contempt as it is used in the title.
I can only speak for Czech language here, I don't know if this also applies to Polish.
Now, after some thinking about it, I believe that there's a slight difference. Not in the word contempt itself, but in adjectives that can be made from it. In Czech, as in English, you can have two adjectives derived from the noun contempt - contemptuous and contemptible - in Czech opovržlivý and opovrženíhodný. And I think that Czech opovrženíhodný can be a bit stronger than English contemptible, and that it can have a wider application than English contemptible.
Opovrženíhodný can also be translated as despicable, abominable, vile, and maybe even heinous. And if you inverse the Czech title and use opovrženíhodný you get something like Abominable Times or Vile Times. So, although the meaning of the title translated from Czech to English would be Times of Contempt (or Disdain), a Czech can feel the world opovrženíhodný in the title, and I think that it can therefore make a stronger impression in Czech than in English.
I can only speak for Czech language here, I don't know if this also applies to Polish.
Now, after some thinking about it, I believe that there's a slight difference. Not in the word contempt itself, but in adjectives that can be made from it. In Czech, as in English, you can have two adjectives derived from the noun contempt - contemptuous and contemptible - in Czech opovržlivý and opovrženíhodný. And I think that Czech opovrženíhodný can be a bit stronger than English contemptible, and that it can have a wider application than English contemptible.
Opovrženíhodný can also be translated as despicable, abominable, vile, and maybe even heinous. And if you inverse the Czech title and use opovrženíhodný you get something like Abominable Times or Vile Times. So, although the meaning of the title translated from Czech to English would be Times of Contempt (or Disdain), a Czech can feel the world opovrženíhodný in the title, and I think that it can therefore make a stronger impression in Czech than in English.
In today's English, "contempt" (and to an extent, "disdain") contains a callous disregard or disrespect for another, but it doesn't have the hint of violence. Perhaps "despise" or "despite" might carry that connotation of active dislike and disregard, close to but not fully synonymous with "hatred."
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
27/11/2010 03:24:22 AM
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Bizarre that you would go to a Spanish translation (A translation note)
27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
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Not really, when that's the only complete translation available in a language I read
27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
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It's an interesting discussion about that title... "disdain" is indeed somewhat weak.
27/11/2010 06:35:14 PM
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When I have time later tonight, I'll translate the relevant passage near the end of the book
27/11/2010 06:57:23 PM
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Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM
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The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on
27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM
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Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word
28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM
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Makes sense to me
28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM
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Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM
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Hm. I'd actually say it makes me more inclined to think "contempt" is right after all.
28/11/2010 10:50:09 AM
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I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler
28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM
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Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM
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Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM
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I find it funny that all the discussion in the thread is about the best translation of the title.
28/11/2010 10:17:44 PM
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Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning
28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM
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Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM
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Re: Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
29/11/2010 12:47:12 AM
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You made me want to go and reread this again
29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM
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I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM
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Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM
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Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM
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Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM
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Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
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Re: Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
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I refuse to give the Germans credit when it comes to language and grammar issues!
30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
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I don't see why; except maybe page long nouns
30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
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I dunno, some people dig saying "Machtübernahme" and "Größerdeutschland"
30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
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