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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Some German tongue slips in English
X-Post de.etc.sprache.misc,alt.usage.english, F'up de.etc.sprache.misc. Answers may be in German or English.
A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto the following sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic howlers, spoken by Professor Galletti (a grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students. BTW: In Germany this genre is named Kathederblüten.
Will these howlers amuse an Englishman too? I would appreciate it if you tell me mistakes or misunderstandings ore give suggestion for improvement. Original German tongue slips of Galletti: http://www.galletti.de/galletti/
Eine Bitte an englische Muttersprachler und guten Englischbeherrscher: Schaut euch bitte mal meine untenstehenden Übersetzungsversuche einiger 200 Jahre alter Kathederblüten des alten Prof. Galletti an (die zugehörigen Originale findet ihr bei Bedarf hier: /). Erheitern diese Verspreche auch Engländer? Ich bin dankbar für Hinweise auf Fehler und Missverständisse sowie für Verbesserungsvorschläge.
(1) Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of them is the lummox.
(2) After the Battle of Leipzig you could see horses with three, four or even more lost legs straying cross-country.
(3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than Sicily.
(4) When Humboldt did climb up the Mount Chimborazo the air becomes so much rarefied that he couldn't anymore see without specs.
(5) The African Lion usually grows up to the age of ten, and after this time simply its size increases.
(6) The Angora rabbit is one of the most strange but beneficial insects.
(7) Certainly, vicar, I am well pleased with Blädner's behaviour. With Seifert not at all. At least (luckily) he is much better than Blädner.
(8) Don't contradict what I never insist!
(9) Gotha is not more away from Erfurt than Erfurt from Gotha.
(10) Assuming within a few minutes a cannon ball goes for a quarter of an hour, roughly it will arrive at Erfurt.
(10) Apparently you think studying history is simple just as playing slapjack. - Fiddlesticks! You can learn history in a flash, but learning slapjack is a hard graft for years.
(11) Nightly reading in bed is a silly custom. We have examples of folk who forgot to switch out the light. But when the stund up however they must notice that they were burnt.
Remarks/Anmerkungen:(1) In the Galletti original the expression Brummochse is used. It sounds like an animal name, but it is a colloquial expression for a pig-headed or stupid person (regional). Brummochse means growl(ing)/buzz(ing) ox (6) In the Galletti original the Angora rabbit (germ: Angorakaninchen) is mentioned by an obsolete expression: Seidenhase. Is there an accordingly expression in English (out-of-date but comprehensibly)? (10) In the Galletti original there is a parision with a card-game named Schnorps (= Schnapsen or Sechsundechzig). For English translation my intension was to choose a well-known (under Enlishmen) and very easy-learned game. Is slapjack such a game?
Matthias
Die Hauptstadt Philadelphia ist 1712 gestorben. Prof. Galletti ** Wer zum Kuckuck ist Prof. Galletti? ==> http://www.galletti.de/ **
Bitte bei Mailantwort Großbuchstaben aus Reply-Adresse löschen
A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto the following sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic howlers, spoken by Professor Galletti (a grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students. BTW: In Germany this genre is named Kathederblüten.
Will these howlers amuse an Englishman too? I would appreciate it if you tell me mistakes or misunderstandings ore give suggestion for improvement. Original German tongue slips of Galletti: http://www.galletti.de/galletti/
Eine Bitte an englische Muttersprachler und guten Englischbeherrscher: Schaut euch bitte mal meine untenstehenden Übersetzungsversuche einiger 200 Jahre alter Kathederblüten des alten Prof. Galletti an (die zugehörigen Originale findet ihr bei Bedarf hier: /). Erheitern diese Verspreche auch Engländer? Ich bin dankbar für Hinweise auf Fehler und Missverständisse sowie für Verbesserungsvorschläge.
(1) Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of them is the lummox.
(2) After the Battle of Leipzig you could see horses with three, four or even more lost legs straying cross-country.
(3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than Sicily.
(4) When Humboldt did climb up the Mount Chimborazo the air becomes so much rarefied that he couldn't anymore see without specs.
(5) The African Lion usually grows up to the age of ten, and after this time simply its size increases.
(6) The Angora rabbit is one of the most strange but beneficial insects.
(7) Certainly, vicar, I am well pleased with Blädner's behaviour. With Seifert not at all. At least (luckily) he is much better than Blädner.
(8) Don't contradict what I never insist!
(9) Gotha is not more away from Erfurt than Erfurt from Gotha.
(10) Assuming within a few minutes a cannon ball goes for a quarter of an hour, roughly it will arrive at Erfurt.
(10) Apparently you think studying history is simple just as playing slapjack. - Fiddlesticks! You can learn history in a flash, but learning slapjack is a hard graft for years.
(11) Nightly reading in bed is a silly custom. We have examples of folk who forgot to switch out the light. But when the stund up however they must notice that they were burnt.
Remarks/Anmerkungen:(1) In the Galletti original the expression Brummochse is used. It sounds like an animal name, but it is a colloquial expression for a pig-headed or stupid person (regional). Brummochse means growl(ing)/buzz(ing) ox (6) In the Galletti original the Angora rabbit (germ: Angorakaninchen) is mentioned by an obsolete expression: Seidenhase. Is there an accordingly expression in English (out-of-date but comprehensibly)? (10) In the Galletti original there is a parision with a card-game named Schnorps (= Schnapsen or Sechsundechzig). For English translation my intension was to choose a well-known (under Enlishmen) and very easy-learned game. Is slapjack such a game?
Matthias
Die Hauptstadt Philadelphia ist 1712 gestorben. Prof. Galletti ** Wer zum Kuckuck ist Prof. Galletti? ==> http://www.galletti.de/ **
Bitte bei Mailantwort Großbuchstaben aus Reply-Adresse löschen
Top answer
"Matthias Opatz" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag [nq:1]A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto thefollowing sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic ... grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students. [/nq] It's often nearly impossible to translated anything to do with word play.
- "Matthias Opatz" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag [nq:1]A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto thefollowing sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic ...
- grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students.
- [/nq] It's often nearly impossible to translated anything to do with word play.
- But you made a good start...
- [/nq] I don't know how many native English speakers understand the word "lummox".
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101 Answers
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"Matthias Opatz" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:1]A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto thefollowing sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic ... grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students. BTW: In Germany this genre is named Kathederblüten.[/nq]
It's often nearly impossible to translated anything to do with
[nq:1]A request to English native speakers: Please, have a look onto thefollowing sayings wich are translation drafts of some stylistic ... grammar school teacher 200 years ago), collected and noted by his students. BTW: In Germany this genre is named Kathederblüten.[/nq]
It's often nearly impossible to translated anything to do with
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[nq:2](1) Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of them is the lummox.[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know how many native English speakers understand the word "lummox". I know it's used in my dialect (as ... the joke. Basically, Galletti was being very rude about the Saxons. I think this sentence is bordering on the untranslatable.[/nq]
What about "Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of t
[nq:1]I don't know how many native English speakers understand the word "lummox". I know it's used in my dialect (as ... the joke. Basically, Galletti was being very rude about the Saxons. I think this sentence is bordering on the untranslatable.[/nq]
What about "Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of t
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"Florian Weimer" (Email Removed) schrieb im Newsbeitrag
[nq:2]I don't know how many native English speakers understand the ... Saxons. I think this sentence is bordering on the untranslatable.[/nq]
[nq:1]What about "Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of them is the brat."?[/nq]
It just doesn't work. "Brat" is not a good translation of "Brummochse". To be honest, I can't think
[nq:2]I don't know how many native English speakers understand the ... Saxons. I think this sentence is bordering on the untranslatable.[/nq]
[nq:1]What about "Regarding the birds of Saxony, the largest of them is the brat."?[/nq]
It just doesn't work. "Brat" is not a good translation of "Brummochse". To be honest, I can't think
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[nq:1](I've just realised that the people over at de.etc.sprache.misc might not be very happy at having a thread in English about English in their newsgroup.)[/nq]
A thread about* English is perfectly on topic in this newsgroup, and I don't consider it objectionable if it's *in* English too. While the charter states German as the *preferred language, there has to be room for the use of
A thread about* English is perfectly on topic in this newsgroup, and I don't consider it objectionable if it's *in* English too. While the charter states German as the *preferred language, there has to be room for the use of
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(de.etc.sprache.misc deleted)
[nq:2](10) Apparently you think studying history is simple just as ... flash, but learning slapjack is a hard graft for years.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Fiddlesticks" is certainly not a translation of "ach!",[/nq]
"Fiddlesticks" is a somewhat old-fashioned exclamation of frustration. When I was a child I had a set of pick-up sticks with the brand name Fiddlesticks. They
[nq:2](10) Apparently you think studying history is simple just as ... flash, but learning slapjack is a hard graft for years.[/nq]
[nq:1]"Fiddlesticks" is certainly not a translation of "ach!",[/nq]
"Fiddlesticks" is a somewhat old-fashioned exclamation of frustration. When I was a child I had a set of pick-up sticks with the brand name Fiddlesticks. They
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rewboss filted:
[nq:2](3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than Sicily.[/nq]
[nq:1]That's perfect.[/nq]
It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r
[nq:2](3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than Sicily.[/nq]
[nq:1]That's perfect.[/nq]
It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r
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[nq:1]rewboss filted:[/nq]
[nq:1]It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r[/nq]
Spike Milligan got this one right:
"One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.
Don Aitken
Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "f
[nq:1]It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r[/nq]
Spike Milligan got this one right:
"One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.
Don Aitken
Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "f
00
Don Aitken infrared:
[nq:2]rewboss filted: It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Spike Milligan got this one right: "One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.[/nq]
The moon is smaller than the earth, but it's twice as far away.
Peter Moylan peter at ee dot newcastle do
[nq:2]rewboss filted: It's just a shame it's not a true statement...not as long as Sicily is a Mediterranean island..r[/nq]
[nq:1]Spike Milligan got this one right: "One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.[/nq]
The moon is smaller than the earth, but it's twice as far away.
Peter Moylan peter at ee dot newcastle do
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[nq:1]Don Aitken infrared:[/nq]
[nq:2]Spike Milligan got this one right: "One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.[/nq]
[nq:1]The moon is smaller than the earth, but it's twice as far away.[/nq]
The cows in here are small. But the cows over there are far away.
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:2]Spike Milligan got this one right: "One of them was taller than the other, as is often the case in Ireland." Puckoon.[/nq]
[nq:1]The moon is smaller than the earth, but it's twice as far away.[/nq]
The cows in here are small. But the cows over there are far away.
John Dean
Oxford
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}> Don Aitken infrared:
}>>
}>>> rewboss filted:
}>>
}>> "Matthias Opatz" (Email Removed) schrieb im }>> Newsbeitrag }>>
}>> (3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than }>> Sicily.
}>>
}>> That's perfect.
}>>>
}>>> It's just a shame it's not a true statem
}>>
}>>> rewboss filted:
}>>
}>> "Matthias Opatz" (Email Removed) schrieb im }>> Newsbeitrag }>>
}>> (3) All Mediterranean islands are either larger or smaller than }>> Sicily.
}>>
}>> That's perfect.
}>>>
}>>> It's just a shame it's not a true statem
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