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kaksikieliset hanskat

English translation: bilingual helper / labourer

13:52 Dec 16, 2009
Finnish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / sweden
Finnish term or phrase: kaksikieliset hanskat
I found this phrase in a Finnish poem about Stockholm that I have to translate. Is it a derogatory term for Swedes or for Finno-Swedes? Or is it not an idiomatic expression and therefore it should be translated as "bilingual gloves"?
Kiitos
ValeValja
Local time: 10:59
English translation:bilingual helper / labourer
Explanation:
This is a wild-wild guess. 'Hanskat' is a Finnish colloquial for 'gloves'. It is derived from Swedish (swe 'handskar'), as also is another colloquial Finnish word 'hanslankari' ('helper, labourer', swe 'handläggare' = handler). So, I think that 'haskat' can in poetic-colloquial language been used in the meaning of 'helper', taking additionally into consideration that it is only human beings (as far as I know) that can be bilingual.
Selected response from:

Timo Lehtilä
Finland
Local time: 11:59
Grading comment
Thanks a lot, your answer was indeed very clear and fitting to the context. The Finnish section is very helpful :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +2bilingual helper / labourer
Timo Lehtilä


  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
bilingual helper / labourer


Explanation:
This is a wild-wild guess. 'Hanskat' is a Finnish colloquial for 'gloves'. It is derived from Swedish (swe 'handskar'), as also is another colloquial Finnish word 'hanslankari' ('helper, labourer', swe 'handläggare' = handler). So, I think that 'haskat' can in poetic-colloquial language been used in the meaning of 'helper', taking additionally into consideration that it is only human beings (as far as I know) that can be bilingual.

Timo Lehtilä
Finland
Local time: 11:59
Native speaker of: Finnish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks a lot, your answer was indeed very clear and fitting to the context. The Finnish section is very helpful :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alfa Trans (X): ei tästä enempää saatane irti : )
52 mins
  -> Thanks, yse, at least one line of the poem would be helpful
agree  Arja Whiteside (X)
13 hrs
  -> Thanks
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