Translating "Stakes"

[trovia]

Me and fellow translators kit_kat_2006 and mondenengel decided to talk some about our translations so to improve on our work. So here are a couple of notes on translating "Stakes." I hope this is interesting for those of you who're learning German too

Comments

[puszysty]

I had no idea that there were so many versions of smirking in German. It's a fairly ambiguous phrase in English- I could recognize a smirk when I see one, but I couldn't describe one to you.

while "frown" applies to everything above. Sort of? Frowning is at the basic level considered a lip movement (there are lots of phrases about frowning, like "turn that frown upside down", that make it the opposite of smiling), but physically most of the face gets involved.

I also found it interesting that you translated frak to verdammt. I'm guessing that's what it gets dubbed as on television, but I feel like that's a whole element of the show that's lost there.

[trovia]

Thanks for the bit about the frowning. :) mondenengel and I keep having an everlasting debate about that. Not helped by the fact that we both have to guess about the exact meaning of the term. :D

I also found it interesting that you translated frak to verdammt. I'm guessing that's what it gets dubbed as on television, but I feel like that's a whole element of the show that's lost there.

Yes, that's how it's dubbed. It really is a shame. If it were my dub, I'd probably have made something up. "Verfrackt" comes to mind; "abgefrackt" would also be a possibility. "Frak" as an exclamation was kept though (we'd spell it "frack," methinks).

[kit_kat_2006]

You know, I was kind of confused when I first came across the word "frak" in a BSG-fic. I looked it up and couldn't find it. After hours of contemplating I thought, it must be some special BSG-term, because I never read "frak" somewhere else. Turns out, I was right, but it took me some time, to get the hang of it. But I definitely agree with you now. A whole element of the show got lost. That's one of the bad things, when you dub shows and movies.

As for the whole discussion about "smirking", I'm not sure if I agree with the posts here. In my opinion there isn't even one word that fits right. It's always some dancing around the topic, but never really hitting the spot. You always need kind of a whole sentence to get the same meaning. It's unnerving. And the same goes with "chuckles". Great word in english, but damn hard to translate. It always drives me insane.

[kit_kat_2006]

Oh, and what about the word "sneer"? Draco Malfoys sneers always and ever in every HP-fic. How do you translate "sneer"? "schnarlen"? "schnauben"? "Zähne fletschen?" I really don't know how to translate "sneer". Do you?

[trovia]

I usually go for "Naserümpfen." But it's tricky.

How do you go about Draco's "drawl," while we're at it? I remember the official translation makes it a "schleppendes Sprechen" but seriously, nobody would ever get what that's supposed to mean. I think I translate that differently every time.

[puszysty]

Schnarlen, that's a good one. That might be the closest I could think of, since sneering is a rather angry thing, but my German vocabulary is a little limited.

[trovia]

In my opinion there isn't even one word that fits right.

My point exactly. There are dozens of possibilities. Except I prefer the German way. Dozens of possibilities are a good thing. :)

"Chuckles" is definitely a tricky one. I alternate between "schmunzeln" and "Lachen unterdrücken," I think. The second isn't quiet literal but usual the sentiment is the same.

I totally cherish the geekiness of this conversation. :)

(now "geekiness"? absolutely untranslatable)

[kit_kat_2006]

Yes. °lol° "geekiness" is completely unique.

And I can't really believe I've joined this geek-circle °wonders what came over her to do so°. I mean, the two of you are so much more into that kind of things than me. You're studying this topics, but it's just a hobby for me. For me it's more a feeling and doing rather than learning and knowing. It's weird to discuss abut topics like that.

[trovia]

But that's what makes it so interesting. :) It's not about studying it after all. It's all about the squee. :D Anyway, we're glad you're joining in.