{"id":11391,"date":"2012-06-10T20:22:17","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T00:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=11391"},"modified":"2012-06-10T22:49:54","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T02:49:54","slug":"sonderling-sunday-chapter-8-eldritch-city-at-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=11391","title":{"rendered":"Sonderling Sunday – Chapter 8 – Eldritch City At Last!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It’s time for Sonderling Sunday, loosely translated as “Nerdy Sonntag.” I hasten to add that you definitely do not need to be a German speaker to enjoy this series. Indeed, I wouldn’t really call myself a German speaker. This series is, quite simply, for people who love words. In it, I look at Der Orden der Seltsamen Sonderlinge<\/em> and compare it with its original English version, The Order of Odd-Fish<\/a><\/em>, by James Kennedy<\/a>, to discover some bizarre and fun things about German and English and different ways of thinking about things and different combinations of wonderful sounds.<\/p>\n

We are on Chapter Eight, which begins on page 65 in the English version and Seite 84 in the German. This is a long chapter, so I’m going to go straight to focusing on the most interesting sentences and phrases.<\/p>\n

On the first page a fun one comes:
\n“Crashing into the ocean” = in den Ozean zu plumpsen<\/em><\/p>\n

“pretty dull afterlife” = Ein ziemlich tr\u00fcbseliges Leben nach dem Tod<\/em> (Google translates that as “a rather dreary life after death.”)<\/p>\n

“The plane was destroyed, its hull torn and flooded with black, swirling seawater.” = Das Flugzeug war zerst\u00f6rt; der Rumpf war zerfetzt und von sch\u00e4umendem schwarzem Meerwasser \u00fcberflutet.<\/em><\/p>\n

Just to clarify, here Rumpf<\/em> is “hull”; zerfetzt<\/em> is “torn,” and sch\u00e4umendem<\/em> is “swirling.”<\/p>\n

This one is evocative:
\n“oily murk” = \u00f6lige Br\u00fche<\/em> (Be sure to put lots of “oo” and “ew” in those vowels.)<\/p>\n

“floated” = herumd\u00fcmpelten<\/em> (“bobbed about”)<\/p>\n

“waterlogged” = aufgeweichte<\/em> (Google just translates this “softened.” Ewww.)<\/p>\n

“soaked” = durchn\u00e4sst<\/em> (“through-wetted”)<\/p>\n

“gash” = klaffenden Riss<\/em> (“gaping cracks”)<\/p>\n

“slimier” = irgendwie schleimiger und glitschiger<\/em> (Google: “Somewhat slimier and slipperier” – I suspect we have a little elaboration here.)<\/p>\n

I like this sentence. Perhaps some insight on where the word “wade” came from, not to mention “slimy”?
\n“Soon they were all wading in the slimy water.” = Kurz darauf wateten sie alle durch das schleimige Wasser.<\/em>
\nNow, “slimy” sounds slimy. But schleimige<\/em>?! You can almost feel it clinging to you.<\/p>\n

“squishy” = matschig<\/em><\/p>\n

More exquisite disgustingness:
\n“spilling juices” = aus denen Fl\u00fcssigkeiten sickerten<\/em> (“from which liquids leaked”)<\/p>\n

For once the German is shorter:
\n“whoop of delight” = Jubelschrei<\/em> (Now there’s a good name for a band.)<\/p>\n

“treacherous goo” = verr\u00e4terische Br\u00fche<\/em><\/p>\n

“rhapsodized” = schw\u00e4rmte<\/em><\/p>\n

Okay, say this a few times, just to savor the sounds:
\n“an enormous mucilaginous gorge” = eine gewaltige, schleimige Schlucht<\/em>
\n(Has it struck you, like me, that English has more different words than German for the concept of “slimy”? But you have to give them that the one German word is really good.)<\/p>\n

This paragraph is too fun in English not to mention:<\/p>\n

“Wonders upon wonders!” said Colonel Korsakov. “I don’t recall eating a small law firm.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Auf Deutsch:<\/p>\n

\u00bbWunder \u00fcber Wunder!\u00ab, erkl\u00e4rte Oberst Korsakov. \u00bbIch kann mich nicht erinnern, eine Anwaltskanzlei gegessen zu haben.\u00ab<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“with a shiver” = dann fr\u00f6stelnd ab<\/em><\/p>\n

“Its crumbling bricks were crabbed with gray, sickly ivy, and cold thin mist twisted around.” = Die verfallenen Steine waren von krausem widerlichem Efeu \u00fcberzogen und ein kalter, d\u00fcnner Nebel wirbelte um das Haus.<\/em><\/p>\n

“yellowed books” = vergilbten B\u00fcchern<\/em><\/p>\n

“crumbling maps” = zerbr\u00f6selnden Karten<\/em><\/p>\n

“shattered chandelier” = zerborstener Kronleuchter<\/em> (“burst crown-lights”)<\/p>\n

“gangly” = schlaksig<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh this is good:
\n“freckled” = Sommersprossen<\/em> (“summer sprouts”)<\/p>\n

Longest word candidate (19 letters):
\n“squinted at his visitors” = musterte seine Besucher aus zusammengekniffenen Augen<\/em> (“looked at his visitors with together-narrowed eyes”)<\/p>\n

“whimsical tomfoolery” = wunderlichen Albernheiten<\/em><\/p>\n

“bony” = knorrige<\/em><\/p>\n

“snug” = kuschelig<\/em> Ah! “cushy”!<\/p>\n

“puzzlement” = Verbl\u00fcffung<\/em> (I think I’ve mentioned this one before, but it’s so good.)<\/p>\n

“jars” = Einmachgl\u00e4sern<\/em><\/p>\n

“floating” = schwammen<\/em><\/p>\n

“stunned” = verbl\u00fcfft<\/em><\/p>\n

“violence” = Neigung zur Gewaltt\u00e4tigkeit<\/em> (“inclination to violence”)<\/p>\n

“questionable” = Fragw\u00fcrdiges<\/em> (“question worthy”)<\/p>\n

This phrase is nice in German:
\n“Just the opposite” = Ganz in Gegenteil<\/em><\/p>\n

A simple one that’s just fun to say:
\n“wondered” = nachgedacht<\/em> (“thought after”)<\/p>\n

Nice and alliterative:
\n“shook again” = erbebte erneut<\/em> (“quaked anew”)<\/p>\n

“Grunting, sweating, shouting” = Grunzend, schwitzend und br\u00fcllend<\/em><\/p>\n

“sunset” = Sonnenuntergang<\/em> (“sun downfall”)<\/p>\n

“foaming river” = von Gischt sch\u00e4umenden Fluss<\/em> (“with spray foaming river”)<\/p>\n

“booming and trumpeting” = mit viel Tamtam und Tschingderassa<\/em><\/p>\n

“We would be run out of town.” = Wir w\u00fcrden geteert und gefedert aus der Stadt geworfen.<\/em> (“We would be tarred and feathered and thrown out of the city.”)<\/p>\n

“divert” = ablenken<\/em><\/p>\n

“handlebar mustache” = Schnauzbart<\/em><\/p>\n

“heave” = Kraftakt<\/em> (“might act”)<\/p>\n

“The applause outside was tremendous.” = Der Applaus war ohrenbet\u00e4ubend.<\/em> (“The applause was ear-numbing.”)<\/p>\n

An even longer word, right at the end of the chapter:
\n“the screech of grinding metal, laughter and carousing” = das Kreischen von aneinanderschabendem Metall, Gel\u00e4chter und Freudenschreie<\/em> (“the screech of on-one-another-scraping metal, laughter and joy-cries”)<\/p>\n

Very evocative:
\n“stuff myself” = mich vollzustopfen<\/em><\/p>\n

And finally, even more “Sonder” than in the title:
\n“The Grand Feast of the Odd-Fish” = Das gro?e Fest der Sonderbaren Sonderlinge<\/em> (“The grand feast of the “special” “special ones”.)<\/p>\n

Summing up:<\/p>\n

Longest word: aneinanderschabendem<\/em><\/p>\n

Most improved translation: “an enormous mucilaginous gorge” = eine gewaltige, schleimige Schlucht<\/em><\/p>\n

Most disgusting translation: Tie between schleimiger und glitschiger<\/em> and \u00f6lige Br\u00fche<\/em><\/p>\n

Most onomatopoetic: plumpsen<\/em><\/p>\n

Best name for a band: Jubelschrei<\/em><\/p>\n

Best image: “freckles” = Sommersprossen<\/em><\/p>\n

Most alliterative translation: Ganz in Gegenteil<\/em><\/p>\n

Now then, wasn’t that fun? And a delightful way to spend my time in the 48-Hour Book Challenge. Definitely book-related. Tune in next week as we explore Das gro?e Fest der Sonderbaren Sonderlinge<\/em>!<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a>