Apr 25, 2004 07:45
20 yrs ago
Arabic term
Egypt
Translation as an art!
Native in: Arabic
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English
صندوق الدنيا
Arabic to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
صندوق الدنيامن الأعمدة اليومية في جريدة الأهرام ويكتبه أحمد بهجت
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +3 | Sandouq Al-Dunia |
Aisha Maniar
|
| 3 +4 | Life's Box of Wonders |
Ahmed Ali
|
| 5 +1 | peep show, raree-show |
Alaa AHMED
|
| 3 | Life's Grab Bag |
Alaa Zeineldine
|
| 2 -1 | Pandora's Box |
Randa Farhat
|
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Aisha Maniar
Native in English
Works in field
French/Arabic-English legal translator
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK) 
Works in: Arabic to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
28
Arabic term (edited):
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Selected
Sandouq Al-Dunia
This is the title of a newspaper column; it does not exist in English (i.e. in Al-Ahram Weekly in English), thus it should be kept in Arabic. At least in translation into English, it is quite normal to not translate titles into English unless an equivalent already exists in English (because then one can assume that a translation does exist).
www.arabworldbooks.com/authors/ahmad_bahgat.html
Ahmed Bahgat's daily article, on the second page of Al-Ahram, is titled Sandouq Al-Dunia
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Note added at 2 hrs 33 mins (2004-04-25 10:18:31 GMT)
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If an explanation of what the column discusses is crucial to the context of your translation, then I would suggest giving a brief explanation of the topics involved or of the importance of this column in Egypt either in parenthesis or as a foot/endnote. There are wider cultural connotations involved here (Bahgat\'s popularity in Egypt, cultural/political importance of Al-Ahram and his column, etc.) that can only be lost in translation.
www.arabworldbooks.com/authors/ahmad_bahgat.html
Ahmed Bahgat's daily article, on the second page of Al-Ahram, is titled Sandouq Al-Dunia
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 33 mins (2004-04-25 10:18:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
If an explanation of what the column discusses is crucial to the context of your translation, then I would suggest giving a brief explanation of the topics involved or of the importance of this column in Egypt either in parenthesis or as a foot/endnote. There are wider cultural connotations involved here (Bahgat\'s popularity in Egypt, cultural/political importance of Al-Ahram and his column, etc.) that can only be lost in translation.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanx so much, thanx all who tried to answer the question."
+4
36 mins
Arabic term (edited):
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Life's Box of Wonders
This is just a suggestion, but I think it is not too bad a translation. However, I would probably go for a more idiomatic translation if there happens to be any.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sam Berner
: I have no access to the newspaper. What is the column about?
22 mins
|
| agree |
Sami Khamou
6 hrs
|
| agree |
samehme
6 hrs
|
|
Dear Mohamed, I am afraid you are totally wrong as to your understanding of "box of Wonders". On the other hand, my translation was only by way of suggestion.
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| disagree |
Mohamed AbdelMaksoud (X)
: there isn't a meaning in any way to what you call "life's box of wonders" i suggest it would be something to
1 day 7 hrs
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Dear Mohamed, I am afraid you are totally wrong as to your understanding of "box of Wonders". On the other hand, my translation was only by way of suggestion.
|
|
| agree |
Abdelrahim Mohamed
: I think it means waht luck or fate could bring about for you in life
2 days 20 hrs
|
| agree |
adel saad
3826 days
|
+1
1 hr
Alaa AHMED
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Native in Arabic
Saudi Arabia
Quality, Accurate and Timely Translation
Native in: Arabic
Works in: Arabic to English, English to Arabic, French to Arabic, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Arabic term (edited):
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peep show, raree-show
Literally, it means peep show or raree-show. But taking the subject matter of the column into consideration, we may translate it "Spectator" or "Peephole Observer"
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Ahmed Ali
: The connotation is still different. "Peep" has a sleazy aspect to it which is not the case with Ahmed Bahgat's column.
23 hrs
|
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Thanks, you're right
|
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| disagree |
Alaa Zeineldine
: agree with Ahmed
1 day 12 hrs
|
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You're both right with regard to the sleazy connotaton, yet it is the literal translation. Here, there is a need to translate the "meaning of use". "An Eye on the World" may be a suggestion to this effect
|
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| agree |
Dr. Wathib Jabouri
1 day 16 hrs
|
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Thanks
|
|
| agree |
YASiN DEMiRKIRAN
2 days 4 hrs
|
|
Thanks
|
|
| agree |
Abdelrahim Mohamed
2 days 18 hrs
|
|
Thanks
|
1 day 14 hrs
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Egypt
Native in Arabic
&
English
Egypt
The best in IT ... and in Automotive
Native in: Arabic 
, English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, English, and 1 more.
Arabic term (edited):
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Life's Grab Bag
A grab bag is a bag that has all sorts of things.
You can also try "Life's PotPourri".
You can also try "Life's PotPourri".
-1
5 hrs
Randa Farhat
Lebanon
Lebanon
Native in Arabic
Works in field
Lebanon
Science, UN agencies, NGOs, Corporations
Native in: Arabic (Variant: Standard-Arabian (MSA))
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Arabic
Related KudoZ points
:
42
Arabic term (edited):
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Pandora's Box
A wonder box "Pandora's" appearing in movies and video games. It might be suitable for a translation of Sundooq al Dunya. However, the origin of this myth "Pandora" relates to a box full of ills.
Links below to origin and today's usage.
The word Pandora means : ALL GIFTS
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Note added at 2 days 1 hr 19 mins (2004-04-27 09:05:11 GMT)
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Please check this:
A similar question was asked in \"English>French\" KudoZ about \'Pandora\'s Box\' as a title for an English Article (under Journalistic Language category)!
The translation given was similar: Boite de Pandore.
Apparently, the term \"Pandora\'s Box\" is used in journalistic terms, especially for columns, regardless of the myth story.
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/545811
Anyway, this was a suggestion based on previous familiarity with such terms. A translator can opt to use any expression he/she finds most suitable for context or can be creative in coming up with a phrase such as \"sundooq al dunya\" itself which, in turn, does not exist.. as there is no such box of dunya!
Links below to origin and today's usage.
The word Pandora means : ALL GIFTS
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 1 hr 19 mins (2004-04-27 09:05:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Please check this:
A similar question was asked in \"English>French\" KudoZ about \'Pandora\'s Box\' as a title for an English Article (under Journalistic Language category)!
The translation given was similar: Boite de Pandore.
Apparently, the term \"Pandora\'s Box\" is used in journalistic terms, especially for columns, regardless of the myth story.
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/545811
Anyway, this was a suggestion based on previous familiarity with such terms. A translator can opt to use any expression he/she finds most suitable for context or can be creative in coming up with a phrase such as \"sundooq al dunya\" itself which, in turn, does not exist.. as there is no such box of dunya!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
YASiN DEMiRKIRAN
17 hrs
|
|
Thank you!
|
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| disagree |
Ahmed Ali
: I disagree with the proposed translation because the connotation is totally different, though I agree with the explanation given to the meaning of Pandora's box. The explanation shows the incorrectness of the translation.
19 hrs
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the column "sundooq al dunya" refers to picking up issues from that box of dunya whether they were good or evil, and talks about them or criticizes them.
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| disagree |
Alaa Zeineldine
: It is not just the origin that is different, the proverbial usage is a source of all sorts of trouble that once starts cannot be contained. Not sure about this etymology, Pandora is a character from Greek mythology: www.bartleby.com/65/pa/Pandora.html
1 day 8 hrs
|
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but the real meaning of Pandora is "Pan" "Donate": Plenty of Donations, Plenty of Gifts. It also appears in children stories/films a box of miracles! The myth "box of ills" is not actually very bad here, because who said that Dunya was always positive?!
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