" was a noun, meaning "static picture" but it would sound weird for the whole sentence. With your indication, now I think the sentence could be reworded to:

"At best, woman is still a contradiction." = "At the most, woman is still an inconsistent being.", I guess. Let me try to put it in Japanese as well: "Yoku Mitsumottemo (Yokutemo) Josei Ha(Wa) Yahari Mujunni Michita Sonzai Dearu." How do you think, Nina?

Thank you for your help!

Haihao

[NinaZara]

Not bad Haihao, only you can make such a negative statement sounds like a compliment.

Anyway, I don't know whether your sentence can mean the same as mine but let me try.

Woman, at her best, is still a contradiction (or full with contradictions).

That is how I understand it. Meaning, in one of many ways, woman are perverse, what they say, isn't exactly what they want.(本音立て前？）...

Or, in some situations, women can be a pain in the neck, but men still want to be near them. Or is it the ones who are being contradictory here is the men?

Anyway, if I were to put it in the Japanese, I would say:

最高の女性でも矛盾に満ちる。　OR いい女でも矛盾にあふれる。

What do you say?

[Haihao]

I think we are close to each other, Nina, and you have given me many inspirations about it, for sure. Speaking of the meaning of the sentence, I have to say my feeling is 'at best' is slightly different from 'at her best' as the former seems to me putting an emphasis on evaluation by a valuator while the latter on woman's capability, and the rest is history...

BTW, 'be a contradiction' and 'be full of contradiction' also seem a little different to me. The former sounds more like a definition whereas the latter more of a state.

However, the above are merely my two cents, Nina. I am not very sure about them either so they are only for sharing with you my own opinions. If they are correct, I would like to put it in Japanese as:

女はいくら良くても矛盾の塊りである。

Haihao

[NinaZara]

Yes, we are very close to each other (pun intended! ) I did consider the "state" thingy that you mentioned but I was too confused by the sentence and I thought better to stay and try to understand what it means and put it in a simpler sentence.
If I get you right, you're meaning to say this:

At best, woman is still a contradiction.
女は良くても矛盾の塊である。

And;

At best, woman is still full with contradictions.
女は良くても矛盾に満ちる。

Right?

Still, my first understanding of it was, "Woman's at best, a contradiction still" would mean "The best thing about women is the fact that they are a contradiction"

However, I also think it was meant to be many things, depending on how you see it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I do not understand what this fellow is trying to say.

That said, it is a hard sentence.

Nina