test please delete

[Churchill]

Oops!

[zeitghost]

Do you think she's given him the "I like you more as a friend" line?

Nah.

Not even got that close.

Nearest was sitting next to her in the cinema.

Without trying to slip my hand up somewhere naughty.

Maybe that's where I've been going wrong?

[Churchill]

Nah.

Not even got that close.

Nearest was sitting next to her in the cinema.

Without trying to slip my hand up somewhere naughty.

Maybe that's where I've been going wrong?

Just ask her if she fancies "going green"...

[zeitghost]

I am delighted to see that The Good Soldier Švejk has been quoted here in a long string of posts a couple of years ago. I couldn't help but notice that he was being quoted as saying "humbly report". That is perhaps the correct rendition into the British military jargon (I presume), but is very misleading. Let me quote a reader of the new translation:


I just finished the first book and only wish I had more. I found your translation better in many ways, whether because the use of language is more modern or because it’s more true to the original, I can’t say. I notice such little things as this:

in the Cecil Parrott translation, Svejk’s trademark phrase is “humbly report, sir, that ... “

in your translation, it’s rendered as “dutifully report, sir, that ... “

At first I didn’t like the change, not because of its meaning but because of how it plays on the tongue, humbly report being easier and I believe more commonly used in English (aside from Svejk). The phrase “dutifully report” is a bit harder on the tongue and almost never used in English (outside of your translation). As I continued reading, however, the meaning of the phrase began to resonate: dutifully means that the speaker did or is reporting whatever, not so much of his own volition, but because as a soldier, everything he does is subject to his being ordered. The difference in meaning is huge, though since I neither speak Czech nor have a copy of the book in Czech, I can’t say which is truer to the original. From what I know of the Czechs I have met, I believe yours fits the passive-aggressive posture of Svejk and as I’m told – by Czechs -- but haven’t witnessed, of many Czechs.

Of course, there are many other differences that I find reflect better on your translation. I do speak and understand German, so the use of the terms “putzfleck” works MUCH better than Parrott’s use of “batman,” which no longer retains much of its original meaning in English thanks to the comic book hero of the same name. Putzfleck is so “typisch deutsch” that it makes me laugh each time I see it.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

A Newbie post.

That may cause a bit of controversy over the 200k!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

[zeitghost]

Just ask her if she fancies "going green"...

Miss Piggie tendencies

[cojak]

I am delighted to see that The Good Soldier Švejk has been quoted here in a long string of posts a couple of years ago. I couldn't help but notice that he was being quoted as saying "humbly report". That is perhaps the correct rendition into the British military jargon (I presume), but is very misleading. Let me quote a reader of the new translation:

Or you've just missed a huge chunk of something that in the UK we call 'irony'.

Švejk was nothing if not a dry old stick...

[cojak]

...so no, we won't be buying your book.

HTH

(in posts from a couple of years ago??? Sheesh...)

[BrowneIssue]

Morning all

[BrowneIssue]

Good morning BP!

Morning all!

Morning CM!

[BrowneIssue]

Morning all



Goodness me, we have been busy.