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.