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, showing you handy phrases for quirky travelers.
Today, after all these years, I’m approaching the finish of The Order of Odd-fish, by James Kennedy, and the German edition, Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge. Last time, I left off in the middle of the climactic scene in the penultimate chapter. Because I don’t want any spoilers, I will choose phrases that I hope will merely pique your interest rather than give anything away.
We’re starting on page 377 in English, Seite 477 auf Deutsch. [Wow! At this point, the German version is precisely 100 pages longer.] Here’s the first sentence of the new section:
“A rumble came from the tube.” = Ein Rumpeln drang aus der Röhre.
“a great, gurgling blast” = ein gurgelndes Brausen ertönte [“a gurgling roar sounded”]
“smashed timbers” = zertrümmertes Holz
“blocks of stone” = Steinquader
“But it was too late.” = Aber es war zu spät.
“scrabbled” = wegkrabbeln
“convulsed” = verkrampfte
“obscenely” = obszön
“gasping and shrieking” = keuchten und krieschten [I always love a little alliteration!]
“stitched together” = zusammengeflickt
“She was starving.” = Sie verhungerte.
“popped like a bubble” = zerplatzte wie eine Seifenblase
“inch by agonizing inch” = Zentimeter um quälenden Zentimeter
“puddle” = Pfütze
“getting sucked into the walls” = von den Wänden aufgesogen werden
“loomed” = schwebte
“bulges, valves, and tubes” = Blasen, Klappen und Röhren
This word has come up a lot, and it always delights me:
“slurped” = schlürfte
“Everything wobbled” = Alles schien zu schwanken [“Everything seemed to be swaying.”]
“backwards” = rücklings
“stabbing daylight” = grellen Tageslicht [“bright daylight” – so much less vivid!]
“throbbing Chaos” = kochendes Chaos [“boiling chaos”]
“balance” = Gleichgewicht [“even-weight”]
“deafening thumps” = ohrenbetäubendem Pochen
“steaming” = dampfendem
“squirming” = zwängte
“tight in her fist” = fest in der Faust
“swamp of guts” = Sumpf von Eingeweiden
“desperation” = Verzweiflung
“esophagus” = Speiseröhre [“Meal-tube”]
And here’s the final sentence for tonight (still not done with Chapter 27):
“‘Silly,’ whispered the Belgian Prankster. ‘Did you think it would be that easy?'”
= »Dummerchen«, flüsterte der Belgische Scherzkeks. »Hast du wirklich geglaubt, es wäre so einfach?«
That’s all for tonight! I hope you have fun thinking of how to use keuchten und krieschten in a sentence! As for me, I may start calling it “stabbing daylight” the next time I go out on a bright day. Bis bald!