Sonderling Sunday – The Eldritch Snitch

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 3

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 I’m back with my stand-by, the book that started it all, Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, The Order of Odd-Fish, by James Kennedy.

We left off on page 176 in the English edition, Seite 223 in the German edition. Sefino is just going to take Jo to the newspaper office of the Eldritch Snitch, which is Schauerlichen Petze in German. Roughly translated, that’s “Horrible Sneak.”

I’m sure I’ve done this one before, but it bears repeating:
“Chatterbox” = Plaudertasche

“severely” = nachdrücklich

“retraction” = Gegendarstellung (“opposite-representation”)

“first draft” = erster Entwurf

I like this:
“snippy” = schnippisch

“a touch of bravado” = einen Tick tollkühn

This goes more quickly in English:
“odds be damned” = auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit gepfiffen

“the thick of the fight” = hei?e Kampfgetümmel (“hot war-turmoil”)

“swashbuckler” = Draufgänger

“strolled” = schlenderte

“hive” = Bienenstock

“coves” = Schlupfwinkeln (“slip-nooks”)

“cubbyholes” = Kämmerchen (“little chambers”)

“chattering away relentlessly” = unaufhörlich klapperten

“hassle” = schikanieren

“nest of vipers” = Schlangengrube

“necktie” = Halstuch

“ascot” = Plastron

“Intimidator” = Einschüchterer

“bold” = gewagt

“frosted glass” = Milchglas (“milk-glass” I like that.)

“appetizers” = Appetithäppchen

“toothpick” = Zahnstocher

“battle of wits” = Schlacht der Geister

Oh, not as good:
“vigorous verbal vituperation” = heftigen, verbalen Schmähungen

“intricate insult” = bemerkenswerten Beleidigungen

“calamitous calumny” = verheerenden Verleumdungen

The insults are always good!
“ink-stained wretch” = tintenklecksender Unhold

“scandal-sniffing hack” = Skandale erschnüffelnder Schreiberling

“salacious slander” = vulgären Verleumdungen

“spluttered” = stammelte

“impertinence” = Unverschämtheit

“insufferable taste” = unerträglichen Geschmack

“every ounce of courage” = jedes Fünkchen Mut

“buffoon” = Hanswurst

That’s the end of Chapter 14!

Some good stuff in there! Don’t be a tintenklecksender Unhold or a Skandale erschnüffelnder Schreiberling! Drum up jedes Fünkchen Mut to join hei?e Kampfgetümmel like a Draufgänger. But whatever you do, don’t be schnippisch!

See you next week! And if you need to use these phrases in German next week, you can be so happy that you are prepared!

Sonderling Sunday – Momo, Listening

Sonderling Sunday 0

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, or, in this case, the English translation of a German children’s book.

This week, I’m going back to one of my all-time favorite books, Momo, written in German by Michael Ende. Last time I covered Momo, I got through the entire first chapter, and also got to explain a little of why I love it so much.

This time, I’m going to dive in, beginning on Zweites Kapitel (“Second Chapter”), Eine ungewöhnliche Eigenschaft und ein ganz gewöhnlicher Streit. The chapter is, however, simply titled “Listening” in English. A literal translation of the German title is “An unusual character and a completely usual dispute.” A little more descriptive, don’t you think?

I like the first sentence, so I’ll quote the entire thing:
Von nun an ging es der kleinen Momo gut, jedenfalls nach ihrer eigenen Meinung.
= “Momo was comfortably off from now on, at least in her own estimation.”

mal mehr, mal weniger
= “sometimes more and sometimes less”

wie die Leute es entbehren konnten
= “what people could spare”

unentbehrlich = “indispensable”

nach und nach = “in time” (“by and by”)

feststehenden Redensart = “stock phrase” (“fast-standing phrase-type”)

unglaublich klug = “incredibly smart”

geheimnisvollen Spruch = “magic spell” (“mystery-full speech”)

And the key word of the book:
Zuhören = “listening”

I like the way the author addresses the reader:
Das ist doch nichts Besonderes, wird nun vielleicht mancher Leser sagen, zuhören kann doch jeder.
= “Anyone can listen, you may say — what’s so special about that?”
(Literally: “That is in fact not special, will now perhaps some reader say, listening can anyone do, actually.”)

Aber das ist ein Irrtum.
= “But you’d be wrong.”

ganz und gar einmalig
= “quite unique”

Momo konnte so zuhören, da? dummen Leuten plötzlich sehr gescheite Gedanken kamen.
= “She listened in a way that made slow-witted people have flashes of inspiration.”
(“Momo could so listen, that dumb people suddenly very clever thoughts came.” — Good thing they didn’t translate it like that!)

Aufmerksamkeit = “attention” (“out-marking-ness”)

Anteilnahme = “sympathy” (“interest-taking”)

ratlose oder unentschlossene Leute = “worried or indecisive people”
(“advice-less or un-closed people”)

Schüchterne = “shy people”

I like the conclusion of this section:
Und wenn jemand meinte, sein Leben sei ganz verfehlt und bedeutungslos und er selbst nur irgendeiner unter Millionen, einer, auf den es überhaupt nicht ankommt und der ebenso schnell ersetzt werden kann wie ein kaputter Topf – und er ging hin und erzählte alles das der kleinen Momo, dann wurde ihm, noch während er redete, auf geheimnisvolle Weise klar, da? er sich gründlich irrte, da? es ihn, genauso wie er war, unter allen Menschen nur ein einziges Mal gab und da? er deshalb auf seine besondere Weise für die Welt wichtig war.
So konnte Momo zuhören!

= “And if someone felt that his life had been an utter failure, and that he himself was only one among millions of wholly unimportant people who could be replaced as easily as broken windowpanes, he would go and pour out his heart to Momo. And, even as he spoke, he would come to realize by some mysterious means that he was absolutely wrong: that there was only one person like himself in the whole world, and that, consequently, he mattered to the world in his own particular way.
Such was Momo’s talent for listening.”

Let’s face it, with this book, it’s not so much about the cool words as that I so love what they say!

Anyway, that was only the “Unusual character” part of chapter two, but I’m trying not to go on so long, so that will do it for tonight!

In honor of Momo, try a little zuhören this week!

Sonderling Sunday – Unusual Musical Instruments

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 3

It’s time for Sonderling Sunday! That time of the week when I play with language by looking at the German translations of children’s books. Sort of a handy phrase book of things you never knew you wanted to know how to say!

This week, it’s back to the book that started it all, James Kennedy‘s The Order of Odd-Fish, otherwise known as Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge. I left off right at the start of a short section about an extremely unusual musical instrument, which is on page 175 in English, Seite 221 auf Deutsch.

Jumping in to some fun phrases and interesting words:

“specialties” = Fachgebiete (“practice areas”)

“expertise” = Fachwissen (“specialist knowledge”)

“odd musical instruments” = seltsamer Musikinstrumente

“strange animals” = sonderbare Tiere

“milling around” = strömten (“flowed”)

“at the top of the stairs” = auf dem oberen Treppenabsatz (“at the top stairs-section”)

“blubbery thing” = blubberndes Ding
(Hmm. A little disappointing, that. Who knew it was almost the same in German?)

“dark yellow” = ockerfarben

“wriggling tubes” = windenden Röhrchen

“a single bored-looking red eye” = einem einzelnen, gelangweilt blickenden roten Auge

“as it cascaded down the stairs” = als es die Treppen hinabglitt

“shocking enough” = schockierend genug

“most shocking thing” = das Erschreckendste

“huge jaws” = gewaltiges Maul

“orifices” = Körperöffnungen (“body-openings”)

“can emit sounds” = Klänge erzeugen können

“a full-grown man may fit comfortably in its esophagus!”
= In seiner Speiseröhre findet ein ausgewachsener Mann bequem Platz!
(“in its meal-eyelets finds a grown man easily place!”)

“climbing” = geklettert

“most unusual music” = ungewöhnlichste Musik

“Out of the question” = Das kommt überhaupt nicht infrage
(“That comes at all not in-question”)

“squeeze or pinch” = drücken oder kneifen

“couldn’t hurt” = Das kann ja nicht schaden.

“most horrible noises” = der schrecklichsten Geräusche

And as a climax to this section:

“a howling, farting crescendo of gurgling belches and groans”
= ein heulendes, furzendes Crescendo von gurgelnden Rülpsern und Gestöhne

“Of course, it needs a little work.”
= Selbstverständlich bedarf es noch einiger Übung.

Lovely! Won’t it be handy, the next time you visit Germany, to be able to describe ein heulendes, furzendes Crescendo von gurgelnden Rülpsern und Gestöhne? Or at least to say it’s ungewöhnlichste Musik.

Sometimes I feel like I’m developing Fachgebiete nearly as useful as that of der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge.

Be sure to mention in the comments your abundant opportunities to use these phrases this week!

Sonderling Sunday – Harry’s Birthday Edition

Sonderling Sunday 1

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

And tonight we get a special bonus. In honor of Harry Potter’s birthday this past week (July 1) and the fact that my son is home from school, with the German edition of HP#1, I’m going to look at the one book I own in English, German, and French, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen, Harry Potter à l’École des Sorciers.

When I started with Harry Potter, I didn’t get very far, but we learned that in French, Dudley has a “was suffering from a small crisis of choler.” And that the Germans don’t thank you in the first line, like everyone else.

Oh, and before I get started, I have a Special Bonus Word of the week. My son and I were learning a new game, and he grabbed the English rules, so I was trying to read along in the German ones, and I learned a brilliant word, Fingerspitzengefühl. It’s translated “balancing act” in the English rules, but it literally means “finger-peak-feeling.” You know, that feeling in your fingers when you put a block on the top of the pile? I love it!

Okay, back with Harry Potter. Think of this as useful phrases in case you’re ever traveling in Germany or France. Have you ever wondered where the phrase books get the phrases they choose to translate? Why not from a children’s book?

I’m starting on page 9 of the British version, page 8 in German, and page 9 in French. (Must be from less front matter that German is the lowest page number. Can’t be that it’s shorter!)

I’m beginning with the line:
“The Potters, that’s right, that’s what I heard –”
= »Die Potters, das stimmt, das hab ich gehört –«
= –Les Potter, c’est ça, c’est ce que j’ai entendu dire…

“Fear flooded him.”
= Angst überkam ihn.
= envahi par une peur soudaine (“overcome by a sudden fear”)

“whisperers”
=Flüsterern
=les gens qui chuchotaient

“snapped at his secretary”
= fauchte seine Sekretärin an
= ordonna d’un ton sec à sa secrétaire

“stroked his mustache”
= strich sich über den Schnurrbart
= se caressa la moustache

“he was being stupid”
= ich bin dumm
= il était idiot

“grunted”
= grummelte
= grommela
(all so onomatopoetic!)

“squeaky voice”
= piepsiger Stimme
= petite voix perçante

“You-Know-Who”
= Du-wei?t-schon-wer
= Vous-Savez-Qui

And this sentence needs to be translated in full so we can use it some day:
“Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!”
= Selbst Muggel wie Sie sollten diesen freudigen, freudigen Tag feiern!
= Même les Moldus comme vous devraient fêter cet heureux, très heureux jour!

“hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle”
= umarmte Mr. Dursley ungefähr in Bauchhöhe (“hugged Mr. Dursley around in belly-height”)
= prit alors Mr Dursley par la taille et le serra contre lui (“then took Mr Dursley around the waist and squeezed against him”) (Have they no word for “hugged”?)

“imagination”
= Einbildungskraft (“picturing-in-craft”)
= imagination (I might have known. “-tion” words tend to be from French.)

“tabby cat”
= getigerte Katze
= le chat tigré

“the same markings around its eyes”
= dasselbe Muster um die Augen
= Il reconnaissait les dessins de son pelage autour des yeux.
(“He recognized the drawings of his coat around the eyes.”)

“Shoo!”
= Schhhh!
= Allez, ouste !

“pull himself together”
= sich zusammenzurei?en
= reprendre contenance (“regain composure”)

Here’s another nice handy phrase:
“Mrs Dursley had a nice, normal day.”
= Mrs. Dursley hatte einen netten, gewöhnlichen Tag hinter sich.
= Mrs Dursley avait passé une journée agreeable et parfaitement normale.
(“Mrs. Dursley had passed an agreeable day and perfectly normal.” Again, the French are so refined.)

“Mrs Next Door”
= Frau Nachbarin
= la voisine d’à côté

“Shan’t!” (Dudley’s first word)
= pfui
= Veux pas!

Well, I didn’t get far, but I shan’t go any further, because I’ve already spent an hour, pfui!

May my readers have a freudigen, freudigen Tag, or at least one that is agreeable et parfaitement normale!

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Sonderling Sunday – Another Dimension

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 7

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, in this case the one I keep coming back to, the one that started it all, Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, James Kennedy‘s The Order of Odd-Fish.

Last time, we left off in the middle of Chapter 14, on page 172 in the English version, Seite 218 in the German edition.

Think of this as one of those German-learning tapes, with useful phrases for you to learn before you go to Germany, and I hope it will make you laugh. (I’d totally do it as a podcast, but I seriously doubt my ability to pronounce the German even close to correctly.)

“It was sad but true” = Es war traurig, aber wahr

“utterly tedious” = au?erordentlich langweilig

“threat” = Drohung

“to teach… about discredited metaphysics” = verrufene Metaphysiken aufzuklären

I like saying this:
“drag herself out of bed” = aus dem Bett schleppen

“stumble down the hall” = in die Halle herunterstolpern

“excruciatingly dull lessons” = entsetzlich langweiligen Vorlesungen

“babble away happily” = plapperte glücklich

“an intriguing question” = eine höchst faszinierende Frage

“with silent apprehension” = mit stummer Sorge

Going for a record-length word:
“wondering what she’d gotten herself into”
= während sie sich fragte, in was sie sich jetzt wieder hineinmanövriert hatte
(“during which she asked herself, in what had she herself now into-maneuvered”)

“tilted her head” = legte den Kopf schief (“laid the head crooked”)

“small, disconnected bits” = kleine, zusammenhanglose Bruchstücke
(“small, together-hang-less broken-pieces”)

“furry hands” = runzligen Händen

“crumpled it into a wad” = zerknüllte sie zu einem Ball

“Sir Oort waved her silent.”
= Sir Oort brachte sie mit einer Handbewegung zum Schweigen.
(“Sir Oort brought her with a hand-waving to silence.”)

“crumpled-up map” = zusammengeknüllten Landkarte

“crawling around” = herumgekrabbelt

“realized” = begriffen

Here English is much more efficient:
“Sir Oort uncrumpled the map.”
= Sir Oort faltete die Karte auseinander und glättete sie.
(“Sir Oort folded the map apart [out-one-another] and smoothed it.”)

“Jo’s mind wrestled with the concept”
= Jo versuchte, diese Vorstellung zu verarbeiten
(“Jo sought, this notion to work through”)

“mildly” = nachsichtig

“rebuke” = Tadel

“inspiring” = angeregt

“rang out like a bell” = klang glasklar (“rang glass-clear”)

And the final paragraph of this section is worth quoting:
“‘As an Odd-Fish, it is not my job to be right,’ said Sir Oort. ‘It is my job to be wrong in new and exciting ways.'”
= »Als ein Seltsamer Sonderling ist es nicht meine Aufgabe, etwas Richtiges zu finden«, erklärte Sir Oort, »sondern meine Aufgabe besteht darin, auf möglichst neue und aufregende Weisen falschzuliegen.«

There you have it. If my translations and explanations tonight aren’t perfect, I hope I’m at least being wrong in new and exciting ways. We’ll take up the story in a couple weeks in the middle, still, of Chapter 14.

Sonderling Sunday – The Goose Girl

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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, or, in this case, English translations of German fairy tales.

I once again have checked out Philip Pullman’s new English version of Fairy Tales from the Brother’s Grimm to compare with my old version and my cheap German edition. I’m currently rereading Shannon Hale’s classic novel The Goose Girl, reading along with her summer book club on her blog. I came into it late, so I read a few chapters today to catch up, and thought I’d look at the original fairy tale today for Sonderling Sunday.

The German tale is called Die Gänsemagd, “the Goose maid.”

Some interesting phrases: (If both English versions agree, I’ll just list one. If Pullman is different, I’ll list his translation second.)
heranwuchs = “grew up”

Kleinode = “rare jewels”

Brautschatz = “dowry” (“bride-treasure”)

Kammerjungfer = “maid in waiting,” “maidservant” (“chamber-maid”)

Läppchen = “handkerchief”

demütig = “humble”

Note the same root here:
noch hochmütiger = “still more haughtily”

Gaul = “nag”

unter freiem Himmel Schwören = “swear by the clear sky above her,” “swear under the open heavens”

gab acht (“gave eight”) = “observed it well,” “took good note of it”

faul herumsteht (“lazy around-stand”) = “stand idle,” “laze around”

Schinder = “knacker”

bis ich mich geflochten und geschnatzt
und wieder aufgesatzt
= “Until I have braided all my hair
and bound it up again,”
“Until I’ve done my hair.”
(literally: “until I have with myself braided and stitched and again bound up.”

befahl = “commanded”

verbarg sich = “hid himself”

ausflocht = “unplaited,” “unpinned”

von Glanz strahlten = “shone with radiance”

Windsto? = “violent wind” (literally: “windshock”)

Kachelofen (“tile-oven”) = “iron-stove”

kriechen = “weep and lament,” “cry”

ausschütten = “emptied,” “poured out”

ihr Schicksal Wort für Wort literally: “her fate word for word.” Neither translator uses this phrase, but just says, “was listening to what she said, and heard it,” and “he heard everything she said.”

offenbarte (“open-bared”) = “revealed,” “explained”

verblendet = “blinded,” “completely taken in”

splitternackt = “entirely naked”

geschleift = “drag along”

And after the gruesome punishment, the happy ending:

Dies geschah, und der junge König vermählte sich mit seiner rechten Gemahlin und beide regierten ihr Reich in Frieden und in Seligkeit.

=”When the sentence had been carried out, the young King married his true bride, and both of them reigned over their kingdom in peace and happiness.”

= “And when the sentence had been carried out, the king’s son married his true bride, and they reigned over their kingdom in peace and happiness”

The peace and happiness seems to have no dispute, but I like Shannon Hale’s version better!

How about you? Can you think of practical ways to use these handy-dandy German phrases?

Sonderling Sunday – Exploring Eldritch City

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 0

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. I’ve always found phrase books funny. Imagine situations where you really need to say those things. So, why not start with a situation, a story, in fact, and look at how they would translate?

Today, for the first time, I’ve brought my laptop out on my balcony, and I’m enjoying all the bird song. Life is good!

Today it’s back to the book that inspired Sonderling Sunday, Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, that is, The Order of Odd-fish, by James Kennedy. You do not have to have read the book to enjoy this unusual “phrase book.” In fact, it might be extra fun to try to imagine a story that uses these phrases. I bet you can’t come close!

It strikes me that it would be really fun to make a language learning recording (or podcast) with these phrases. But I think it would be much better with a native German speaker reading the German. Any volunteers?

This week, we’re beginning Chapter 14, Kapitel 14, which begins on page 169 in English, Seite 214 in the German edition. Jo is exploring Eldritch City, so we’ll need to learn some handy phrases for a tourist.

“soaked” = durchtränkt (“through-drank”)

“the wet breath of plants” = dem feuchten Atem von Pflanzen

“the sweat of strangers” = dem Schwei? von Fremden

“brackish seawater” = fauligem Meerwasser

“rotten cheese” = verschimmeltem Käse

“melted manure” = geschmolzenem Dung (Aren’t you glad you know how to say that now?)

“the sweet fruity thrill of ten thousand flowers” = dem sü?en, fruchtigen Duft von Zehntausenden von Blumen

“thronged” = wimmelte

“centipedes” = Tausendfü?lern (“thousand-footers”)

“shimmering pantaloons” = schimmernden Hosen

“chromium walking sticks” = Gehstöcke aus Chrom

I like saying this:
“precariously tall hats” = gefährlich hohe Hüte

“tipping” = lüpften

“swampy bottom of the mountain” = sumpfigen Fu?es des Berges

“gray eel-like creatures” = aalartige graue Kreaturen

“twitching worms” = windenden Würmern

“propped up by scaffolding” = gestützt von Gerüsten

“variety” = Vielfalt (“much-diversity”)

“boisterous” = lärmende

“peephole” = Guckloch

“kicking around hairy, jeweled animal skulls”
= haaarige, juwelengeschmückte Tierschädel herumkickten

“hide-and-seek” = Versteckspiels (“hiding games”)

“whale-god” = Walgottes

“floating mountain” = schwebender Berg

“incense” = Weihrauch (“Christmas-smoke”)

“notoriously clumsy flame-spurting double-sided lance”
= berüchtigten, etwas sperrigen, zweiseitigen, Flammen spuckenden Lanze

“weapon of choice” = Lieblingswaffe

“ostrich” = Strau?

“old haunts” = alten Spielgründe (“old play-grounds”)

“swamp neighborhood” = Sumpfgebiet

“flower-dripping” = von Blumen übersäte (“with flowers over-sowed”)

“stilt legs” = Pfahlbeinen

“most distinguished eelmen” = respektabelsten Aalmenschen

“bubbling iron pot” = blubbernde Eisenkessel

“sweaty, fish-smelling smoke” = muffigen, fischigen Rauch

“throbbing” = hervorstehenden

“delighted gargles” = entzückte gurgelnd

“brittle” = spröder

“blobs” = Knubbel

“declared” = deklamierte

“boiled cabbage” = gekochter Kohl
.
“flared her nostrils” = weitete ihre Nasenflügel (“widened her nose-wings”)

“weight-lifter” = Gewichtheber

That’s the end of a section. Now I challenge you to use some of these phrases in a sentence! May you be blessed this week with dem sü?en, fruchtigen Duft von Zehntausenden von Blumen and not with dem Schwei? von Fremden or even gefährlich hohe Hüte. But if you’re ever in Germany and you want to describe sweaty, fish-smelling smoke, you’ll know how to do it!

Sonderling Sunday – Peterchen Hase

48-Hour Book Challenge, Sonderling Sunday 0

I’m doing the 48-Hour Book Challenge this weekend. If I can keep from napping for another 4 hours, I will have more than 24 hours spent reading and blogging over the last 48! Before anything else, I’m going to write my weekly feature, Sonderling Sunday, where I play with language by looking at the German translation of children’s books.

I do not believe you need to know German to enjoy Sonderling Sunday. The idea is to discover a slightly different way of looking at everyday things, to let melodious and appropriate sounds roll off your tongue, and to learn handy phrases.

By the way, I just finished listening to David Sedaris’ audiobook, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and he talks about the pitfalls of phrasebooks. Delightfully, Pimsleur sent a “Bonus track” of what would be on their Japanese instruction CDs if David Sedaris were the one writing the phrases. Think of what follows as what you’d find on a German instruction CD if I were the one writing it — using handy phrases found in children’s books.

While I was moving, I discovered that I have a small Dover edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, translated into German: Die Geschichte von Peterchen Hase: Ein buntes Märchenbuch von Beatrix Potter, illustriert von Anna Pomaska. That’s “The Story of Petey Rabbit: A colorful storybook.” A note in the front says, “This Dover edition… contains a German translation by Meike Werner…. For this edition the artist, Anna Pomaska, has created new illustrations based on selected images by Beatrix Potter.” I’m guessing there was copyright trouble with the original images. What do you think?

Anyway, the reason I had to feature this book is on the very first page. You probably know how the English tale starts:

“Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits,
and their names were —
Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cotton-tail,
and Peter.”

This translates to:

Es waren einmal vier kleine Häschen, die hie?en —
Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Kuschelschwänzchen
und Peterchen.

I’m sorry, but every time I read Kuschelschwänzchen I can’t help but laugh. Yes, it means “Cotton-tail,” but it just doesn’t have the same lilt to it, does it?

Though when you see a -chen on the end of the word, that’s a diminutive. Like Cotton-tailet or Cottony-tail Apparently one can’t translate a story about little rabbits without inserting a lot of these. (At least they didn’t call the first two Flopchen and Mopchen.)

Here are some more phrases:
“underneath the root of a very big fir-tree” = unter der Wurzel einer riesigen Tanne

And I simply must quote Mrs. Rabbit’s entire warning speech:
“you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”

ihr dürft auf die Felder oder den Pfad hinuntergehen, aber auf keinen Fall in Herrn McGregors Garten: euer Vater hatte dort einst einen schlimmen Unfall. Er landete schlie?lich in Frau McGregors Pastete.

My literal translation of that: “You may on the fields or the path go down, but under no circumstance in Mr. McGregor’s garden. Your father had there a bad accident. He landed finally in Mrs. McGregor’s pastry.”

I like schlimmen Unfall for “accident.” It sounds very schlimm indeed.

“Now run along, and don’t get into mischief”
= Nun lauft und gebt gut acht, da? ihr keinen Unfug macht.
Literally: “Now run and give a good eight, that you no Mischief make.”
(“Mischief” = Unfug)

“She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.”
= Sie kaufte einen Laib braunes Brot und fünf Rosinenbrötchen.

And I love any sentence with Kuschelschwänzchen:

“Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries.”
= Flopsy, Mopsy und Kuschelschwänzchen, die artige kleine Häschen waren sprangen den Pfad hinunter, um Brombeeren zu pflücken.

“But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden, and squeezed under the gate!”
= Das ungezogene Peterchen aber rannte direkt zu Herrn McGregors Garten und schlüpfte unter dem Gartentor hindurch!
Literally: “But the naughty Petey ran directly to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed under the garden gate!”
(“squeezed” = schlüpfte)

“ate” = knabberte This gives more the idea of “nibbled.”

“rather sick” = ein bi?chen übel

“parsley” = Petersilie

“cucumber frame” = Gurkenbeetes

“young cabbages” = jungen Kohl

“waving a rake” = Er fuchtelte mit dem Rechen herum

I like this one. It’s hard to imagine him actually calling this out.
“Stop thief!” = Stehengeblieben, du Dieb!

“Peter was most dreadfully frightened.”
= Peterchen hatte fürchterliche Angst.

“unfortunately” = unglücklicherweise

“gooseberry net” = Stachelbeernetz

“got caught by the large buttons on his jacket”
= sich mit den gro?en Knöpfen seines Jäckchen darin verfangen hätte”
(“caught” = verfangen)

“shed big tears” = weinte dicke Tränen

“sparrows” = Spatzen

“sobs” = Schluchzen
(I’ve heard of choking with sobs, but saying “sobs” in German makes me choke.)

“implored him to exert himself” = ermunterten ihn, sich mehr Mühe zu geben
Literally: “encouraged him, more effort to give”

“pop upon the top of Peter” = über Peterchen stülpen

“toolshed” = Geräteschuppen

“can” = Gie?kanne

It’s always fun to see how onomatopoetic phrases are written:
“Kertyshoo!” = Hatschi!

“trembling with fright” = zitterte vor Angst

“had not the least idea” = hatte nicht die geringste Ahnung

“damp” = aufgeweicht

“wander about” = herumzustreifen

“lippity lippity” = hoppel di hopp

“no room” = keine Ritze

“squeeze underneath” = durchdrücken (“through press”)

“running” = sauste (Google: “dashed”)

“stone doorstep” = steinerne Schwelle

“carrying” = schleppte

“puzzled” = durcheinanderbrachte (“through-each-other-brought”)

“pond” = Teich

“the tip of her tail twitched” = zu zuckte die Spitze von ihrem Schwanz

“hoe” = Hacke

“scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scratch” = kr-r-ritz, kratz, kratz, kritz

I enjoy this almost-rhyme:
“Peter scuttered underneath the bushes.”
= Peterchen huschte in die Büsche

“he came out” = kroch er gleich wieder hervor

“climbed upon a wheelbarrow” = kletterte auf einen Schubkarren
(“climbed on a thrust-car”)

“peeped over” = spähte

“black-currant bushes” = schwarzen Johannisbeerbüschen

“was safe at last”
= fand schlie?lich Schutz

“scare-crow” = Vogelscheuche

“to frighten the blackbirds” = um die Amseln zu erschrecken

“flopped down” = niedersank

“rabbit-hole” = Hasenhöhle

“One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time.”
= Einen E?löffel vor dem Schlafengehen einnehmen.

“But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.”
= Flopsy, Mopsy und Kuschelschwänzchen aber bekamen Brot und Milch und Brombeeren zum Abendessen.

Ah. That one just makes me happy. And now, if you’re ever traveling in Germany, you know what sound to make when you sneeze. Hatschi!

Gesundheit!

Sonderling Sunday – Teenage Ichthala

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 2

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

Yes, after my move over a month ago, I have discovered the box that contained my German books. So here again for your amusement, we’ll be looking at Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, the German translation of James Kennedy‘s The Order of Odd-Fish (translated by Wolfgang Thon — I need to remember to give the translator credit!).

We left off on page 166 of the English edition, Seite 210 in the German. Jo was learning about the show Teenage Ichthala.

I must again insert my reassurance that you do not have to have read the books in question to enjoy Sonderling Sunday. In fact, it might be fun to imagine exactly how the author can work these phrases into his book. I won’t give anything away, but I hope these tantalizing glimpses will intrigue my readers.

I’ll start with a handy phrase to know:
“queasy terror” = angewiderten Entsetzens (Google translates this “disgusted horror.” That works.)

“ludicrous weaponry” = lächerliche Waffen

“words tumbling out” = Worte überschlugen

“bad jokes” = schlechte Witze

“dumb wisecracks” = dummen Sprüchen

“unfunny scripts” = unkomischen Drehbüchern

“incontrovertibly unhilarious” = unbestreitbar unkomisch

“grand ambitions” = ungeheurem Ehrgeiz

“ghost story” = Geistergeschichte

“bedsheet” = Laken

“twisted into frantic little knots” = kleinen Knoten zu verkrampfen

I never get tired of this word:
“burbling sound” = das Geplapper

In German, they don’t group these sounds together:
“A fanfare of bells, drums, and organ blared” = Glocken schlugen, eine Trommel knallte und eine Orgel dröhnte los (Google: “Bells struck, a drum banged, and an organ boomed off”)

“angrily shushed” = ärgerlich anzischten, ja ruhig zu sein

This is such fun to say:
“collapsed” = verpuffte

“actress” = Schauspielerin (“show-player”)

“diseased lizard” = kranke Echse

“The day finally caught up with Jo.”
= Schlie?lich forderte der anstrengende Tag seinen Tribut von Jo.
(Translated back: “Finally called the strenuous day its tribute from Jo.”)

“tinny music” = blechernen Musik

“clicking whir” = klickenden Surren

And that’s the end of Chapter 13. Nothing too exciting in this section, but some handy phrases to know. At least it is not unbestreitbar unkomisch.

This week, may you avoid any kranke Echse and all dummen Sprüchen and unkomischen Drehbüchern, proceeding on your way with any ungeheurem Ehrgeiz intact.

Sonderling Sunday – Der Knappenkonferenz

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, Sonderling Sunday 0

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. Strictly speaking, I probably shouldn’t do Sonderling Sunday this week. I’m moving in less than a week, and I need to get packed. But who’s being strict? Sonderling Sunday is fun, doggone it, and I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to do it again after I move, since I haven’t worked out my internet service provider yet. What’s more, instead of alternating with other books, tonight I’m going back to good ol’ Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge, because I know I’ll find some delightful phrases I always wanted to hear translated into German, but just didn’t know it.

Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge is the German version of James Kennedy‘s The Order of Odd-fish, which is full of Odd-fish indeed, making it so much fun to explore in German.

Last time, we left off on page 161, Seite 204. You do not have to have read The Order of Odd-Fish to enjoy this series, though I keep hoping that the interesting phrases we find will intrigue people into picking up this book. I’m not even halfway, so I guess it’s too early to start being sad about the day when I finish the book. Tonight, I’m trying to limit my fun, so let’s dip right in and see what we can find:

“immediately knew” = wusste augenblicklich (“knew eyeblinkly”)

“below the floor” = unter den Bodenbrettern (“under the floorboards”)

This sounds better in German:
“Squires’ meeting” = Knappenkonferenz

“sheets” = Laken

“a tiny germ” = eine winzige Bakterie

“rotting wood” = verfaultem Holz

“mothballs” = Mottenkugeln

“bric-a-brac” = Nippes

“mildewed garbage” = schimmeligem Müll

“cobwebs” = Staubflocken (“dust flakes”)

“pile of pillows” = Kissenhaufen (“cushion heaps”)

“gavel” = Richterhammer

“gulp” = Schluck

“cough it up” = auszuspucken

“obvious” = offenkundig (“open knowledge”)

“behind Jo’s eyes” = hinter Jos Augäpfel (“behind Jo’s eye-apples”)

“A horrible tingle crawled up Jo’s body.” = Ein schreckliches Prickeln überlief Jos Körper.

“overgrown” = überdimensionierten (“over-dimensioned”)

“pile of pillows” (version two) = Kissenberge (“cushion mountains”)

“Advance copy” = Vorausexemplar

This makes me laugh because of how it sounds to English ears:
“jolted awake” = plötzlich hellwach (“suddenly bright-awake”)

“conspiracy theories” = Verschwörungstheorien

“the next episode” = der darauffolgenden Episode

That’s it for tonight! I don’t know when my darauffolgenden Episode will happen, but until then, may you avoid schimmeligem Müll and schreckliches Prickeln!