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Man kan inte göra efter det.

English translation: One cannot mimic (something like) that.

15:30 Feb 6, 2011
Swedish to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Kallocain by Karin Boye
Swedish term or phrase: Man kan inte göra efter det.
The following passage is from Chapter 4 of Kallocain, which I am in the process of re-translating into English. The above phrase seems to mean "you cannot imitate (possibly copy) this, I am pretty sure an my Swedish partner confirms this. However, this does not make any sense in the context of the paragraph in which it occursl. I wonder if I am missing something or whether Boye's meaning here is obscure.

Any suggestions, comments, etc. would be most welcome. Many thanks in advance.

Visst gick jag själv, mumlade n:r 135 yrvaket och förvirrat, visst gick jag själv - men inte visste jag att det var som det var. Nog trodde jag det var att lida - men på ett annat sätt, ett högtidligare sätt - och att dö - men på en gång, och i hänförelse. Inte dag och natt tum för tum. Jag tror det vore skönt att dö. Man fick slå med armarna. Man fick rossla. Jag såg någon dö på Hemmet en gång - han slog med armarna och rosslade. Det var hemskt. Men det var inte bara hemskt. Man kan inte göra efter det. Men sedan dess har jag hela tiden tänkt, att nog vore det skönt att få bära sig åt så, en enda gång. Man måste ju, man kan inte hejda det. Om det vore frivilligt skulle det vara otillständigt. Men det är inte frivilligt: Ingen annan får lov att hejda det för en. Man bara gör det. När man dör, får man bära sig åt hur som helst, utan att någon kan hejda en.
Barry Appleby
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:45
English translation:One cannot mimic (something like) that.
Explanation:
Another option. I think "mimic" underscores the futility of trying to imitate the behavior and works well with the flailing of the arms. To me, the sentence construction of "You/One cannot X it/this" does not read as well in English as the original sentence reads in Swedish, which is why I would be tempted to (but might not) end it with "something like that." At the least, I would end it with "that."
Selected response from:

Åsa Schoening
United States
Local time: 18:45
Grading comment
Tack så hmeskt mycket!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3You can´t act it.
Anna Grynfeld Smith
3One cannot mimic (something like) that.
Åsa Schoening
3you can't follow that
lena helson


  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
You can´t act it.


Explanation:
As an option.

Anna Grynfeld Smith
Switzerland
Local time: 00:45
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
One cannot mimic (something like) that.


Explanation:
Another option. I think "mimic" underscores the futility of trying to imitate the behavior and works well with the flailing of the arms. To me, the sentence construction of "You/One cannot X it/this" does not read as well in English as the original sentence reads in Swedish, which is why I would be tempted to (but might not) end it with "something like that." At the least, I would end it with "that."

Åsa Schoening
United States
Local time: 18:45
Native speaker of: Swedish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Tack så hmeskt mycket!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
you can't follow that


Explanation:
another option

lena helson
Local time: 23:45
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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