Real Challenge

Ok, so I was told to have t-shirts made for our family reunion, but was given a phrase that I
1) don't know how to say very well, 2) definately can't spell, 3) dont know what it means
I was hoping someone could tell me if it even exsists, how to spell it correctly and what it means. Remember this is an english phonetic spelling. Any ideas will be helpful. Don't laugh at me too much.

"Pu mali yak te"

 

No idea for now.

 

It almost sounds like pomaly, as in slowly. Unfortunately, that doesn't make any sense. Good luck!

 

Pomalé jachty!?

 

“Pomaly jak Ty”
“Slow as you”
Not quit sure why anyone would want to place this on a reunion themed T-shirt, sounds kind of weird, so I’m sure it ain’t it.

 

This is probably it. That sounds right. I've done a little asking, and they said it would be a reply to Jak se Mas... f So I figure this has became slang out here in West Texas. Thank ya'll! This is exactly why I've been asking. I didn't want to put it on the shirt and it me really stupid, lol.

 

The correct answer which makes sense is: "Pomalu jako ty!"

"Jak se máš?" - "Pomalu jako ty."

What is the apposite English translation?

 

To je fantastiské zpětné inženýrování.
Hádanka vyřešená.

Maybe this could be an english translation of that.

How are you?... Little slow, (maybe,,kind of tired?)..same as you.

This is just a guess. Not sure at all of true intended meaning.

 

Here, "pomalu" (or "málem") means almost, nearly, practically.

 

So, we might say something like....
'about the same as you'

 

almost, nearly, practically = téměř, skoro, prakticky

But in "pomalu" I feel a subtile nuance. For me "pomalu jako ty" means something like "I am slowly creeping up to your situation (either good or bad)".

 

In the States the word "slow" in "someone is slow" can have one of two meanings: Someone moves slowly - like they all do in Texas
Or
someone is slow in thinking - not intelligent, it takes them longer to catch on than others.

A couple possible scenarios:
Given its a reunion in Texas, it could be a family joke meaning "we are all slow in our moving because we are from Texas" or it could be a joke that we are all family so we are all "slow" - just as dumb as the next guy here. Or it could be a play on words to mean both - to be taken by each family member the way they want it.

Who knows for sure except that family.

 

In the Czechlands pomalý (slow) as an attribute of a pupil is an euphemism for "s/he is dull, simple, insipient".
The Czech teachresses usually report to proud parents: "Váš syn je poněkud pomalý." = Your son is somedeal slow.
In normal (political incorrect) Czech: "Váš syn je blbý jako pučtok." = Your son is dumb like a putz-stock (= cleaning rod).

In the phrase "pomalu jako ty" pomalu is adverb, not adjective. So the meaning cannot be "I am slow as you are" but "I am slowly approaching your situation". The phrase is so pregnant that the beginners in Czech cannot decipher it at once.

If the phrase is "pomalý jako ty" (slow as you are), then it cannot be an answer to "Jak se máš?". The "Jak se máš?" question has different stucture than the English equivalent "How are you?".

I too have similar problems with many English phrases (common, not slangy).

 

So, to try and capture that nuance, maybe

Pomalu jako ty....Soon I'll be doing as well as you, or I suppose it could work opposite too, depending...Soon, I'll be doing as poorly as you.

maybe this....catching up to as well as you.

Hard to say.

 

It's long shot, ale what about:

Pomalu, ale jistě. ( slowly but surely )

 

It seems to me a good English translation, although somewhat loquacious.

 

Hmm. But yak is obviously jak and te would be pronounced tý by Americans.

 

We definitely use that..slowly but surely.

implying this idea..

the turtle might be slow, but eventually he gets where he is going.

 

Sice želva se plíží pomalu, ale vždý se doplíží kam se plíží.

Wonder if that works.

 

Želva je zeměplaz. Neplíží se, nýbrž plazí se. Plíží se šelma, indián nebo voják.