neger

English translation: Negro

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:neger
English translation:Negro
Entered by: Richard Green

16:19 Aug 22, 2012
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Swedish term or phrase: neger
I have come to a point in the text I am translating from the 1880s where I have come up against a somewhat sensitive issue in the form of racist terminology and phrases.

"Kan hända en gång vi kommer hem och helsar på som ett par rigtiga Texas Bönder. Vi äro så svartta som ett par negrar. Det mesta är negrar som bor här omkring."

So far I have been reluctant to translate this as 'nigger', opting for the SLIGHTLY more acceptable 'Negro', but I wonder if this is a bit too weak? I realise I have to tailor this text to an audience, and so is using 'nigger' just too strong, or does it simply convey the sentiments of the time.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this difficult topic.
Richard Green
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:49
negro
Explanation:
As it would have been translated in 1880.
Selected response from:

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 16:49
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +7negro
Sven Petersson
3term in example sentence
SafeTex
4 -2African-American
TechLawDC


Discussion entries: 13





  

Answers


48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
negro


Explanation:
As it would have been translated in 1880.

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 16:49
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 118

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Lambert: Yes. As discussed.
11 mins
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  Liz Ottosson
1 hr
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  aventura22: negro var ju vanligt fram till kanske 1970-1990. Sedan African American
4 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  Leif Henriksen: The writer had no connotation in using this expression, he was simply describing what at the time was a clear description of etnicity.
14 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  Helen Johnson: definitely not n****r in my opinion - as Leif says, it doesn't sound like anything other than a description. The aforementioned word may well be similar to saying c**n
14 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  Christopher Schröder: Absolutely
21 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!

agree  Charles Ek: I concur, for exactly the reason you cite and as discussed elsewhere on this page. But it needs to be capitalized in English. EDIT: Evidence for the capitalized form in the 1800's and before is at http://tinyurl.com/cg6vxdr and http://tinyurl.com/cetsg42.
1 day 20 hrs
  -> I disagree, the capitalization of "negro" is a modern invention. Please look in a copy of Encyclopaedia Britannica from the time in question.
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
African-American


Explanation:
None of the sense of the original is lost here. So why be offensive? ("as dark as African-Americans").

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Note added at 57 mins (2012-08-22 17:17:10 GMT)
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If you consciously want to retaim the flavor of the 1880s, I don't think "Negro" (capitalized) would present any major problems.

TechLawDC
United States
Local time: 11:49
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Paul Lambert: Anachronistic. Remember this is within quotations. And in 1880, there were still several decades before any Bolsheviks existed to come up with "political correctness". It would be most out of place in this particular case.
31 mins
  -> For the life of me, I cannot understand what you are saying. Did you actually read my entries, and my Discussion entry?

disagree  Christopher Schröder: Not appropriate in this historical context
21 hrs
  -> Please read entire entry before commenting. It depends on translator's frame of mind.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
term in example sentence


Explanation:
If you are looking for expressions perhaps a trifle more acceptable while keeping the idea... (see example sentences)

No criticism from anyone please except on the linguistic aspect ! . I'm doing this as a linguistic exercise and it does not reflect my own views. Thanks for your understanding on this point

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-08-22 17:22:34 GMT)
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as black AS (typo)

Example sentence(s):
  • ....as black a the ace of spades. The blackies living....
SafeTex
France
Local time: 16:49
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 11
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