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fordervelse

English translation: corruption or depravity

08:40 Mar 12, 2008
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Danish term or phrase: fordervelse
Hi. This from from Holberg's "Moral Thoughts".
"Den beste Ting kand blive til Fordervelse..."
Many thanks.
Richard Fowler
Local time: 21:45
English translation:corruption or depravity
Explanation:
Just out of the top of my head, but I think you could find some parrallels.

Depravity is a mite worse morally, while corruption is - well, bad, but perhaps more 'passive' and less cunning.



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Note added at 9 mins (2008-03-12 08:49:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry, should be parallels of course.

The modern spelling of Holberg's word would be fordærvelse.
Selected response from:

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 21:45
Grading comment
Hi Christine.
Many thanks,
Richard.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2corruption or depravity
Christine Andersen
4can turn sour
Hanne Rask Sonderborg


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
corruption or depravity


Explanation:
Just out of the top of my head, but I think you could find some parrallels.

Depravity is a mite worse morally, while corruption is - well, bad, but perhaps more 'passive' and less cunning.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2008-03-12 08:49:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry, should be parallels of course.

The modern spelling of Holberg's word would be fordærvelse.

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 21:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 14
Grading comment
Hi Christine.
Many thanks,
Richard.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jens Kaestel: depravity
1 hr
neutral  asptech: I would go for a less sinister word, e.g. "ruin"
1 hr
agree  farmor: Ja! Holberg havde jo travlt med at lære andre moral...
1 day 23 hrs
  -> Jeg tænkte på Shakespeare - og Othello's 'ven' Iago lige på øjeblikket. Eller 'Brutus is an honourable man' ...
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
can turn sour


Explanation:
I think the idea of rot/decay should be preserved.

Example sentence(s):
  • love can be lost, joy can turn sour
  • Oh how the sweet can turn sour...

    Reference: http://bbs.simonsays.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=...
    Reference: http://www.lyrics007.com/Faithless%20Lyrics/The%20Man%20In%2...
Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 21:45
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish
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