Tree Hugger

Discussion in 'Vocabulary & Translation Help' started by Petronela, Mar 31, 2011.

  1. Petronela

    Petronela Well-Known Member

    "Tree Hugger"
    How would you guys translate it? I don’t mean literal translation, but Czech equivalent for the term. It came up while back and none of us could come up with anything….

    Oh yeah and I have to ask: where did everyone go?
    I miss reading new posts here everyday :cry:
     
  2. GlennInFlorida

    GlennInFlorida Well-Known Member

    I miss all the folks too - maybe has something to do with facebook - lots of people doing that now... :(
     
  3. Petronela

    Petronela Well-Known Member

    well that blows :cry:
    I cant get on Facebook at work ever since someone in the front office got busted playing farmville.
     
  4. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    It does suck but you know, when I read something on here I like, I immediately go to click the "like" button and realize there isn't one :)

    I don't know if it's facebook or just that we've all run out of "czech" things to talk about. I mean, over the years I think we've covered every topic we can think of.
     
  5. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Time to time the English term "tree hugger" itself appears in Czech, which is strong indication that an exact equivalent is missing in Czech. But most of the Czechs are not aware of the English context.

    Literal translation could work fine in some context, but fails in others. The fact is that in Czech conditions tree hugging is not common demonstration of enviromentalism, perhaps because almost all trees in the Czech Republic are planted. In fact, Czech enviromentalists have rather the opposite inclination (calls for replacing the spruce monocultures, bark beetle zealotry...).

    Also, the best-known tree hugger in the Czech Republic is ex-Prime Minister Miloš Zeman who is by no means an enviromentalist. Years ago he expessed a wish to retire from politics to hug the trees in Vysočina and since than any reference to tree hugging in Vysočina is broadly understood as reference to a self-imposed retire from politics or to Miloš Zeman himself.

    So, getting back to the original question, I think there is no exact equivalent, but there are some expressions which are close enough. I would recommend the term "žabičkář" (= the one who is engaged in protection of little frogs) which in my opinion covers all meanings and connotation of English term "tree hugger" except of the direct reference to trees.
     
  6. Petronela

    Petronela Well-Known Member

    Wer, thank you very much for the explanation. You’re awesome!

    It was 5 of us (4 Czechs and 1 Slovak) and true we were drinking a little but still not a single one of us could come up with an equivalent.
    I don’t feel totally dumb now :oops:

    Thanks :D
     

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