1970 CZ>EN

Discussion in 'Multimedia' started by rsalc1, Apr 27, 2009.

  1. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    I am trying to translate the lyrics of the song "1970" from Czech to English. I will only post verse one:

    1970
    Nevím, jestli je to znát
    Možná by bylo lepší lhát
    Jsem silnej ročník sedmdesát
    Tak začni počítat
    Nechci tu hloupě vzpomínat
    Koho taky dneska zajímá
    Silnej ročník sedmdesát
    Tak začni počítat
    Tenkrát tu bejval jinej stát
    A já byl blbej nakvadrát
    Jsem silnej ročník sedmdesát
    Tak třeba například

    I don't know jestli je to znát(?)
    Maybe it's better to lie
    I am a strong class of seventy (assuming that "ročník" = "class of")
    So start counting
    I don't want to reminisce mindlessly
    whom it concerns today(this sounds awful)
    A strong class of seventy (what does 1970 mean in this context?)
    So start counting
    At that time you were a different nation
    And I was a silly square (is nakvadrát = square?)
    I am a strong class of seventy
    So maybe for example (I don't understand this sentence).

    I'll stop here for now. Any comments, criticisms? :)

    -Rene
     
  2. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

     
  3. meluzina

    meluzina Well-Known Member

    I don't know jestli je to znát(?) I do not know if it can be seen, if it is aparent on something.


    maybe in this context, something along the lines of "i don't know if you can tell" might fit better ???



    Koho taky dneska zajímá whom it concerns today(this sounds awful)

    maybe, and again in this context, "and who really cares today"???
     
  4. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Alexx a Meluzino,
    Moc děkuji za opravy a vysvětlení.
    Thanks for the corrections and explanation.

    Quick question: is the vocative of Alexx "Alexxu"?

    Tedka pokračuju překlad písně.
    Now I'll continue with the translation of the song.
    Here is the Refrain.

    1970
    Ref: Naši mi vždycky říkali
    Jen nehas, co tě nepálí
    Jakej pán, takovej krám

    Naši mi vždycky říkali
    Co můžeš, sleduj zpovzdálí
    A nikdy nebojuj sám

    Our (friends/relatives) always told me
    Only nehas(?) what tě nepálí(?)
    Such a man, such trash (or maybe: what a man, such trash)(??)

    Our (friends/relatives) always told me
    Follow from a distance what you can
    And never fear sám(?)

    Again, I am not quite sure of certain words, so please just bear with me :D
     
  5. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Yes, I would only prefer “I’m not sure” instead of “I don’t know”.

    I second this.

    At that time another state (read “regime”) used to be here.

    And I was stupid squared.

    na kvadrát = squared / to the second power

    One example (some examples) for all

    tak třeba ~ one/some for all
    tak třeba ~ to name but a few

    My parents always told me
    My parents used to say to me

    ~ Let sleeping dogs lie.

    literally: Don’t stop burning what is not burning you.

    literally: like master, like shop (the quality of the shop is adequate to the quality of the shop’s master)

    And never fight alone
     
  6. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

    I have never thought about it this way (I mean shop = krám (in this saying)), maybe because in Moravia we do not use work krám meaning shop. If I could travel in time, I would never use work krám (meaning shop) later then 1800) :). Everytime I here it, it seems to me very bookish and obsolete, despite it is very popular in Prague (and maybe the whole Bohemia).

    For me "krám" is trash, some useles staff people store in the attic for decades.

    However there are similare sayings to this:

    Jaký pán, takový kmán (probably from latin Plane qualist dominus, talis est servus.
    Jaký pán, takový pes.
     
  7. bibax

    bibax Well-Known Member

    Strange.

    In Prague we commonly say: jít do krámu (= to go to the shop), zboží na krámě, krámek (obchůdek)
     
  8. bibax

    bibax Well-Known Member

    Jaký pán, takový krám. Jaký pán, takový kmán.

    Latin: Qualis dominus, talis et servus. Qualis rex, talis grex.
    Spanish: Cual es el rey, tal es la grey.
    Polish: Jaki pan, taki kram.
    Russian: Каков поп, таков и приход. Каков хозяин, таков и слуга.
    English: Like master, like men.
     
  9. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    I’m pretty sure that all the idiomatic sayings operate with the meaning shop 8):

    Jaký pán, takový krám. (F. L. Čelakovský, Ohlas písní českých, 1839)
    Jaký kupec, taky krám. (F. Bartoš, Collection of North Moravian sayings, 1892)
    Aký pán, taký krám. (Slovak version)
    Jaki pan, taki kram. (Polish version)
    Wie der Krämer, so der Kram. (German original)


    mít na krámě
    zavřít/sbalit krám (shut up shop, put up the shutters)
    hodit se do krámu (German: in den Kram passen; English: suit’s books, serve one’s turn)

    Really? My grandmother was from North Moravia and she used it extensively.

    What about expressions like: krámek, kramář(ka), kramářství, kramařit, kramářská píseň, masný krám, krámská kniha, krámské váhy?

    For me too, but not only.

    Jaký otec, takový syn.
    Jaká matka, taková dcera.
    Jaký sluha, takový pán.
    Jaký muž, taková řeč.
    Jaké slovo, takový čin.
    Jaká mlatba, taková platba.
    Jaká mouka, takový chléb.
    Jaké hnízdo, takový pták.
    Jaký kroj, tak se stroj.
    Jaký hledal, takovou pohledal.


    English:
    Like father like son.
    Like fault like punishment.
    Like host like guest.
    Like lips like lettuce.
    Like lord like chaplain.
    Like master like man.
    Like mistress like maid.
    Like mother like daughter.
    Like priest like people.
    Like wood like arrows.
    Like word like deed.
     
  10. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all your comments!

    Here is my updated translation of the Refrain of the song 1970

    1970
    Ref: Naši mi vždycky říkali
    Jen nehas, co tě nepálí
    Jakej pán, takovej krám

    Naši mi vždycky říkali
    Co můžeš, sleduj zpovzdálí
    A nikdy nebojuj sám

    Our parents always told me
    (wer translated "my parents" but I see naši here...)
    Don't stop burning what is not burning you
    (let sleeping dogs lie, don't rock the boat)
    Like master, like shop

    My (our?) parents always told me
    Follow from a distance what you can
    And never fight alone (nikdy nebojuj sám - from the verb bojovat)

    -Rene
     
  11. bibax

    bibax Well-Known Member

    naši = the "ours" (in plural), like in Latin "nostri" the meaning depends on context: our people, our soldiers, our national team, our compatriots, my/our parents, etc.

    naši mi říkali (our parents told me) ... strictly it implies that you have brothers and/or sisters

    but the same phrase is used if you have no siblings at all and nobody cares:
    naši mi říkali (my parents told me)

    Now I realised that some Czech sentences sound Japanese:

    Naši mi to ušili. (nashimito ushili) :shock:
     
  12. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    It’s interesting how the questions of the non-natives makes me think of Czech peculiarities I was never aware of. :D

    Perhaps the right interpretation could be “our family’s parents”. This could explain why an only child could use it to refer to its parents.

    In fact, “naši” functions as a family name whenever you refer to your own family:

    Novákovi, Svobodovi a naši
    literally: Nováks, Svobodas and ours

    This use of family names refers to a married couple, or eventually to the whole family. From the perspective of a child, it refers to the parents.

    Similarly, “vaši” refers to the family of the person you are speaking to.

    More on Czechoslovak-Japanese similarities.
     
  13. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

    OK, maybe just around Ostrava, none of my family nor friends uses it. Neither the other expressions. I would consider kramářství as a shop where krámy are sold. V Ostravě se nekramaří, vedeme normální systém nákupu a obchodu ;-).
     

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