It’s time for Sonderling Sunday! That time of the week when I look at the German translation of children’s books and devise a Useful Phrasebook for Very Silly Travelers.
This week, we’re continuing in Chapter 19 of The Order of Odd-Fish, by James Kennedy, otherwise known as Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge.
Last time, we left off on page 249 in the English edition, Seite 315 in the German edition.
The first sentence of the next section is a useful one, especially if you’re traveling in Germany:
“The rainy season had started.”
= Der Regenzeit hatte begonnen.
This sounds nicer in English:
“a dim, drizzling morning”
= ein düsterer, verregneter Morgen
What a sad way to think of the morning!
“dawn” = Morgengrauen (“morning-gray”)
Here’s a great word!
“soaked with sweat” = schweißüberströmt (“sweat-over-flowing”)
This isn’t said quite the same way:
“happily exhausted” = fröhlich und erschöpft (“happy and exhausted”)
“rushed past” = vorbeistürmten
Here’s a phrase to know:
“the peevish croak of ostriches waking up”
= das gereizte Krächzen der aufwachenden Strauße
“armor clanking” = klapperten die Rüstungen
“It doesn’t matter.”
= Das spielt keine Rolle.
(“That plays no role.”)
“The Belgian Prankster has made his move.”
= Der Belgische Scherzkeks hat seinen Schachzug gemacht
(“The Belgian Joke-cookie has his chess-move made.”)
“A gunshot went off in Jo’s stomach.”
= In Jos Magen schien etwas zu explodieren.
(“In Jo’s stomach seemed something to explode.”)
This one really is a handy phrase to know:
“I was wrong.”
= Ich habe mich geirrt.
“tinkering” = herumgebastelt
“zigzagging pole” = gezackten Stange
“stuck all over with prongs, wheels, and corkscrews”
= die überall mit Zacken, Zahnrädern und Korkenziehern bestückt
“wrapped up in fur” = mit Fell umwickelt
“the jury-rigged thing”
= das notdürftig zusammengeflickte Teil
(“the makeshift [hardship-meager] together-patched part”)
“spattering storm” = prasselnden Regensturm (“roaring rain-storm”)
“The rain pelted Jo.”
= Der Regen peitschte auf sie herunter.
And I’ll finish the section with a sentence I hope you never need:
“She was soaked and terrified.”
= Innerhalb weniger Sekunden war sie klatschnass und vollkommen verängstigt.
(“Within a few seconds was she scandal-wet and fully frightened.”)
If you are ever schweißüberströmt, here’s hoping you are also fröhlich und erschöpft! Bis bald!