1. Translations
  2. German to English
  3. Leberecht Hühnchen von Heinrich Seidel (1842-1906)
  4. Unit 22
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de-en
Wir umarmten uns und dann schob er mich zurück und betrachtete mich. »Weißt du, was ich tun möchte?« sagte er dann, »was wir früher taten, wenn unsere Freude anderweitig nicht zu bändigen war; einen Indianertanz möchte ich tanzen, weißt du wohl noch wie damals, als deine Schwester sich mit deinem Lieblingslehrer verlobt hatte, und du vor lauter Wonne diesen Tanz erfandest und ich immer mithopste, aus Mitgefühl.« Und er schwenkte seine Beine und machte einige Sprünge, deren er sich in seinen jüngsten Jahren nicht hätte zu schämen brauchen.
1
We embraced, and then he pushed me back and looked at me. "Do you know what I want to do?" he then said, "what we used to do when our joy couldn't be contained by any other means? I want to dance an Indian dance. You probably remember that time when your sister got engaged to your favorite teacher, and you invented that dance out of sheer joy, and I always hopped along in support." And he swung his legs and did a few jumps that he wouldn't have been ashamed of in his younger years.
Translated by markvanroode 8428 5 months, 3 weeks ago
0
We embraced, and then he pushed me back and looked at me. "Do you know what I want to do?" he then said, "what we used to do when our joy couldn't be contained by any other means? I want to dance an Indian dance. You probably remember that time when your sister got engaged to your favorite teacher, and you invented that dance out of sheer joy, and I always hopped along, out of compassion." And he swung his legs and did a few jumps he wouldn't have been ashamed of in his younger years.
Translated by markvanroode 8428 6 months, 4 weeks ago

Discussion

Good suggestions, Wendy. Thanks.

 by markvanroode 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Hello Mark, I am stuck on the word compassion with its meaning: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
I think he hops along to show 'support'. Perhaps one could use this word: ' . . . and I always hopped along in support. / or 'in sympathy'
Sympathy having two meanings: understanding between people; common feeling. I would use 'in' rather than 'out of', because 'in' expresses a more positive response.

The last part of the sentence would also be immediately clearer in its meaning for me if you added 'that' - And he swung his legs and did a few jumps/hops ? THAT he wouldn't have been ashamed of in his younger years.

 by Merlin57 5 months, 3 weeks ago