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01:01 Sep 18, 2011 |
Finnish to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature | |||||||
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| Selected response from: Hannele Marttila United Kingdom Local time: 07:39 | ||||||
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Summary of answers provided | ||||
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3 +1 | We only had this rotary junk in the corridor... |
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3 | jalopy |
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3 | contrivance, relic |
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3 | Lemon |
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2 | flivver |
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jalopy Explanation: if no, than clunker or rattletrap, why not? |
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contrivance, relic Explanation: "rotary-dial relic" has a nice rhythm and alliteration to it... Dunno who the speaker is, so "contrivance" may be the wrong register. |
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flivver Explanation: This has the same basic meaning as 'rotisko', but I don't know how much it is acceptable for an English native to use it for any other things than cars and aeroplanes. |
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We only had this rotary junk in the corridor... Explanation: or maybe, we only had one of these ancient rotary phones ... Or, maybe you don't need to say rotary... maybe just an ancient contraption? -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 8 hrs (2011-09-18 09:40:42 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- On reflection, I think "contraption" is the right word to use, conveying the feel of "rotisko". -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2011-09-19 07:35:00 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Owen, I understand where you're coming from, and hunk of junk rhymes nicely. Here in the UK though HUNK really has the meaning of a large piece of bread or cheese or male with a good physique... I suppose your choice really depends on the overall use of expressions in the text you are translating. |
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Lemon Explanation: ...although probably not as descriptive, and appropriate in that, as the aforementioned clunker and rattletrap. lemon: "a person or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory" (Dictionary.com) Example sentence(s):
Reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lemon Reference: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11963364 |
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