Subject:
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Re: Who James Isn't (was:Re: New Castle Sucks (so far...)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Sat, 8 Jan 2000 03:01:04 GMT
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Viewed:
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4602 times
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On Fri, 7 Jan 2000 17:41:35 GMT, "Nephilim" <jthompson@esker.com>
wrote:
> [discussing "99 Luftballoons"]
> I was curious and found a link that shows a side by side comparision
> of the English version and a translation of the original German lyrics.
>
> http://www.inthe80s.com/redger3.shtml#ref3
Ah, cool. What I don't get is the comments at the top "captured the
spirit well". I mean, sure, there are obviously German-english
translations of other things that suck worse, but I don't think this
can possibly fit into "translated well".
I mailed them a few corrections for the middle translation, BTW ;)
I wrote:
> In the side by side comparison of Nena's 99 red balloons in various
> languages and translation, the literal translation (and associated page)
> could use a bit of work.
>
> http://www.inthe80s.com/redger3.shtml
> http://www.inthe80s.com/redger2.shtml
>
> First stanza:
>
> First line, Hast du etwas Zeit fuer mich: should probably be "do you
> have some time for me" (this is a question used as part of a sentence,
> without a question mark, and while continuing the sentence after it.
> Very tricky of Lena)
>
> Second line: Lose the "then", or replace with "if so"
>
> Denkst Du vielleicht grad' an mich: Better translation would be:
> "are you perhaps just [now] thinking about me"
>
>
>
> Second Stanza:
>
> Hielt man fuer UFOs aus dem All: could probably be better translated
> as: "Were held to be UFOs from outer space", "looked like UFOs from outer space",
> or "Were thought to be UFOs from outer space"
>
> Just below that: Flying squad should be a "fighter squadron", I believe.
>
> To raise the alarm if it was true: Add a comma after alarm, as in the german.
>
>
>
> Third Stanza:
>
> 99 Duesenjaeger: Should be "jet fighters"
>
> Das gab ein grosses Feuerwerk: Maybe "that made a big fireworks", or
> something. A native speaker of english should be able to correct that.
>
> Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft: My dictionary doesn't mention it,
> but, from context, is it possible that "raffen" idiomatically means
> "get it", so the slightly less literal translation would be
> "The neighbours didn't get any of it"?
>
> Und fuehlten sich gleich angemacht: presumably
> meaning is closer to "And immediately felt insulted"
>
>
>
> fourth stanza:
>
> schlaue Leute: more accurately "sly people", instead of "clever people".
> fette Beute: should be {'heavy', 'fat', 'lots of'} loot, not greasy.
>
> Fifth Stanza:
> kriegsminister are still war ministers, so "There are no war ministers any more".
> Duesenflieger: Jet pilots, rather than engines.
>
>
>
> And for gods' sake, give your feedback form more lines.
> Seeing what you're writing is nigh on impossible in three.
>
> Jasper
Let's see what they use of it...
I do truly have a proofreader's soul.
Jasper
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