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  1. The Piper

    The Piper Contributor Contributor

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    German book title

    Discussion in 'Research' started by The Piper, Mar 27, 2020.

    Hi everyone!

    Translation question. In my latest novel I'm including bits and pieces from letters, transcripts, etc etc. One I'd like to include is a few extracts from an old-timey German book, which I've titled (in English): The Beneath and Beyond: Hell and All Her Angels.

    Translated (through Google, ashamedly) it becomes Das Unter und Jenseits: Holle und all ihre Engel. Through a reverse translation it looks like the word order is about right, but according to my sister the translation wouldn't be so literal. And heaven forbid I trust Google in the first place.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks everyone! Piper

    ETA: would a translation for "Yellow Devil" be as simple as "Gelber Teufel"?
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2020
  2. Lemie

    Lemie Contributor Contributor

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    Google translate only works when you need to know sort of, kind of what a text is about - but you don't have to worry about the quality of the translation. I used it alot when I wrote product texts and there were no Swedish or English information about the product.

    When it comes to this sort of translation that you're working with its more or less useless, unless the countries have the exact same syntax and such. The words are most likely correct... But the sentence probably isn't.

    So find yourself a German person and ask for help. I... can't come to think of any on here, but I'm sure there must be someone.
     
  3. SethLoki

    SethLoki Retired Autodidact Contributor

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    The Beneath and Beyond: Hell and All Her Angels

    Die Unterwelt und das Jenseits: Hölle und ihre Engel
     
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  4. Lifeline

    Lifeline South. Supporter Contributor

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    More literally: Das Darunter und Darüber: Die Hölle und alle ihre Engel

    Personally, I like @SethLoki 's translation better, but it's specific to a place. "Unterwelt" equals "Hölle", "Jenseits" equals "Beyond".

    However, "beneath" and "beyond" in English are also adverb/preposition which evoke specific visceral reactions aside from the image and spiritual beliefs that accompany hell and the afterworld. If you limit the translation to hell and the afterworld, you miss out on these additional reactions.

    So I guess I am more happy with my own translation after all. Sorry, @SethLoki ;)

    Yes, this is correct.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2020
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  5. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    Oooh, I like the parallelism!
     
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