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Roto Buddha

English translation: play on words


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14:22 Feb 3, 2012
English to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: Roto Buddha
(the girl says her Mom is detoxing in California; the boy says:)
“Cool! Party at your house?”
“Can’t. The feng shui man’s there. Our karma’s, like, really blocked, you know?”
Roto Buddha. Only in the Heights.

*
the Heights are the Brooklyn Heights in New York
the dialogue is between two seniors from a private school

I couldn't google up "Roto"
and I don't quite get the meaning of "Roto Buddha" in general
because feng shui isn't a Buddhist thing
(then again, "Buddha" here might stand for anything new-age-generic, no?)

any ideas?

thanks!
zmejka
Local time: 06:10
English translation:play on words
Explanation:
roto-rooter is a company that clears blocked sewage lines
Roto Buddha (for a New Yorker, they would rhyme) clears up blocked karma

Selected response from:

Melanie Nassar
Palestine
Local time: 04:10
Grading comment
you're the sherlock holmes of proz.com :) thank you for the enlightment!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +8play on words
Melanie Nassar


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
roto buddha
play on words


Explanation:
roto-rooter is a company that clears blocked sewage lines
Roto Buddha (for a New Yorker, they would rhyme) clears up blocked karma



Melanie Nassar
Palestine
Local time: 04:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
you're the sherlock holmes of proz.com :) thank you for the enlightment!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Stephanie Ezrol: it's the first thought that came to my mind, roto-rooter ads used to be on TV and radio all the time. In business since 1935. http://www.rotorooter.com/
5 mins
  -> then this should bring back some memories (jingle at the end) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2WSl4d4KGw

agree  Colin Rowe: Sounds convincing!
17 mins
  -> Thanks

agree  missdutch: very clever!
21 mins
  -> Thanks

agree  gallagy2
26 mins
  -> Thanks

agree  Charles Davis: Yes, very clever. I'm impressed! / That's true; Zmejka's going to have to be very creative (or just leave it out). Puns are fun, but they can take all day!
1 hr
  -> Thanks, but the hard part is going to be to find some way to translate it

agree  Phong Le
18 hrs

agree  Amel Abdullah: Good job deciphering this!
20 hrs

agree  Alexandra Taggart
1 day4 hrs
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