Sonderling Sunday – die Grollhütte

It’s time for Sonderling Sunday! That time of the week when I play with language by looking at the German translation of children’s books.

Tonight it’s back to the especially Sonder-book, Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, which is the translation of The Order of Odd-fish, by James Kennedy.

Last time, we left off on page 327, in Chapter 24, which is Seite 415, 24. Kapitel, auf Deutsch. The first sentence is a choice morsel to translate. (You’ll certainly want to know how to say this if you ever go to Germany!)

“It was time for the final ritual before the duel: a tea ceremony at the Grudge Hut in Snerdsmallow, in which Jo and Fiona were required to read hundred-line poems insulting each other.”

= Es wurde Zeit für das letzte Ritual vor dem Duell, die Teezeremonie in der Grollhütte in Gimpelgarten, wo Jo und Fiona sich gegenseitig ein jeweils hundert Zeilen langes Gedicht aus Beleidigungen vorlesen mussten.

“distant” = weitab

This is pretty close to a direct translation:
“You can’t just blow it off.”
= Du kannst die ganze Sache jetzt nicht einfach abblasen.
(“You can the whole thing now not simply blow off.”)

This one they had to explain:
“Jo’s head was pounding.”
= Jos Kopf pochte vor Schmerz.
(“Jo’s head throbbed with pain.”)

“Don’t mention it.” = Nicht der Rede wert. (“Not a speech worth”)

I like the way these are one word in German:
“disturbing the peace” = Ruhestörung

“bomb threats” = Bombendrohungen

“foul mood” = übellaunig

“fumed” = schäumte

“our most splendid finery” = unserem schönsten Putz

“showering” = überschwemmen

And surely you’d like to be able to say this in German!
“Behold the glamorous Odd-Fish butlers streaking across the firmament, thoughtfully distributing signed portraits to fans and collectors!”
= Seht dort die glorreichen Butler der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, die über das Firmament gleiten und umsichtigerweise signierte Porträts an Fans und Sammler verteilen!

A nice long word:
“sympathy” = Mitleidsbekundungen

“but he didn’t touch a hair on your head”
= doch er hat Ihnen nicht das kleinste Härchen gekrümmt

“asylum” = Irrenanstalt (“Error-institution”)

“vanity” = Eitelkeit

“society pages” = Klatschspalten

“moping” = schmollen

“spilled” = verschüttet

“sour and scraped-out” = wund und wie ausgekratzt an

“earshot” = Hörweite

And that’s all for tonight! I haven’t been writing Sonderling Sunday for awhile, but next week I’ll know what to tell myself: Du kannst die ganze Sache jetzt nicht einfach abblasen.

Bis bald!

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