Translating sucks

  • Want to keep track of this thread?
    Accounts can bookmark posts, watch threads for updates, and jump back to where you stopped reading.
    Create account

Blobby's Murder Knife

Nuking the world with Onni Kalsarikännit
True & Honest Fan
kiwifarms.net
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
I am reading a song that had to have been originally written in French Canadian, translated to English Canadian, and I know want to put in German because I like it and autism, but I can't even make sense of it in English in some places or what they meant by it exactly. Is it time to final solution French Canadians?
 
Suchend nach dem Weltengrabmal
greif den Kelch und nimm einen Schluck
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
ein Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
aus mystischen Höhlentiefen
Welten verbergen sich hinter einem schwarzen Schleier
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
das Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
(Anhänger - jene die sich auf ein höheres evolutionäres Stadium über dem Menschen vorbereiten, gleichbedeutend mit dem Königreich Gottes, dem Königreich des Himmels)
meinem Blick entkommst du nicht
denn ich hab nach dir gegriffen in der Nacht

a bit artistic licence, esp regards panoptikon

I think the mystical depths are Plato's cave from which one frees oneself only to find oneself transfixed by God's all seeing and loving eye. The panopticon is the universe and evolutionary development brings us closer to full awareness of God.
 
Suchend nach dem Weltengrabmal
greif den Kelch und nimm einen Schluck
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
ein Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
aus mystischen Höhlentiefen
Welten verbergen sich hinter einem schwarzen Schleier
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
das Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
(Anhänger - jene die sich auf ein höheres evolutionäres Stadium über dem Menschen vorbereiten, gleichbedeutend mit dem Königreich Gottes, dem Königreich des Himmels)
meinem Blick entkommst du nicht
denn ich hab nach dir gegriffen in der Nacht

a bit artistic licence, esp regards panoptikon

I think the mystical depths are Plato's cave from which one frees oneself only to find oneself transfixed by God's all seeing and loving eye. The panopticon is the universe and evolutionary development brings us closer to full awareness of God.
Artistic license is cool. I do this myself. Word to word translations can sometimes steal things away from the original meaning intended, plus again I really think translation is a fun autistic art. I'll look over this and the other one once I have finally woke up. Just got up from a nap and my brain is junk even in my native language, but I definitely appreciate the effort.
 
I think music is one of those things that's harder to translate in general to different languages because you're most likely never going to be able to keep it direct as possible while keeping the flow and rhythm correct. The only song I personally know with an English and a German version is 99 luftballon. I don't know German but just listening to it you can tell the translation isn't direct. Maybe something like more of a localized translation that isn't direct but keeps the intention and spirit of the song would work better? I know German's a fairly versatile language and it's fairly easy to make up understandable words like in English. Is there some German you could string together that functions as a word with similar enough meaning but isn't technically a word? English does that shit all the time and I know I've heard you can do the same thing in German.
It is translating poetry, so you have to think about it a bit. Sometimes I myself will go back and think, 'why did I use THAT word for this?'. And then I'll realize other translation questionablities. I've been speaking German more than half my life at this point, so I mostly get nuance.

Because of German syntax, you aren't often going to get the same flow as in English. Just is what it is.

For whatever reason, if I translate a Black Magick SS song into German, it just comes so natural and obvious, I can't even. The Gates is a bit stranger, but again, I really like this band.

In general, the reason why I translate is because I am so tired of everything in English sometimes and it is fun to try to figure out the most artistic way of putting it in another language. Maybe I would have appreciated them more if they actually sang some in French Canadian.
 
"From the mystic bowels of the caves
Worlds are hiding under a big black veil
Surrounded by the ancient eye"

Wait a minute is this song talking about assholes?
God, I love Q&A, but no, this is not talking about that.

Suchend nach dem Weltengrabmal
greif den Kelch und nimm einen Schluck
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
ein Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
aus mystischen Höhlentiefen
Welten verbergen sich hinter einem schwarzen Schleier
gefangen vom uralten Auge
geblended vom Verlangen
das Leben im Panoptikon
ist ein Leben ohne Wahl
(Anhänger - jene die sich auf ein höheres evolutionäres Stadium über dem Menschen vorbereiten, gleichbedeutend mit dem Königreich Gottes, dem Königreich des Himmels)
meinem Blick entkommst du nicht
denn ich hab nach dir gegriffen in der Nacht

a bit artistic licence, esp regards panoptikon

I think the mystical depths are Plato's cave from which one frees oneself only to find oneself transfixed by God's all seeing and loving eye. The panopticon is the universe and evolutionary development brings us closer to full awareness of God.
This is actually pretty decent. Also thanks for agreeing me with about ancient. You just can't fucking use the word 'antiken' in this sense. 'Ur-' is so much more appropriate.

When I was thinking of this in German for the last two lines, I thought:

Du wirst nicht von meinem Blick entkommen
Weil ich nach dir in der Nacht gegriffen hab
 
Last edited:
or maybe:
du kannst meinem Blick nicht entlaufen
den ich schon in der Nacht auf dich geworfen hab
I wouldn't use geworfen. Entfangen/gegriffen oder so geht hier viel besser. The word in English they used is reached, but you could also assume captured or taken, depending. Reached is about what gegriffen is. ☺️

The question would be did the narrator actually capture the subject? This is what makes all of this fun.
 
Last edited:
An example of a song I translated. There were a few reasons why I didn't directly translate and it was basically because it didn't make sense to and the meaning could be conveyed by the German I chose. I rather like 'entfacht'. In English ' to make a man burn with desire'...that is all pretty hot, but you can condense it in German with entfachen. Entfachen is -to kindle. I was a bit hmm on 'the temple' lines. I felt what I wrote was redundant, but also what I wanted to say. Translating is autistic and fun.


Wenn ich zur Himmel schaue,
Hoere ich dich aus zu mir schreien (aus zu mir)
Ihre Haare fliesst wie Feuer
Und hat einen Mann mit Feuer entfacht (entfacht)

Wo bist du jetzt?
Und wo bist du gegangen?
Ich brauch dich hier jetzt und sofort
Weil ich mich hier so allein fuehle

Ich liege meine Schwert auf den Boden
Mit keinen anderen auf meine Seite
Deine Augen, die kann ich nicht mehr errineren
Du hast alles von mir weggenommen
Meine Liebe
Meine Liebe

Als meine Temple faellt
Und ihre Asche faellt
Zum Boden (Zum Boden)
Die Zeit die wir geteiltet haben
Eine Zeit von Verzweifelung (von Verzweifelung)

Wo bist du jetzt?
Und wo bist du gegangen?
Ich brauch dich hier jetzt und sofort
Weil ich mich hier so allein fuehle

Ich liege meine Schwert auf den Boden
Mit keinen anderen auf meine Seite
Deine Augen, die kann ich nicht mehr errineren
Du hast alles von mir weggenommen
Meine Liebe
Meine Liebe
 
Last edited:
It is translating poetry, so you have to think about it a bit. Sometimes I myself will go back and think, 'why did I use THAT word for this?'. And then I'll realize other translation questionablities.
Translating music and poetry really is an art. It's hard to get right and depending on the language sometimes you just can't translate it.
Because of German syntax, you aren't often going to get the same flow as in English. Just is what it is.
I find German music has a fairly hard sound to it whatever the genre. It sounds good with metal and rock songs, other genres not so much, I don't really like German reggae, German isn't really a great language for it.
In general, the reason why I translate is because I am so tired of everything in English sometimes and it is fun to try to figure out the most artistic way of putting it in another language
It does sound fun. It seems like something you could get pretty creative with.
Maybe I would have appreciated them more if they actually sang some in French Canadian.
I dunno why but I can't stand French music. I think because it gives me flashbacks to high school French class. I just don't like the way french sounds in music.
 
Translating music and poetry really is an art. It's hard to get right and depending on the language sometimes you just can't translate it.

I find German music has a fairly hard sound to it whatever the genre. It sounds good with metal and rock songs, other genres not so much, I don't really like German reggae, German isn't really a great language for it.

It does sound fun. It seems like something you could get pretty creative with.

I dunno why but I can't stand French music. I think because it gives me flashbacks to high school French class. I just don't like the way french sounds in music.
Well, reggae obviously isnt't the language for German, but if you are interested in German metal, DM me, I have obvious connections.

I took a couple of French classes, but I couldn't deal with the spelling. It is bad enough in English because of their gay influence on us.
 
Well, reggae obviously isnt't the language for German
There's actually a surprising amount of it out there. I'm not sure if it still is but reggae was pretty popular in throughout a lot of Europe during the 2010's there's a massive European reggae scene.
if you are interested in German metal, DM me, I have obvious connections.
I don't really listen to a lot of metal any more. I used to be more into it when I was younger, I'll occasionally listen to it but it's not really my goto.
I took a couple of French classes, but I couldn't deal with the spelling. It is bad enough in English because of their gay influence on us.
I actually didn't mind French I just never really had any use for it so it never really stuck. I can read it and I can understand the gist of what's being said when I hear it but I can't speak it.
 
I actually didn't mind French I just never really had any use for it so it never really stuck.
I might still do, but I am so unmotivated. If you and your wife ever go to France though, go to Lyon. Definitely the best and most friendly city in France. Food awesome, lots of good history, just besides parking, can't think of anything bad to say about it.
 
I might still do, but I am so unmotivated. If you and your wife ever go to France though, go to Lyon. Definitely the best and most friendly city in France. Food awesome, lots of good history, just besides parking, can't think of anything bad to say about it.
Lol I don't think she wants to go to France. She's been there a bunch of times. She says it's disgusting and filthy and the people are disgusting.

Actually, I showed her your comment and now she's going on a rant about France.
 
Lol I don't think she wants to go to France. She's been there a bunch of times. She says it's disgusting and filthy and the people are disgusting.

Actually, I showed her your comment and now she's going on a rant about France.
Sorry, lmao. But Lyon really is nice! Nimes is also OK. I have literally zero interest in Paris and hope to never go there. I said the same about fucking Berlin and God said fuck you and sent me there anyway. It was as gay as I thought it would be for the most part. Good thing my frens there aren't actually from there.
 
Sorry, lmao. But Lyon really is nice! Nimes is also OK. I have literally zero interest in Paris and hope to never go there. I said the same about fucking Berlin and God said fuck you and sent me there anyway. It was as gay as I thought it would be for the most part. Good thing my frens there aren't actually from there.
It's all good. It was pretty funny. I'll take your word on Lyon, I don't think she's been there and I'm sure France isn't actually as bad as she makes it out to be. I think it would be cool to see the architecture in the cities in Europe but I don't really like cities in general. I was just looking at the map around Lyon though and it looks like there's a bunch of regional parks around it that look really nice. I prefer being out and nature and stuff when I go on vacation.
 
It's all good. It was pretty funny. I'll take your word on Lyon, I don't think she's been there and I'm sure France isn't actually as bad as she makes it out to be. I think it would be cool to see the architecture in the cities in Europe but I don't really like cities in general. I was just looking at the map around Lyon though and it looks like there's a bunch of regional parks around it that look really nice. I prefer being out and nature and stuff when I go on vacation.
What we did there was go to all the Roman ruins and museums there. When we went out to eat it was funny. My brother was half drunk trying to use an app to translate things into French to order. The waitstaff literally just thought it was hilarious and thoughtful in its way. All the people we met in Lyon asking for things in our piss poor French were more than happy to help us for at least making the attempt. When I was in Brussels, people were ready to set me on fire for not being able to speak good French, so that is my frame of reference, heh.

Edit: Oh shit, forgot, we went to Pont du Gard. Not anywhere near a city and absolutely worth it.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom