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  2. Finnish to English

vaari/muori

07:27 Nov 24, 2002
Finnish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
Finnish term or phrase: vaari/muori
Part of a short story:

He olivat kesävieraina talossa, jonka isäntäväkenä oli vanha vaari ja vanha muori.

vaari can be grandfather or old man (=ukko) and I guess that muori is equivalent. It's set in Häme if that means anything dialect-wise, but from the context it doesn't look like anyone is related to them. The worst thing is that they are almost used like names throughout the piece so I'd like to come up with something better than old man and old woman.

Thanks
stevent
Local time: 03:26


Summary of answers provided
5 +1re: old boy/girl
Minna Wood MITI (Purring CAT Ltd.) (X)
4grandpa and grandma
Erja Hirvonen


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
grandpa and grandma


Explanation:
Vaari and muori refers to old folk but are somewhat colloquial. I suggest you use grandpa and grandma so you can maintain the tone of original text.

vaari=grandpa or granpa
muori=grandma

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Note added at 2002-11-24 08:52:48 (GMT)
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Instead of grandma you can also say granny.

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Note added at 2002-11-24 08:59:15 (GMT)
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To clarify my answer, even though they are not related to summer guests it was and is common to call old folks, e.g., as vaari and muori.

Erja Hirvonen
Finland
Local time: 05:26
Native speaker of: Native in FinnishFinnish
PRO pts in pair: 1

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sinib: These terma are oldfashioned and the image created by using them is two very old people. Today's grandma and grandpa do not fit the mold.
4 hrs
disagree  Minna Wood MITI (Purring CAT Ltd.) (X): grandpa/grandma/granny have too strong connotations of being someone's grandparents unlike the Finnish words vaari/muori - just a very old man/woman.
5 hrs
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1 day 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
re: old boy/girl


Explanation:
I don't think old boy/girl conveys the same connotations as vaari/muori. Vaari/muori, for me, refer to friendly, cute and cuddly old people and would never be pitying ... (for instance the wife of Santa is called Muori)
You could, maybe, use the Finnish words throughout your translation but explain the words when they occur for the first time.
Something like ".... an old couple as their hosts, an old man, 'vaari', and an old woman, 'muori'..."

Minna Wood MITI (Purring CAT Ltd.) (X)
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Finnish
PRO pts in pair: 41

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  blacktea (X): That's it!
305 days
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