Czech to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Tourism & Travel
Czech term or phrase:náměstíčko jako dlaň
Dear fellow translators,
I am currently translating a Czech tourism text that is highly poetical and abounds with metaphorical expressions. There is one, in particular, that I find rather challenging to translate into English: "náměstíčko jako dlaň". The wider context of the expression regards a description of a tourist site, a Jewish quarter to be more specific.
I would be very greateful for any suggestions on this matter.
Explanation: Depending how poetic you want to be...
Compare, for example, "pocket-sized village", "pocket-sized village green" etc., where the idea is often "small and picturesque" - a "little jewel", if you like.
... a pocket-handkerchief (of a) square, perhaps, but "pocket-handkerchief" is often used with reference to gardens, plots of land etc., in the sense of "excessively small".
The Poldauf dictionary gives "microscopic, the size of a postage stamp" for "jako dlaň", but I think that's overstating it.
I'm sure there are plenty of other pcituresque words and expressions, for instance "lilliputian" - it depends very much on the style of the surrounding text.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 23 hrs (2009-11-02 11:21:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Well, briefly: before Fronek, there was Poldauf. It was the most comprehensive CS-EN dictionary available when I started learning Czech. I have the 1996 edition (apparently an electronic version was forthcoming at the time). It isn't the easiest dictionary to use - it isn't as clearly set out as Fronek - but it's sometimes useful for out-of-the way or outdated words. I'm not aware of an online version.
Thank you for your comments.
I'd like to thank you all for your suggestions and support. As you all know, translation is a highly subjective matter and thus my choice only represents my own preference in a given context.
Thank you, Dylan, for your translation. It proved to be of a great help and one that liked most.
My best wishes,
Myska 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
As these tourism guidebooks have been my bread and butter lately, I can tell you that the more concise you can get it the better, you can't always just reduce font size and pray. It has to fit.
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Answers
9 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
a square so small you could hold it in the palm of your hand
Explanation: Well, I'm not a poet but this would be my go...
Ivan Pavlicek Slovakia Local time: 15:01 Works in field Native speaker of: Slovak
Explanation: Prof. I. Poldauf - slovnik - "velmi maly jako dlan" - microscopic, the size of postage-stamp
from intr: " the fact that the house has a postage-stamp size yard " ; (The Seattle Times Company- Real Estate)
dalsi moznost
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2009-11-01 15:12:24 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
postage-stamp-size, zistujem ze sa vyskytuje castejsie ako sa
zda na prvy pohlad
- "postage stamp-size room, felt like a college dorm" (Portland Square Hotel, N.Y.)
- "The postage stamp size cafe boasts" Cityguide.aol.com (los Angeles)
- " to live peacefully in the postage stamp-size apartment, " www.dwell.com
- " in Hawaii, where everybody is living in a postage-stamp-size house, " archives.starbulletin.com
- " and sometimes even postage-stamp-size backyards" www.boston.com www.heraldnews.com
Maria Chmelarova United States Local time: 09:01 Works in field Native speaker of: Slovak
Explanation: no need for verbatim or body part equivalents, but brevity is necessary... it is always an uphill battle because English naturally "writes" longer than Czech... The meaning is that it is something...cosy, like Sarka said, or quaint...A perfect example would be Stramberk's square.
Scott Evan Andrews Czech Republic Local time: 15:01 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English
1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
pocket-sized square
Explanation: Depending how poetic you want to be...
Compare, for example, "pocket-sized village", "pocket-sized village green" etc., where the idea is often "small and picturesque" - a "little jewel", if you like.
... a pocket-handkerchief (of a) square, perhaps, but "pocket-handkerchief" is often used with reference to gardens, plots of land etc., in the sense of "excessively small".
The Poldauf dictionary gives "microscopic, the size of a postage stamp" for "jako dlaň", but I think that's overstating it.
I'm sure there are plenty of other pcituresque words and expressions, for instance "lilliputian" - it depends very much on the style of the surrounding text.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 23 hrs (2009-11-02 11:21:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Well, briefly: before Fronek, there was Poldauf. It was the most comprehensive CS-EN dictionary available when I started learning Czech. I have the 1996 edition (apparently an electronic version was forthcoming at the time). It isn't the easiest dictionary to use - it isn't as clearly set out as Fronek - but it's sometimes useful for out-of-the way or outdated words. I'm not aware of an online version.
Thank you for your comments.
If you grew up with those two languages, you're lucky! My contact with them began later, but once I was drawn in, I found them fascinating.
Dylan Edwards United Kingdom Local time: 14:01 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
I'd like to thank you all for your suggestions and support. As you all know, translation is a highly subjective matter and thus my choice only represents my own preference in a given context.
Thank you, Dylan, for your translation. It proved to be of a great help and one that liked most.
My best wishes,
Myska
Notes to answerer
Asker: Dear Dylan,
thank you so much for your suggestions. I very much like your 'pocket-size' alternative. The Czech expression "jako dlaň" suggests smallness. It is used with abundancy in the Czech language. It appears in a source text that is highly poetical. The author is very expressive and uses meny metaphorical expresions and idioms. The excerpt is taken from a passage that talks about a Jewish Quarter, describing its cosy alleys, small houses etc. and that is where the 'pocket-sized square' appears. Can I ask, what is this Poldauf dictionary that you mention as having the English translation for the Czech expression 'jako dlaň'? Is it online based? I have supposedly the largest Czech-English dictionary compiled by Fronek however, no translation of this expression can be found there. I am always on the lookout for new resources that I could use in my translation :o). I am a beginning translator currently studying MA in Translation at the University of Bristol. I am fascinated by the fact that you translate from Czech and Greek. Both of these are languages very close to my heart (Czech is my native language and Greek is my second language). Moreover they represent two of the most difficult langauges around. May I ask why have you chosen these two as your source language?
Thank you so much for your help!
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peer agreement (net): +1
