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My huckleberry friend

Turkish translation: Yaban dostum

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:My huckleberry friend
Turkish translation:Yaban dostum
Entered by: Zeki Güler

18:28 Dec 11, 2015
English to Turkish translations [Non-PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / idiom
English term or phrase: My huckleberry friend
This is a famous name & character from Mark Twain's famous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I have been researching what the origin of this nickname is. Apparently it is nothing to do with the actual berry itself but stems from an American nickname, meaning 'uncivilised'. In Twain's time, 'huckleberry' was a term for 'a person of no consequence'. 'To get the huckleberry' meant 'to be subject to ridicule'. It was thus a suitable term for a 'boy tramp', precisely which Huck Finn was. The only other time that Twain's uses it is when he says 'the Saracen is no huckleberry'. Twain therefore uses it in a half complimentary way means that Huck's 'liberties were wholly unrestricted. He was the only really independent person-boy or man-in the community and by consequence he was tranquilly and continually happy and was envied by all the rest.' Thus he embodied nearly perfect freedom. (The above is from an article by James L. Colwell (1971).
When the term was later used of the Mississippi ('Moon River....my huckleberry friend'), it refers to the above qualities of Huck Finn, independent, uncivilised & free. Is there a Turkish word that enshrines all these qualities?
Hellinas
Local time: 13:32
Yaban dostum
Explanation:
This would imply their past experiences together in collecting berries, while also including connotations of being free and uncivilised.

If you wish to choose a word without such connotations, "aziz dostum" can be another option.
Selected response from:

Zeki Güler
Local time: 13:32
Grading comment
In Turkish 'a huckleberry' is yaban mersini. Yaban seems to be the right word I am looking for. I think that too many commentators on the song haven't realized that 'huckleberry' in Mark Twain's original story refers to the idiom explained above not to the actual whortleberry. Thanks to all those who have taken the trouble to answer what is a difficult question.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Sıkı dostum
Aslihan Aynur
4Yaban dostum
Zeki Güler
3avare arkadaşım
Recep Kurt
3serseri dostum
Yusef


  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
my huckleberry friend
avare arkadaşım


Explanation:
...

Recep Kurt
Türkiye
Local time: 15:32
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish
PRO pts in category: 31
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28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
my huckleberry friend
Sıkı dostum


Explanation:
A very old and good friend you have in your life for years

Aslihan Aynur
Türkiye
Local time: 15:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Turkish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Siki means more like 'staunch/loyal/committed' rather than 'free/independent/wandering'.

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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
my huckleberry friend
serseri dostum


Explanation:
olabilir, avare de olur

Yusef
Türkiye
Local time: 15:32
Native speaker of: Turkish
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59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
my huckleberry friend
Yaban dostum


Explanation:
This would imply their past experiences together in collecting berries, while also including connotations of being free and uncivilised.

If you wish to choose a word without such connotations, "aziz dostum" can be another option.

Zeki Güler
Local time: 13:32
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
In Turkish 'a huckleberry' is yaban mersini. Yaban seems to be the right word I am looking for. I think that too many commentators on the song haven't realized that 'huckleberry' in Mark Twain's original story refers to the idiom explained above not to the actual whortleberry. Thanks to all those who have taken the trouble to answer what is a difficult question.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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