Discussion about 33rd translation contest: "Back to the playground" in English to Hungarian - Entry #38392

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Gabriella Vento
Gabriella Vento  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:44
Member (2015)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Enjoyable and accurate, except one part Jul 24, 2024

The "need-to-know basis" means that only those who have to know will be informed, "briefed" about it, that is, people who participate or are otherwise involved.
I think it is quite funny to use this expression here as "need to know" means "I answer the question if I kill you or not only before I (possibly) kill you".
"Erre most nem válaszolnék" does not reflect this amusing logic paradox. I am not sure though, if there is a better way in Hungarian to put it.


 
Denis Fesik
Denis Fesik
Local time: 08:44
English to Russian
+ ...
This is bureaucratic language Jul 24, 2024

What I found amusing about it was how the caterpillar's speech borrowed different things from different places in language; after all, it's an alien speaking, it's still not comfortable communicating to a human in completely human ways. "Need-to-know basis" is just one example. I think all translations into Russian have rendered it using naturally sounding expressions that didn't stand out as being a little bizarre (and neither did the Hungarian expression if I understood it correctly with the h... See more
What I found amusing about it was how the caterpillar's speech borrowed different things from different places in language; after all, it's an alien speaking, it's still not comfortable communicating to a human in completely human ways. "Need-to-know basis" is just one example. I think all translations into Russian have rendered it using naturally sounding expressions that didn't stand out as being a little bizarre (and neither did the Hungarian expression if I understood it correctly with the help of MT). That example of office speak has an equivalent in Russian but it wouldn't cut it in the context of the story, so I came up with another way of dealing with it in my translation (which has remained in my head only, because I didn't qualify to submit contest entries). I don't think "need-to-know" should be interpreted in the sense of "only before I (possibly) kill you." Maybe someone who's native in English will give a verdict that's different from mine

[Редактировалось 2024-07-24 12:49 GMT]
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Discussion about 33rd translation contest: "Back to the playground" in English to Hungarian - Entry #38392






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