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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 1352 Views
Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio - 27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM 921 Views
The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on - 27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM 870 Views
Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word - 28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM 842 Views
Makes sense to me - 28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM 904 Views
Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM 835 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 912 Views
I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler - 28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM 799 Views
Fair points. *NM* - 29/11/2010 12:26:28 AM 434 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM 836 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post - 29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM 695 Views
- 29/11/2010 04:53:12 AM 842 Views
Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning - 28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM 897 Views
Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations - 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM 930 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 914 Views
True, to a large extent at least - 29/11/2010 04:57:00 AM 1156 Views
You made me want to go and reread this again - 29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM 890 Views
I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM 975 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM 919 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM 906 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow - 29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM 944 Views
I REALLY can't wait for this to come out in English - 30/11/2010 04:50:56 AM 887 Views
Re: I REALLY can't wait for this to come out in English - 30/11/2010 03:45:33 PM 905 Views

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