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  3. Poetry & Literature

stofvod

English translation: dust rag

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:stofvod
English translation:dust rag
Entered by: burak sengir

14:33 Apr 29, 2011
Dutch to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Dutch term or phrase: stofvod
En mossieu colson beziet hem met ogen die hem de kop zouden kunnen inslaan: bessie smith was een negerin wier ziel heen en weer werd geschud gelijk een stofvod tussen de katoenplantages en de gasovens der amerikaanse voorsteden, terwijl die ziel eigenlijk had moeten openblommen gelijk een wilde plant in haar eigen land:afrika
burak sengir
Türkiye
Local time: 18:14
dust rag
Explanation:
If Tina Vonhof still wants to make an entry with the same, she is welcome to it, as it was her idea really.

I cannot agree with 'duster' for the following reasons:

The passage is taken from De Kapellekensbaan by Louis Paul Boon. I have read this writer extensively and he is an author and person who reacted against any unfairness whatsoever in society. Therefore, the negro woman who is compared to a 'stofvod' here is an image which is offensive. If anything she should be called a rag, both because of her colour (sorry, I do not want to be offensive here) and because of the ideas that the word 'rag' recalls as a piece of filth. A duster is much too clean for the anti-colonialism the passage evokes.
Selected response from:

Kirsten Bodart
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:14
Grading comment
thank you Kirsten!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2dust rag
Lianne van de Ven
4 +1dust rag
Kirsten Bodart
4Duster
Dave Greatrix


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Duster


Explanation:
That's what it is.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2011-04-29 14:59:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Amazing what you can do with "dusters"....

http://blog.shoplet.com/office-supplies/repurposed-yellow-du...

Dave Greatrix
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:14
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tina Vonhof (X): or dust rag.
9 mins
disagree  Kirsten Bodart: The point is that it may not be clear to the reader in the stricktest sense of the word that it is actually a rag/cloth the woman is compared to. In a literary context it may be significant that it is a cloth/rag. That is my point.
16 mins
  -> and there's me thinking that I knew what an English duster is..........
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
dust rag


Explanation:
I would prefer dust rag (or maybe rag) in this context.
Rag = vod.
A 'vod' is associated with poverty in Dutch, something that is not worth much.
http://www.encyclo.nl/begrip/VODDEN

Lianne van de Ven
United States
Local time: 11:14
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ymkje Kuipers
8 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  W Schouten
3 hrs
  -> Thanks
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
dust rag


Explanation:
If Tina Vonhof still wants to make an entry with the same, she is welcome to it, as it was her idea really.

I cannot agree with 'duster' for the following reasons:

The passage is taken from De Kapellekensbaan by Louis Paul Boon. I have read this writer extensively and he is an author and person who reacted against any unfairness whatsoever in society. Therefore, the negro woman who is compared to a 'stofvod' here is an image which is offensive. If anything she should be called a rag, both because of her colour (sorry, I do not want to be offensive here) and because of the ideas that the word 'rag' recalls as a piece of filth. A duster is much too clean for the anti-colonialism the passage evokes.

Kirsten Bodart
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
thank you Kirsten!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lianne van de Ven: Very good comment, Kirsten!
5 hrs
  -> Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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