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Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations Larry Send a noteboard - 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM
In Polish the book it titled "Czas pogardy". 'Czas' means 'time' and 'pogarda' means 'contempt/disdain'. It is reference to how the WWII time is often described in Poland as 'time of contempt' for human life and other human beings.

Hatred is a little too strong. Hate is a strong feeling. 'Hot' emotion. Contempt is 'cold' and indifferent.

Contempt means (from dictionary.com)
the feeling with which a person regards anything considered mean, vile, or worthless;
This is precisely the meaning of 'pogarda'. Especially in this context of war that destroys lives and nations.

Also contempt is better then disdain because (also from dictionary.com):
contempt is disapproval tinged with disgust: to feel contempt for a weakling .
disdain is a feeling that a person or thing is beneath one's dignity and unworthy of one's notice, respect, or concern: a disdain for crooked dealing


Pogarda evokes feeling like you're not even worth enough to be hated. You just deserve to be destroyed because you are disgusting and don't deserve to live.

I would translate 'hatred' to Polish as 'nienawi??' (too stong) and 'disdain' as 'lekcewa?enie' (too weak). 'Contempt' as equivalent of 'pogarda' is just right :)


While I do agree that "hatred" is perhaps a bit strong (see my comments from earlier today), "contempt" has lost much of its former "punch," becoming associated more with a feeling rather than the actions that might be derived from it. "Despite/spite" sounds closer to "pogarda" than mere "contempt" to me, since those related words carry more of the sense of a desire for annihilation.

Of course, in Spanish, "odio" carries the sense of odiousness, which also fits with what happens in that scene I quoted yesterday :P
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
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Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio - 27/11/2010 03:24:22 AM 1306 Views
Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio - 27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM 865 Views
The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on - 27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM 830 Views
Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word - 28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM 801 Views
Makes sense to me - 28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM 862 Views
Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM 791 Views
Hm. I'd actually say it makes me more inclined to think "contempt" is right after all. - 28/11/2010 10:50:09 AM 870 Views
I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler - 28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM 755 Views
Fair points. *NM* - 29/11/2010 12:26:28 AM 410 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM 788 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM 654 Views
- 29/11/2010 04:53:12 AM 800 Views
Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning - 28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM 850 Views
Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations - 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM 905 Views
Re: Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations - 29/11/2010 12:47:12 AM 872 Views
True, to a large extent at least - 29/11/2010 04:57:00 AM 1113 Views
You made me want to go and reread this again - 29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM 844 Views
I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM 932 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM 876 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM 860 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM 897 Views
I REALLY can't wait for this to come out in English - 30/11/2010 04:50:56 AM 850 Views
Re: I REALLY can't wait for this to come out in English - 30/11/2010 03:45:33 PM 866 Views

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