an air or new????

[Davey]

I was trying to search for this phrase on the internet, but I couldn't find it so I wonder if it is English

It is said that time is people's fiercest emeny because it leaves its mark on us, showing us how we get older and older. Anyway, apart from this sad quality, time is also benefic to us because it makes us forget about unhappy pasts. Moreover, with the passing of years societies change and improvements appear. That is why there is a great difference between our society now and the one seventy years ago, for example. People's mentalities change, too and the standard of living, too.

Consequently, major changes occur in the towns we live, for example. New developments appear, as new shops are built, new buildings take the place of old ones, everything receives an air or new little by little.

When new buildings take place of old ones, how can it receives air? I mean the air is changing for buildings... so I am not sure what it really means. :?:?

 

[undrentide]

I assume it is a typo, and should read "an air of new".
Air here means appearance.

LDOCE Online
air | meaning of air in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

5appearance[singular] if something or someone has an air of confidence, mystery etc, they seem confident, mysterious etc
air of
e.g.
She had an air of quiet confidence.
She looked at him with a determined air.

Receiving an air of new: getting a new appearance.
So as the time goes by, things in the town are innovated and everything looks new little by little. (Not a drastic change at a time but gradual change.)

 

[JimmySeal]

Yep, I agree it should be of.

 

[Glenn]

I agree it should be "of" as well, but "new," as far as I'm aware, isn't a noun, so it feels weird as the object of a preposition. "Newness" works better for me, but I don't think that gets used all that often, so it feels strange too. I don't think that was written by a native speaker, by the way. These two sentences in particular makes me think that: "That is why there is a great difference between our society now and the one seventy years ago, for example," and "Consequently, major changes occur in the towns we live, for example."

 

[Amigo]

I've read it. And if you translate it literally into Spanish sounds perfect.

It could've been written by a Spanish speaker. To be exactly from some south-american country. I'd say it means...

...everything receives an air (of old ones) or new (ones) little by little.

"Ones" refers to the buildings. Or maybe just "things"...

...everything receives an air (of old things) or new (things) little by little.

 

[Charles Barkley]

Agree completely with Glenn.

 

[Pachipro]

I agree. It is probably a typo or mistranslation. "Everything receives an air of newness" sounds best.