Poetry Forum

David,

Please post this in A.O.B too - it deserves to be read.

The comments are fascinating, e.g.

The translations of Luftslottet above show exactly why you need an understanding of the use of a language (i.e. the intended meaning not just the literal meaning) as well - Luftslottet is a colloquialism.

It has nothing to do with “Draughty Castles” - that is a poor, literal translation – “Palace in the Air” is a better literal translation – both however miss the point.

Luftslottet translates far better as “pipe dream” (which translates the meaning and not the words).

So the title “Luftslottet som sprängdes” actually translates better as “The pipe dream that burst” – which both conveys the meaning and keeps the play on words.


I do agree with the comments about the necessity of preserving languages -

I'll see if I can find an article about Navajo, the Native American language that has no others in its "family" and so was used
by the American Army in WW2 as an unbreakable code in the Pacific War.

twoleftfeet wrote:David,

Please post this in A.O.B too - it deserves to be read.

Good idea.

twoleftfeet wrote:The comments are fascinating, e.g.

I agree. I've actually contributed one myself. (I am sedentarydave. I like to imagine that sung by Fats Waller.)

That's a good point you've made, SedentaryDave.

I wonder if this Milliganism could ever be translated 100% into any other language?

Every time he put the key in the door he wondered what he was letting himself in for