a Czech song: Století

Discussion in 'Culture' started by rsalc1, Jul 23, 2009.

  1. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Here is my translation of the song Století of the Czech group Žlutý pes.

    Žlutý pes
    Století / Century

    Tenhle táborák už dohasíná a já koukám sem a tam
    a s nehtem z bůvola si polívku zamíchám docela sám

    This campfire is already dying out and I look here and there
    and with nails of buffalo I mix myself a soup quite alone

    čekám ve svitu měsíce a v duši mám malej stín
    otázek tisíce, ale jednu věc dobře vím

    I am waiting in the moonshine and have a small shadow in my soul
    a thousand questions, but one thing I know well

    až napočítám pomalu do pěti, tak tohle století už dávno nepoletí nikam
    a já mu zazpívám

    when I count slowly to five, then this century won't fly anywhere
    and I will begin to sing

    miláčku, spi
    zavři očka sví

    darling, sleep
    close your eyes

    Až vyjdou zejtra nový planety, už budeš dávno spát
    a všechny tvoje strašný úlety se nám budou lepší zdát
    a i když kolem všichni tleskají už budeš muset jít
    estráda končí, musíš to pochopit

    When a new planet rises tomorrow, you will sleep late(?)
    and all your awful trips(?) will seem better to us (I don't get it)
    and even when everyone around us clap, you will have to go
    the show will be over, you must understand this
     
  2. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    I’m not sure what does “nehet z bůvola” (correct: buvola) mean here. Perhaps a mixing spoon made of buffalo nail?

    I know the time could “fly” in English, but I’m nor sure about century, hence to loose translation.

    už = already
    už + negation ~ negation + (any)more

    dávno = long time ago (often incorrectly used in place of “for long time”)

    This resembles Kryl’s:

    Spinkej, synáčku, spi,
    zavři očička svý

    Wov, “úlet”, that’s a word for this thread. :D

    “Úlet” is something crazy, crazy step, stupid mistake (often used for infidelity, for example).
    Adjectives like “děsný” or “strašný” are common intensifiers (possibly positive!).

    all your craziness will seem better to us

    ~ we will find better all your crazy steps
    ~ we will get over all your foolish acts

     
  3. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Wer, Thanks for the detailed explanations!

    I wonder if "s nehtem z buvola" refers to a mixing spoon made of buffalo horn?
    http://www.ecanyons.com/bone-horn-horn-bowls-spoon-knife-c-323_348.html
     
  4. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Yes, I know, I googled something similar.

    It seems to me like incorrect literal translation of English “buffalo nail” which, at least according to my google tests, seems to be an infrequent alternative for “buffalo horn”. In Czech, we don’t call it “nehet” (= nail) but “rohovina” (= the substance of which the horn is composed). Sometimes we can use the term “roh” (= horn) as well, but that refers strictly to the horn itself, not to the substance.
     

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