knalde af

English translation: knock out

13:11 Apr 30, 2012
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Danish term or phrase: knalde af
In a quote from 1908, an arts critic says the following of a famous painter:

"... mens [andre] i årevis kunne male på samme portræt, kan XXX (undskyld udtrykket) 'knalde' de mest fortræffelige skildringer ud i løbet af [...] en halv time."

As the critic apologises for his choice of words, I need something that would have sounded somewhat 'rough' or impolite at the time. Any ideas?

I need a sort of 'shake out of his sleeve' expression, but more colloquial.
564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 06:18
English translation:knock out
Explanation:
or 'churn out' or 'crank out' (the expression I just used last week in talking about the fact that I was getting a lot of work done very quickly)

...although I don't know if these would be in keeping with the tone of a text from 100 years ago?
Selected response from:

Signe Golly
Denmark
Local time: 06:18
Grading comment
Thanks Signe, your help got me out of a complete 'translator's block'. Much appreciated. I opted for 'churn out'.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1knock off
David Young (X)
3 +1knock out
Signe Golly
3knock out
Diarmuid Kennan
3spurt
Sven Petersson


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
knock out


Explanation:
or 'churn out' or 'crank out' (the expression I just used last week in talking about the fact that I was getting a lot of work done very quickly)

...although I don't know if these would be in keeping with the tone of a text from 100 years ago?

Signe Golly
Denmark
Local time: 06:18
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Signe, your help got me out of a complete 'translator's block'. Much appreciated. I opted for 'churn out'.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Signe, they are all much better ideas than what I had been able to come up with so far. Just not sure any of them would necessitate an apology for 'bad language'. And the tone of the text is quite liberal, not formal in any sense.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Diarmuid Kennan: snap!
2 mins
  -> ;-)
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
knock out


Explanation:
he can knock out a few....
Used in this way, knock out means to produce quickly, routinely (and possibly a little shoddily).
https://www.google.ie/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENI...

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Note added at 13 mins (2012-04-30 13:24:49 GMT)
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Hi Gitte. It could possibly (probably) be taken as offensive by an artist, since it suggests that the work is shoddy, mindless, routine or mass produced, i.e. without much artistic input. The same applies to Signe's suggestions of crank or churn, both of which are also good.

Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Local time: 05:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 13
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Diarmuid - more or less same comment as to Signe. It's not offensive in any way, so the critic would not need to apologise for using this phrase, would he?

Asker: Thanks again, I see your point, and it makes very good sense. :)

Asker: Thanks for taking the time to suggest an answer for me. :-)

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
knock off


Explanation:
Not that I disagree with "knock out" but I would use "knock off".

Chambers 12th edition: knock off - to accomplish hastily; to have sexual intercourse with.

So it has the same "double-entendre" as the Danish.

David Young (X)
Denmark
Local time: 06:18
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks David - a subtle variation, very clever. :-)

Asker: Thanks for taking the time to suggest an answer for me. :-)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christopher Schröder
18 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
spurt


Explanation:
:o)

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 06:18
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Sven - although I think it is intransitive, isn't it? Or maybe not? Spurt paintings? Possibly :-)

Asker: Thanks for taking the time to suggest an answer for me. :-)

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