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20:44 Jun 24, 2011
German to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
German term or phrase:Sonnenring
This comes in a strange, metaphorical passage from a 1921 Swiss-German short story about a Christmas visit:
"Und die Feierlichkeit begann auch da, unbeirrt wo sie sonst immer began, an dem kleinen Nähtisch, wie in Person, ganz bescheiden und unscheinbar. Sie verband da, weil Sonntag war und es keine Arbeit gab, hundert und aberhundert Sonnenringe miteinander und löste sie wieder. Dann aber kam der Tisch daran und hielt um seinen Duft an...."
Grimms defines "Sonnenring" as "ein früher übliches instrument zur beobachtung der sonnenhöhe, bestehend aus einem kupfernen ringe, der an einem kleineren daran befindlichen ringe so aufgehängt," but that doesn't seem to fit this context at all. Could these be rings of light reflected onto the table? Or is there some other meaning that would make sense of this passage?
Thank you for the additional information, which really helps to make sense of it. Since the passage goes on to describe cookies on the table, I suspect that this is a deliberate play on words by the author, deliberately conjuring up both images, which will be very difficult, if not impossible, to render in the English, where I suspect you will have to settle for one meaning or the other. Personally I like your weaving of light.
I've been traveling and unable to check email, hence the delay in my response. Sarah, the last sentence is complete as given, but what follows is a description of cookies on the table -- that had made me initially inclined to think that the Sonnenringe were also a sort of cookie or sweet. But it's hard to make any sense of "verband ... löste" in that context, so Sonnenringe of light, as you suggest, may be a better interpretation. Horst, you're certainly right that "Sie" is "die Feierlichkeit" -- there's no other possibility in this passage -- so I understand the image to be that "die Feierlichkeit" is an almost physical, human presence in the room, taking the place of a person who would otherwise be sitting at the table. Currently I'm leaning towards the "circles of sunlight" interpretation -- the sense would be that normally a real person is sitting at the Nähtisch sewing, but on this day of celebration the only "work" being done is the "weaving" of light on the table.
I am sorry, but I can't see your original posting about cinnamon decorations, although I do know to what you are referring. I also see what you mean - that a person could be joining these together, but why would she then separate them again (löste sie wieder)? The asker stated that it came from a wierd metaphorical passage so we have been looking for a less literal meaning, and I, at least, assumed the Sie to be a personification of the event rather than a physical entity, but I am quite prepared to admit that this may be a misinterpretation on my part. As you say, without the wider context that only the asker has it is difficult to know.
To which person are you referring. I understood tthe Sie to refer to "die Feierlichkeit" , "Wie in Person" ? As I also said in my original comment on sun halos I cannot see howa similar halo-like effect on a sewing machine could link and dissolve, so I certainly cannot imagine any peron managing to join them. A festivity, however is capable of many things!
I think it would make sense if the table separates the light circles to form what are called sun sickles.. i.e. with half on the table, the rest below as objects can cut a sunray (I'm sure you get my drift!) ;)
also gets translated as sun halo, with wonderful pictures on Google, also found this definition: Sonnenring, 1) mattfarbiger Ring, welcher sich zuweilen bei dunstighellem Himmel um die Sonne (wie Nachts um den Mond) bildet, er entsteht aus Dünsten der Erde, die sich zwischen der Sonne u. Erde befinden. I can picture the sun creating a similar effect on metal parts of a sewing machine as it shines onto it through a window, but how these link and dissolve I do not know, so I think Sarah's refelctions and circles of light are more likely.
that Sarah Swift is on the right track, thinking of light effects, especially as the rings link and unlink, and in large numbers. "Sie" would be "die Feierlichkeit"? There are old buildings around here, with original glass, producing such effects in slanting sunlight. Of course, the table and "Duft" would need explaining ...
I have a mental image of an old-fashioned sewing machine with a metal hand wheel sitting on the sewing table. If sunlight coming in through the window falls on the hand wheel, circles of light might indeed start appearing on the table and elsewhere in the room. That's my literal reading of the passage, anyway - I would need much more context to make a judgement on how it fits with the wider context of the story, metaphorically or otherwise.
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Answers
15 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
orbs (of light) or light orbs
Explanation: Although this isn't technically a ring of light or circle of light, and certainly wasn't used back then as it is today, I think this could fit nicely and would fit the metaphorical nature of the text.
Rebecca Lavnick Austria Local time: 14:21 Native speaker of: English, German
Given the clear association of the astronomical instrument with farming and rural areas, it seems plausible enough to me that the text is alluding to a ring like this in describing the light effects produced on the table, possibly even quite directly (light falling on brass peasant ring = light falling on brass sewing machine wheel).
A "peasant ring" is described in English here (no mention of using it to tell the time, though)
(http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/391679):
A copper alloy finger ring dating to the 18th century, known as a 'peasant ring'. These rings were mass produced during the late 17th - 18th centuries and many have the same design; in this case alternate panels of octofoil flowers and punched dots and curved lines seperated by a vertical line. A now illegible pseudo hallmark can be seen on the inside of the ring band.<br />
I don't see how any of this information could be smuggled into the English text without destroying it. I would probably just translate "Sonnenringe" as "sun rings."
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
