09:44 Aug 9, 2009 

Hi freelance and Yasutomo, I finished the story and translated this sentence in a broader sense:
"Der Onkel aus Taipeh traf sich mit mir am Ufer des Damsui Flusses, und wir vergnügten uns dort rund um die Uhr."
Something like: ...we disported ourselfs all day long."
I am not sure, if "disported" is the right word in English, but German word "sich vergnügen" means "to amuse oneself, to enjoy sth., to entertain sb." and in another sense "to have sex".
The reader won't understand, that they have sex there, but I hope he will however read out an erotic tension between them.
Thanks again for your help.

14:32 Aug 7, 2009 

Hi Thekla, sorry I couldn't reply your inquiry until now. I hope it's not too late to put my anwer.
Below is my trans for your reference:
It was not until after many years that I finally realized, in this city brokers were everywhere; everyone deals in something. (Regarding) Money, trade, love, churches, temples…, (everything) has to bring people into someone’s life, or bring someone into some group, to pursue “the record of accomplishment.” The difference is only the terms of the profession, people who deal in love are called “matchmakers,” people who deal in porno are called “pimps,” people who deal in the trades are called escrow administrator, people who deal in life and property are called “insurance brokers,” people who introduce new religious followers and join a church are called “missionaries,” people who introduce new religious followers and join Buddhist groups are broadly called “rescue from a life of pain and misery and reach the other shore of salvation/ save the masses of mankind”…

08:53 Aug 7, 2009 

Since you closed the question due to the reason of no acceptable answer, I would like to know how you translated the term.

16:25 Aug 6, 2009 

Freelance, thank you very much. I translated the sentence as a whole. It is in German, but I'll translate it to English, tomorrow when I will finish to overwork.
I am in a hurry, should have delivered yesterday. This text is short, but quite challenging too.
There is another sentence (second part) I am not sure about:
金钱、买卖、爱情、教会、寺院……，必须不断地将人纳入某个人的生命，或者将某个人纳入某个团体，以求「业绩」。
Do you have a proposal again?
Thank you so much!

16:02 Aug 6, 2009 

Hi Thekla Chabbi, below are what I thought:
1. 台北阿叔來到淡水河邊找我，他的日夜轉成在我的河床嬉戲。The second part looks very weird, it doesn't sound resonable. I guess it might be because it follows the first part "Taipei uncle came to Damsui River to visit me." "river bed" is to echo "Damsui River."
2. "His day and night turn to (spent on?) playing around in my river bed," if trans the second part word for word...Sounds even stranger than the Chinese text.
3. I think it sounds like: uncle Chen spent lots of time with this little girl; uncle Chen has desire toward this little girl; they have some intimate contact (not sex, it's about when uncle Chen rode the motor scooter and girl's breast bumped his back...(I would consider the second part as a whole concept, not only concentrate on "河床".
4. I am also curious, apparently, if trans the second part literally, it would seem very strange. If trans it in metaphoric meaning, how would you manage it? Would you like to share your idea?
By the way, the author has a blog, maybe you can write a letter to ask her. This would be the safest way to realize her idea.

15:44 Aug 3, 2009 

I think in this sentence 河床 should have a metaphoric meaning. Do you have any idea? Or how would you translate this sentence?
Thank you very much in advance.