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10Translation - Chinese simplified-English - 大胖子张老闷儿列传 (The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang)

Current statusTranslation
This text is available in the following languages: Chinese simplifiedEnglish

Category Literature

This translation request is "Meaning only".
Title
大胖子张老闷儿列传 (The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang)
Text
Submitted by lutzmartina
Source language: Chinese simplified

她爹是个箍桶匠,外号「胡凑合」。照规矩,箍桶的木料很讲究,

边材是边材,心材是心材,有个统一,见水才均称,不七拧八歪的。

他不,逮住什么用什么。左看看,右看看,刨上几刨,全用铁圈给箍

上了。用上十年八年也不见别人来找麻烦退钱的。

  他说,井里的吊桶,要的就是这杂木的劲,经得起摔碰。齐整的

木材,一撞就完。

  街坊背后开他玩笑;有一次从他那儿买口桶回家一看,竟然一片

是屋瓦片箍的。扯蛋!哪有这事?

  凡事都凑合著使,所以人缘好。
Remarks about the translation
Author: 黄永玉
Chapter1: 毛泽东请吃饭
This is a short passage from a novel, probably quite well-known in China, but as far as I know has not been translated into English. There is meant to be a joke/something humourous in it, but I am not getting it. Can anyone help?
British English, please.

url:
http://funsite.unc.edu/pub/packages/ccic/cnd/InfoBase/Literature/shortcut/fat-zhang/GB/oldfat01.gb

Title
The Chronicles Of Old Fat Zhang
Translation
English

Translated by cacue23
Target language: English

Her old man is a carpenter who makes barrels, nicknamed "Can-Do Hu". According to the rules, the wood that can be used to make barrels is very particular. Whether it's sapwood or heartwood, it must be the right kind of wood and in the right place. Thus a unity is achieved - when soaked in water, the pieces of wood wouldn't fall apart, nor would the barrels crook or twist.

But he doesn't follow the rules - he uses whatever that happens to be at hand, checks to see if the pieces are all leveled, planes a little, encircles them all with an iron hoop, and done! Strangely, the barrels made by him can be used for quite a few years without being broken, and no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back.

He says that the strengh given by mixed wood is just what barrels need, so that when barrels are thrown into a well, they can survive hits and bumps better. Barrels made of neat timbers? One tiny hit and to Hell with it.

His neighbours joke about him behind his back: once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he got the barrel home, he discovered that a piece of wood is replaced by a roof tile. Nonsense! How can that be?

It seems that he is fine with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone.
Validated by lilian canale - 1 October 2009 17:03





Last messages

Author
Message

19 May 2009 23:16

Tantine
Number of messages: 2747
Hi again cacue

Does it really say "her old man"? It is not very respectful in English, somewhat "slangy".

It would probably be best to remove the text in Chinese from the title as it may lead to confusion.

It may also be better to write in full "would not" rather than "wouldn't" "does not" rather than "doesn't".

Does the source text use the French term "voilà"?

In the phrase "and never would someone make trouble with him to ask for money back." it would be better to put "no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back".

"barrels are in want of the strengh given by mixed wood" would be better as "barrels need the strength..."

"once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he took the barrel home" would read more easily if you put "once, someone bought... and when he got the barrel home".

I'm not sure what you mean by "a chip tile".

The phrase "It seems that he can do with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone." needs some working on. The phrase is totally unclear in English.

The rest is fine

Bises
Tantine

31 May 2009 10:11

Tantine
Number of messages: 2747
Hi Cacue,

Could you please do the edits on this translation so as I can set a poll?

Bises
Tantine

2 June 2009 01:38

cacue23
Number of messages: 312
Well, sorry for my delayed response. Just to make it clear though that it may be a little "slangish" as you put it... but the original text isn't that formal either.
I'll do some of the corrections you mentioned. Hopefully it would be ok.

2 June 2009 02:03

cacue23
Number of messages: 312
Does it really say "her old man"? It is not very respectful in English, somewhat "slangy".
- That's just what it is.

It would probably be best to remove the text in Chinese from the title as it may lead to confusion.
- Correction made.

It may also be better to write in full "would not" rather than "wouldn't" "does not" rather than "doesn't".
- I don't think there's a need for that.

Does the source text use the French term "voilà"?
- Ok, it didn't in explicit words, but the meaning is implied, so I just changed the French into English, hopefully it'll look better.

In the phrase "and never would someone make trouble with him to ask for money back." it would be better to put "no one would ever make trouble with him by asking for their money back".
- Correction made.

"barrels are in want of the strengh given by mixed wood" would be better as "barrels need the strength..."
- Your suggestion doesn't really convey the meaning, so I tried to reword it.

"once upon a time someone bought a barrel from Can-do Hu, and when he took the barrel home" would read more easily if you put "once, someone bought... and when he got the barrel home".
- Well, this event didn't really take place, it's more of a made-up tale, which is why I made it sound like a story.

I'm not sure what you mean by "a chip tile".
- Ok, I don't really know what it is called in English either. It's the tiles on the roof of a house.

The phrase "It seems that he can do with everything, which is why he enjoys good relationships with everyone." needs some working on. The phrase is totally unclear in English.
- Correction done (to my best ability, but the meaning just doesn't come out, so it'll need some more attention).

2 June 2009 02:04

cacue23
Number of messages: 312
Thanks for your help.

4 June 2009 22:26

Tantine
Number of messages: 2747
Hi Cacue

The corrections are great, the text reads really easily now.

Nice working with you, I have set a poll as my chinese...

Bises
Tantine

14 July 2009 17:51

jasonwood
Number of messages: 10
some places are too complicated and too Chin-english. But some part is really good. any way, needs some modification i think.

10 August 2009 02:18

Josh2239
Number of messages: 2
Can't understand what the original's meaning