This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Dutch to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Indonesian novel written in early 1900s
Dutch term or phrase:sekrobi
Setting is a Dutch-owned and -managed sugar mill in Central Java. The Administrator is admonishing a native employee for bad behavior and poor performance. He gives him 8 days to sort himself out and then very angrily dismisses him in disgust. He tells him to go, ending with 'Ayoh! Sekrobi!'.
'Ayoh!' means 'Go on!' in Indonesian/Malay.
Is there a Dutch word that sounds like 'sekrobi' that would be used in this context? I suspect it is an insult, like 'you asshole' or 'you reprobate', 'you ungrateful sod', etc.
Explanation: As per discussion: The only Dutch word that would resemble 'Sekrobi' would be 'schrobben' meaning that the person has to scrub the floor as a punishment. Moreover, 'schrobben' if pronounced in anger would become 'Schrobbe' the 'n' disappears. For the Indonesian whose ears are not familiar with the sound of 'ch' or 'g' the sound would easily be translated into 'Sekrobi', Similar words where the Dutch 'ch' has turned into a 'k' are a.o. schroef (screw) --> sekrup; school -->sekolah; schaak --> sekak My two centjes, Catherine.
Because I don't know Dutch, I would not have guessed what you guessed. So I am very grateful for your guess. I still think that, because 'sekrobi' features the sounds of 's', 'k', 'r' and 'b', schrobben is a very good guess.
Catherine, allow me to emphasize again that it's only suggestion, not founded on any reference. In time it may well turn out to be completely wrong. But for the moment it's the best I can think of.
Moreover, 'schrobben' if pronounced in anger would become 'Schrobbe' the 'n' disappears. For the Indonesian whose ears are not familiar with the sound of 'ch' or 'g' the sound would easily be translated into 'Sekrobi', Similar words where the Dutch 'ch' has turned into a 'k' are a.o. schroef (screw) --> sekrup; school -->sekolah; schaak --> sekak But again, does it fit in the story? Otherwise I would opt for '"Get out of here, you piece of shit!" which would be more in line with Barend's interpretation 'secreet'.
Because there are the sounds of 'se' + 'k' + 'r' + 'b', I suspect 'sekrobi' derives from 'schrobben', as Eddie suggested. However, the boss is most likely saying 'Get out! You're not fit to scrub my floor!' rather than telling him to scrub the floor. In fact, the guy leaves and goes home, not staying around to work.
I think it should be "get out! And scrub the floor!" as suggested by Eddie.
Scrubbing the floor might be a punishment for his bad performance, or it was his real job and he should get back to work after being dismissed. He still had 8 days to sort himself out as he was not fired yet, right?
Definitely a transliteration of a Dutch expression
23:48 Aug 12, 2011
Bert, it was spoken in anger by a Dutch administrator, so it wouldn't be Javanese, Sundanese, etc. I am fairly satisfied that it derives from 'schrobben', in the sense that he dismissed the employee saying, "Get out! You're not fit to scrub my floor!"
I know the word ayoh, but sekrobi is puzzling. Is it remotely possible that we dont have a malay word here but rather a javanese or sundanese word? These are again totally different languages.
I read your other language queries as well, so I understand from the suggestions given why you ended up in this language pair. Before I read Barend's answer I was actually thinking it might be a contraction of 'secreet' and 'microbe', or thinking... free associating, rather. I think the word 'secreet' is typically used for females and I feel the meaning comes close to 'witch'. Microbe would suggest someone is very low in rank and causes disease (pathogenic).
He's clearly telling the employee to get out, calling him something rude, like 'you bastard', 'you little shit', etc. Thanks so much, Barend, for your suggestions.
'secreet' appears to be derived from French, it's a short form of 'chambre secrète' which means 'schijthuis' really 'geheime kamer', later 'secreet' developed into a term of abuse: mispunt, kreng
so in the end it is derived from 'secret'
a 'mispunt' can be translated as 'pain in the neck' for that matter :-)
Hi Catherine, apart from the question whether 'sekrobi' is in fact derived from 'secreet', (I just suggested it and thought you might be better able than me to judge if it is useful) I don't think you can translate 'kreng' literally
When we Dutch people use this expression we would rather think of 'rotzak', 'ellendeling', 'secreet', etc. and these could be translated as, I think, I am not a specialist :-), bastard, son-of-a-bitch, rat, nasty piece of work, piece of scum, that kind of thing perhaps.
... people tend to revert to their native tongue. This is why I feel certain the Administrator cursed his employee in Dutch and why I'm looking for a Dutch word that approximates 'sekrobi'. So far, Barend's suggestion is closest, for which I am very grateful.
Wat een misselijk stuk secreet is die zwartjoekel van een Hirsi Ali, dat natrappen en uit zijn op een persoonlijke wraakactie lijkt meer op het gedrag van ene Femke.
While he wasn't asked to scrub the floor, the boss was clearly of the frame of mind that Joyopranoto wasn't fit to scrub his floor unless he shaped up. That doesn't quite fit, but I have added the term to my database in case it pops up later on.
The only Dutch word that would resemble 'Sekrobi' would be 'schrobben' meaning that the person has to scrub the floor as a punishment. Would that fit in this context? There are many Dutch words which have been absorbed into the Indonesian language albeit with a change in spelling e.g. a parking attendant (tukang parkir) would shout "Atret! Atret!" meaning "Achteruit!", and there are many more. So it would not surprise me if 'Ayoh! Sekrobi!' would mean 'Go, srub the floor!'.
I've changed the language combination to Indonesian > English, on the assumption that when you ask for a Dutch word, you mean an English word.
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Not Dutch
17:12 Aug 11, 2011
As far as I can see it does not resemble any Dutch word and is probably also Indonesian. You could post the question in that language combination.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
3 days 10 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
scrub
Explanation: As per discussion: The only Dutch word that would resemble 'Sekrobi' would be 'schrobben' meaning that the person has to scrub the floor as a punishment. Moreover, 'schrobben' if pronounced in anger would become 'Schrobbe' the 'n' disappears. For the Indonesian whose ears are not familiar with the sound of 'ch' or 'g' the sound would easily be translated into 'Sekrobi', Similar words where the Dutch 'ch' has turned into a 'k' are a.o. schroef (screw) --> sekrup; school -->sekolah; schaak --> sekak My two centjes, Catherine.
Eddie R. Notowidigdo Indonesia Local time: 08:28 Native speaker of: Indonesian PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
many thanks!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, Eddie. I'm sure that's it. As an imperative, it seems to be a way of angrily saying, 'Take a good look at yourself and sort yourself out, or else!' When the time is up, I'll choose your answer and you'll collect some points. You've given me a lot of insight, rather than just an off-the-cuff answer.
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs
(or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
peer agreement (net): +1