Thomas Pynchon Wiki - User contributions [en]

German Translations

2008-10-10T20:15:31Z

Subversiveinstrument:

Evan M. Corcoran provided some fine, and rough, tuning to the following translations, for which I am eternally grateful. Also, a fellow named Morten provided some excellent tweaks.

9: '''Jungfrau:''' "virgin" or "''the'' Virgin" 
71, 313, 630: '''Geheime Kommandosache:''' Secret Command-concern 
72: '''Was tust du für die Front, für den sieg? Was has du heute für Deutschland getan?: ''' What are you doing for the Front, for the victory? What have you done for Germany today? 
75: '''Wütende Heer:''' "furious" or "raging" army 
94: '''''Der Kinderofen'':''' The child-oven 
95: '''Hexeszüchtigung''': witch-punishment 
97: '''Märchen und Sagen:''' fairytales and myths 

<div style="text-align:center">'''98: Und nicht einmal sein Schritt klingt aus dem tonlosen Los:''' 
And never once deos his footstep ring from this soundless doom (p.83) 
(From [[Sources|Rilke's Tenth Elegy]])</div>

99, 670: '''Wandervogel:''' (lit., migratory bird, bird of passage) German youth movement of the 1920s/1930s 
99:''' nicht wahr?: '''not so? 
100: '''Bodenplatt:''' lit., flat earth, fig., launching site ("concrete plate laid over strips of steel") 
101, 424: '''Erwartung:''' anticipation (470: "an extraordinary senses of ''waiting to rise'')

::<div style="text-align:center">101: '''Bringt doch der Wanderer auch vom Hange des Bergrands nicht eine Hand voll Erde ins Tal, die alle unsägliche, sondern ein erworbenes Wort, reines, den gelben und blaun Enzian.''' 
::The wanderer does not bring a handful of earth, the unutterable, from the mountain slope to the valley, but a pure word he has learned, the blue and yellow gentian. (p.69) 
::From [[Sources|Rilke's Ninth Elegy]]</div>

101: '''Liebchen:''' sweetheart, darling 
131: '''ein Volk ein Führer:''' one people, one leader 
134: '''''eia, wärn wir da!'': '''were we but there! 
142: '''Reichssieger:''' as this term relates to a dog, the proper translation is "national champion." The German word ''Reich'' means both empire and nation, and ''Sieger'' means both victor and champion 
152: '''Kreis: '''circle, ring 
154: '''Studentenheim:''' student's hostel 
154: '''''Die Faust Hoch'': '''Raise Your Fist 
155: '''Kinos:''' cinema houses 
156: '''Judenschnautze:''' Jewish nose 
156: '''Mausigstrasse:''' Mousy Street 
158: '''Bundestag:''': Federal Parliament 
160: '''Hinterhöfe:''' back-courtyards 
161: '''Schnellbahnwagen:''' fast rail car 
162: '''Dom:''' cathedral 
162: '''Biedermeier:''' homely or early-Victorian-Era style 
162, 324: '''Bürgerlichkeit:''' the quality of being bourgeois 
162, 416: '''Raketenflugplatz:''' rocket site 
163: '''Knallt ab den Juden Rathenau/Die gottverdammte Judensau ...: ''' 
Shoot down that Jew Rathenau/The god-damned Jewish sow 
163: '''Götterdämmerung: '''twilight of the gods 
165:''' Herrenklub:''' gentlemen's club 
185: '''Wehrmacht:''' (lit., defense force) German armed forces 
194: '''Spielsaal:''' gaming hall 
207: '''ab-hauen:''' clear out 
211: '''Pferdestärke:''' horsepower 
228: '''u.s.w.:''' und so weiter = and so on 
230: '''Volksgrenadier: Setzt V-2 ein!:''' People's Unit: Erect a V-2! 
238, 344, 700: '''Schwärmerei:''' excessive enthusiasm; strong admiration

242,432: '''Vorrichtung für Isolierung:''' device for insulation (Interesting note: Also translates as (heh heh) Device for Isolation) 
242: '''Geheime Kommando-sache!:''' Secret Command-subject 
246, 669: '''Soldbücher:''' soldier's pay-book 

258, 646: '''lieder:''' songs 
261: '''Gemüse-Brücke:''' Vegetables Bridge 
262:''' Zürchers:''' residents of Zürich, Switzerland 

272: '''Führer:''' leader 
277, 393:''' gemütlich:''' cosy, affable, good-natured 
281: '''Eis Heiligen:''' Ice Saints 

281: '''die kalte Sophie:''' Cold Sophie 
284: '''Wunderkind:''' wonder child; prodigy 
285: '''Notgeld:''' emergency-issue currency 
286: '''Schwarzknabe:''' black boy 

287: '''Ach du lieber!:''' Good gracious! 
290: '''Schattensaft:''' shadow juice 
295: '''Stollen:''' tunnel 
296: '''Raumwaffe:''' Space Force 

300: '''Summe, Summe:''' sum, total 
304: '''Ah, so reizend ist! [...] Hübsch, was?:''' Ah, he's so adorable! [...]
Cute, don't you think? 
308: '''Gruss Gott:''' Greetings! 
310: '''Himmel:''' Heaven 

327: '''Schwarze Besatzung am Rhein!:''' Black garrison at the Rhine River 
330: '''Brockengespenstphaenomen:''' Brocken specter phenomenon 
331: '''''warum'':''' why 
333: '''Rathaus:''' town hall (lit. council house) 

334: '''Ritter:''' knight (medieval, not chess) 
334: '''Kot:''' shit 
336: '''Ur-Markt:''' primordial market 
341: 

<div style="text-align:center">'''O, wie spurlos zerträte ein Engel den Trostmarket:''' 
Oh, how an angel would trample and leave no trace their marketplace of solace 
(p.77) 
From [[Sources|Rilke's Tenth Elegy]]</div>

344: '''Ostarzneikunde:''' Eastern Pharmaceuticals 
359: '''Tiergarten:''' zoo (lit. animal garden). This is the central park in
Berlin. 
362: '''Was ist los, meinen Sumpfmenschen?: '''What's up, my swamp-men 
363: '''der Fünffachnullpunkt:''' quintuple zero 
365: '''Grosser Stern:''' Great Star. It is a traffic circle in the middle of the Tiergarten. 
366: '''Tauschzentrale:''' bartering or exchange center 

367: '''Kerl:''' guy or fellow 
372: '''Berliner Luft:''' Berlin air 
372, 579: '''bürgerlich: ''' (adj) middle-class, bourgeois 
375: '''Purpurstoff:''' purple substance 

376: '''Glück:''' fortune, luck 
377: '''Stiefeln, bitte:''' Boots, please (should be "stiefel") 
377: '''Funkturm:''' radio tower 
378: '''Stimmt:''' all right, O.K. 

380, 446: '''Hauptstufe: '''main stage 
387: '''Alpdrücken:''' nightmare 
387, 443: '''Gesellschaft:''' society 
393: '''Inflationszeit:''' inflation era 

394: '''Königreich:''' kingdom 
394: '''Das Wütende Reich:''' The Raging Reich 
400: '''Kadavergehorsamkeit:''' corpse-like obedience, i.e., slavish obedience 

402, 436: '''Hinterhof:''' back-courtyard 
402, 422: '''Halbmodelle:''' half-model 
403: '''Folgsamkeitfaktor''': obedience factor 
404: '''Versuchsanstalt:''' research institute, experimental station 

416: '''Schicksal:''' destiny 
419: '''Tierpark:''' zoo (lit. animal park) 
429: '''Volkssturm''': people's unit (toward end of WWII, German army units
comprised of young boys and older men) 
429: '''Göllerei:''' a von Göll-ism ("one of his damned touches") 

432: '''Vorrichtung für die Isolierung:''' device for the insulation 
432: '''Obersturmbannführer:''' leader of a battalion of storm troops 
433: '''Königstiger:''' King Tiger 

433: '''Der feind hört zu:''' the Enemy is Listening (see p.434) 
436: '''Erster-Hof, Zweiter-Hof, Dritter-Hof:''' first courtyard, second courtyard,
third courtyard 
437: '''was ist los?:''' What's up? 
439: '''saftig:''' luscious 
442: '''Fabelhaft, was?:''' wonderful, eh?

<div style="text-align:center; margin:0 25px;">'''442:''' 

'''Hübsch''' (charming); '''stahlig''' (steely, metallic); '''Bodengeschmack''' (earthy); '''Körper''' (full-body); '''süffig''' (tasty); '''spritzig''' (lively); '''bukettreich''' (full bouquet, fragrant); '''Art''' (style); '''kernig''' (seedy; robust); '''sauber''' (clean, fine, rare); '''pikant''' (spicy); '''Spiel''' (playful); '''glatt''' (smooth); '''blumig''' (aromatic, flowery); '''Fülle''' (fullness); '''zart''' (tender); '''würzig''' (spicy, piquant)
</div>

443: '''Kurfürstendamm: '''street in Berlin 

448: '''Rücksichtslos:''' respectless/disrespectful; reckless 
448: '''Kriegsmarine:''' navy 
448: '''Geschwader:''' squadron 
452: '''Schlieren:''' slip (of rope) 

454: '''''Chinesische Blätter für Wissenschaft und Kunst'':'''
Chinese Journal for Science and Art 
454, 679: '''Los!:''' this commonly used word has many meanings, but in this context it means more like "let's get going" or "let's move"; sort of like ''Vamos'' in Spanish or ''Allez'' in French! 

457: '''Bad:''' bath 
458: '''Zigaretten, bitte?:''' cigarette, please? 
459: '''spaetzle:''' a type of thick, chewy noodles 
465: '''Urstoff:''' primordial stuff 

466: '''liebling:''' darling 
475: '''Urquelle:''' original well (or) source. [Pilsener Urquelle is a beer still
brewed (as of 1997)] 
476: '''Trinkhalle:''' pump-room of a spa 
477: '''Brodelbrunnen:''' mineral spring 

477: '''Kursaal:''' cure hall 
482: '''''Weisse Sandwüste von Neumexiko'':''' White Sand Desert of New
Mexico 
483: '''Jugend Herauf:''' Youth Arise! 

483: '''Juden Heraus!:''' Jews out! 
486: '''Ur-Heimat:''' original homeland 
493, 569: '''Bohnenkaffee:''' pure coffee 
504: '''Zu Befehl, Mutti!:''' At your command, Mommy! 

508: '''Zitz und Arsch:''' tits and ass 
513: '''Schwarzphänomen:''' black phenomenon 
514: '''Lebe wohl:''' Fare well 
523: '''Leunahalluziationen: '''gasoline hallucination 

526: '''Mitteleuropäisch:''' middle European 
549: '''gassen:''' alleys 
549: '''Volksdeutsch:''' ethnic Germans 
550: '''Bruder:''' brother 

567: '''Himmel and Hölle:''' Heaven und Hell 
567: '''Treppengiebel:''' stepped gable 
567: '''Laterne''' (lantern), '''Laterne,''' '''Sonne''' (Sun), '''Mond''' (Moon) und Stern (stars) These are the words of a popular song sung (especially) on the Feast of St. Martin, when in the evening children walk in processions holding lanterns.

568: '''Volksgrenadier:''' militia or, perhaps, home guard 
568: '''Schweinheldfest:''' pig-hero festival 
568: '''Haferschleim:''' oatmeal gruel 
569: '''Quark:''' curds 
569: '''Kartoffelpuffer: '''potato pancakes 
570:''' Gemütlichkeit:''' geniality, good-naturedness, coziness, leisureliness 
570: '''erste Abreibung:''' first rubdown (euphymism for a beating--see p.437> 
571:''' Schweinheld:''' pig-hero 
571: '''Buchdrucherverband: ''' should be "Buchdruc'''k'''erverband":
book-printer's union 
573: '''Winkelhaken:''' justifier (a printer's tool) 
578: '''Zeitgeist:''' spirit of the times 
579: '''der Spieler:''' the Player 
580: '''Stickstoff Syndikat:''' nitrogen syndicate 
587: '''Schnipsel:''' a snip 
587: '''Vereinigte Stahlwerke:''' United Steelworks 
587: '''''also'':''' thus (fig. ah-ha!) 
592: '''Weltschmerz:''' world-weariness 
624:''' willst due V-2, dann arbeite: '''Do you wish the V-2, then work. 
624: '''Frisch Fromm Fröhlich Frei:''' Fresh Pious Cheerful Free 
625: '''Gnädige:''' gracious 
625: '''Heiligenschein: '''lit. Holy Brilliance; halo 
626: '''Heidschnucken: '''sheep who live on the heaths in Northern Germany 
630: '''Wehrwirtschaftstab:''' Economic Defense Staff
631:''' Draufgänger:''' daredevil 
653: '''Die Fahne Hoch:''' Raise High the Flags (aka Horst Wessel Lied) 
653, 681: ''' Nürnburg:''' Nuremburg 
660: '''Oberhauptberlinerschnauze:''' "Berlin Snoot supreme" 
666: '''Schutzhäftlingsführer:''' prisoner-refuge-commander 
666: '''Blockältester:''' Block elder 

666:''' Kapo: '''Head Guard at Concentration Camp 
666: '''Vorarbeiter:''' foreman 
666: '''Stubendienst:''' cleaning barracks 
666: '''Läufer:''' runner, messenger; also the German name for the Bishop in chess 
684: '''Deutschland, Deutschland Über Alles: '''Germany, Germany over
Everything 
684: '''Welt:''' world 
693:''' Ortsschutz:''' local constable 
700: '''Fuder and Fass:''' literally, cart-load and cask; a somewhat outdated German expression for "lock, stock and barrel" 
702: '''Polschuhen:''' pole shoes 
714: '''Überraschungbraten:''' spit-roast surprise 
718:''' Bauernfrühstuck:''' farm breakfast 
742: '''Niederschaumdorf:''' Lower Foaming Village 
743: '''Maitrinke:''' May drink 
751: '''Zündkreutz:''' ignition-cross 
751: '''Ochsen-Augen:''' ox eyes 
757: '''Räumen''': veer aft (of wind) 
757: '''Steuerung klar:''' steering - check 
757: '''Ist klar:''' check 
757: '''Treibwerk klar:''' fueling gear - check 
757: '''Luftlage klar:''' launch site - check 
757: '''Schlüssel auf Schiessen: '''switch on firing 
757: '''Schlüssel steht auf Schiessen: '''switch set on firing 
758: '''Durchschalten:''' lit., to switch through 
758:''' Vorstufe:''' first stage 
758: '''Ist durchgeschaltet:''' switch is on 
758: '''Beluftung klar:''' ventilation - check 
758: '''Zundung klar:''' ignition - check 
758: '''Hauptstufe ist gegeben:''' main stage is acknowledged 
758: '''Stecker 1 und 2 gefallen:''' plugs 1 and 2 separated 
759: '''Streckefuss''': Stretchfoot (This translation doesn't make too much sense. In technical German "fuss" translates as "valve". The word might be taken from the V-2 Blueprints or other technical documents.)

German Translations

2008-10-10T20:00:04Z

Subversiveinstrument:

Self-reference in Gravity's Rainbow

2008-09-01T21:30:57Z

Subversiveinstrument: Clarification of the more far-fetched self references

Rorschach Test, 81

"We are never told why" 107

"Parallel, not series. . .mapping on to different coordinate systems" 159

"Nobody ever said a day has to be juggled into any kind of sense at day's end" 204

Pynchon (AKA Slothrop with a mustache?), 207

GR Kultists (understood as King Kong Kultists?), 275

"edit, switch names, insert" 302

swirling fog of details, 326

Mickey Rooney will repress his ever having seen Slothrop, 382

GET IT?, 413

little girls, 463

"But mistakes are part of it too--everything fits. One sees how it fits, ja? learns patterns, adjusts to rhythms, one day you are no longer an actor, but free now, over on the other side of the camera." 494

Text picked to pieces, 520

"the real Text persisted" 520

"artful ambiguities" 535

"yesyes" taunting, 582

"dreams, psychic flashes, omens, cryptographies, drug-epistemologies, all dancing on a ground of terror, contradiction, absurdity" 582

"check out Ishmael Reed" 587

Kute Korrespondences, 590

Mexico imagines meeting Jessica again in another novel (Presumably signified by the song lyrics: "I dream that I have found us both again ... with someone else's paper words to say". Cf. Roland Barthes for fiction understood as "paper worlds"), 627

"There is no need to bring in blood or violence here" 655

foreshadowing of Pynchon's Slow Learner introduction regarding "himself" ("A former self is a fool, an insufferable ass"), 660

"You will want cause and effect" 663

testing the reader, 676

"this diffuse, though rewarding, work" 680

taunting the reader, 695

"nothing so loathsome as a sentimental surrealist" 696

"its text is theirs to permute and combine into new revelations, always unfolding" 727

"heh, heh, in his chroniclers too" 738

Spokesman for Counterforce, 738

"There ought to be a punchline" 738

"Do you want to put this part in?" 739

"I wanna go back north, to Humboldt County" 740

"your correspondent" 755

"(haven't we?)" 760

{{GR Alpha Nav}}