Nov 1, 2009 11:43
14 yrs ago
Czech term
náměstíčko jako dlaň
Czech to English
Art/Literary
Tourism & Travel
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.
Thank you!
With my best wishes,
Myska
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.
Thank you!
With my best wishes,
Myska
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
1 hr
Dylan Edwards
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Greek to English, Czech to English, Slovak to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
pocket-sized square
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.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2009-11-02 11:21:28 GMT)
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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the easiest dictionary to use - it isn't as clearly set out as Fronek - but it's sometimes useful for out-of-the way or outdated words.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.
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Note added at 2 days23 hrs (2009-11-04 10:50:00 GMT)
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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.
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.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days23 hrs (2009-11-04 10:50:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
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.
Note from 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! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Charles Stanford
10 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Charles!
|
|
| agree |
Ivan Pavlicek
: Yes, very nice options. I'd go for "a little jewel of a square" too, making it even more poetic :-)
3 days 21 hrs
|
|
Thank you
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
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"
+1
9 mins
Ivan Pavlicek
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
UK-based Slovak translator / interpreter
Native in: English 
, Slovak
Works in: Slovak to English, English to Slovak, Czech to English, and 1 more.
a square so small you could hold it in the palm of your hand
Well, I'm not a poet but this would be my go...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
S P Willcock (X)
: This is the best suggestion so far, I feel - it's a lot longer than the source phrase but without knowing how you need to fit it into a sentence structure, i can't t hink of anything better.
8 hrs
|
11 mins
tiny little square
-:) Ak sa nenajde nic lepsie
1 hr
Sarka Lhotak
Canada
Canada
Native in Czech
&
English
Canada
Biomedical and scientific background.
Native in: Czech , English
Works in: Czech to English, English to Czech
Related KudoZ points
:
4
cosy little square
Another option
2 hrs
Maria Chmelarova
Works in field
Native in: Slovak
Works in: English to Slovak, English to Czech, Slovak to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
postage-stamp size square
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
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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-11-01 15:12:24 GMT)
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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
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
7 hrs
Ivan Šimerka
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Native in Czech
Czech Republic
Experienced, reliable, quick
Native in: Czech
Works in: Czech to English, English to Czech, German to Czech, and 9 more.
teensy square
...
7 hrs
tiny, palm-size square
Another option.
+2
1 day 45 mins
Scott Evan Andrews
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE!
Native in: English
Works in: Czech to English, Slovak to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
quaint little square
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.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sarka Lhotak
: I like "quaint". It is perfect in this context.
10 hrs
|
| agree |
Gerry Vickers
: HOWEVER, some people (esp. in UK) see this as being a bit old-fashioned or backward - but that is their problem - quaint is good and is the one I would select.
2 days 1 hr
|
Discussion