Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
sich versenken in
English translation:
to lose oneself in contemplation of
Added to glossary by
Stephen Old
Jan 23, 2019 17:40
5 yrs ago
German term
sich versenken in
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Zen and haiku poetry
This text is about Wallace Stevens' poem Thirteen Ways ofLooking at ablackbird:
I think the poet is trying to become one with the balckbird buthow do I translate this term - sich versenken in - exactly. It I remember correctly Hermann Hesse used the term, "sich versenken" to describe a practice like Meditation in his novels. I never found a suitable translation when I readthose novels either.
Als Tier, in das der Dichter sich geistig versenkt hat, stellt sie die Verbindung von Mensch und Natur her, und als "blackbird" verkörpert sie in Korrelation dazu den schwarzen "Barden" ("black
bard“).25)
I think the poet is trying to become one with the balckbird buthow do I translate this term - sich versenken in - exactly. It I remember correctly Hermann Hesse used the term, "sich versenken" to describe a practice like Meditation in his novels. I never found a suitable translation when I readthose novels either.
Als Tier, in das der Dichter sich geistig versenkt hat, stellt sie die Verbindung von Mensch und Natur her, und als "blackbird" verkörpert sie in Korrelation dazu den schwarzen "Barden" ("black
bard“).25)
Proposed translations
(English)
References
Your previous query | Anne Schulz |
Proposed translations
+4
9 mins
Selected
to lose oneself in contemplation of
One suggestion with meditative intent
A guiding ideal of the haiku poet is selflessness: to lose oneself in contemplation of the object. https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/f134...
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Note added at 2 days 3 hrs (2019-01-25 20:57:29 GMT) Post-grading
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They do. It seems it is integral to the haiku, as well.
A guiding ideal of the haiku poet is selflessness: to lose oneself in contemplation of the object. https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/f134...
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Note added at 2 days 3 hrs (2019-01-25 20:57:29 GMT) Post-grading
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They do. It seems it is integral to the haiku, as well.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
philgoddard
: http://en.pons.com/translate/german-english/versenken
28 mins
|
Thanks, Phil
|
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agree |
Melanie Meyer
34 mins
|
Thanks, Melanie
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agree |
Anna Augustin
52 mins
|
Thank you, Anna
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neutral |
Michael Martin, MA
: Sounds more like an explanation rather than a translation. How would you fit that into the sentence?//Normal English isn't the issue, sentence structure is. Show me how that sentence would accommodate your lengthy phrase and I'll withdraw my objection.
17 hrs
|
It's normal English, Michael. I'll leave that to the Asker, as ever.
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agree |
Darin Fitzpatrick
21 hrs
|
Thanks, Darin
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neutral |
Lirka
: It sounds very nice, but I agree with Michael.
2 days 3 hrs
|
Thanks for your comment. It is appropriate to the meditative context, whereas the other suggestions are not.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Helen. Poets definitely lose themselves in the objects they are contemplating. The ones I am writing about did anyway. "
16 mins
to merge with/ become one with/
to lose oneself in - another possibility of selflessness. Unfortunately, contemplation/meditation are, as verbs, poor translations
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Katarina Peters
: in this context.
16 mins
|
Let's be one,..
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disagree |
philgoddard
: This is overtranslation in my opinion, and you haven't provided any evidence.
20 mins
|
I don't need evidence for what I know. To merge with is often used in contemplative/meditative practices.
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disagree |
Anna Augustin
: I agree with Phil, it's a bit too literal.
47 mins
|
See above.
|
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agree |
Helen Shiner
: Considering the meditative context, I think this would work, too.
2 days 2 hrs
|
+1
37 mins
immerse oneself in
Seems like the expression is akin or at least similar to the idea of authors immersing themselves in their subjects.
My working translation:
As animal, in which the poet has spiritually immersed herself, she joins man and nature, and as "blackbird", she embodies its counterpart, black "bard".
My working translation:
As animal, in which the poet has spiritually immersed herself, she joins man and nature, and as "blackbird", she embodies its counterpart, black "bard".
+1
11 hrs
to identify with
His consciousness never sicklied over the scene of decision and action ; it completely and inwardly identified itself with it.
https://brocku.ca/MeadProject/Dewey/Dewey_1931.html
https://brocku.ca/MeadProject/Dewey/Dewey_1931.html
Note from asker:
Thanks, Wendy. As so often in English, there are many possible translations for this phrase. Each with a slightly different shade of meaning. I usually want to use them all! |
4 days
become absorbed in
something takes up all your attention
Reference comments
19 hrs
Reference:
Your previous query
I think your previous query is relevant for the interpretation and translation of this one, and would therefore like to include it by reference for future readers of this post.
"Den Objektbezug Stevens' bildet das kigo "Drossel", welche als schwarzer Punkt die einzelnen Bilder zu einem "Haiku-Satz" an-einanderreiht und mit dem Autor identisch ist."
"Den Objektbezug Stevens' bildet das kigo "Drossel", welche als schwarzer Punkt die einzelnen Bilder zu einem "Haiku-Satz" an-einanderreiht und mit dem Autor identisch ist."
Note from asker:
Thanks, Anne, That quotation did not come up when I searched Proz.com/judoz for "Objektbezug," |
Discussion