Der bloße Rhythmus der Sätze, die ausgesuchte Eintönigkeit ihrer Musik, so sehr sie auch voll schwieriger Refrains und künstlich wiederholter Taktfolgen waren, erzeugte in dem Geist des Jünglings, als er von Kapitel zu Kapitel flog, eine Art Fiebertraum, in dem er nicht merkte, daß der Tag zur Neige ging und Schatten hereinkrochen.
2
The sheer rhythm of the sentences, the deliberate monotony of their music, however full of difficult refrains and artificially repeated rhythms, created in the young man's mind, as he flew from chapter to chapter, a kind of fever dream in which he did not notice that the day was drawing to a close and shadows were creeping in.
Translated by
DrWho • 36587
5 months ago
Discussion
Ihr habt beide Recht 🥰
by anitafunny 5 months ago👍
by anitafunny 5 months agoIt's nice to see your comment.
by DrWho 5 months agoI always try to keep the context in mind, that is we are not translating for a wide audience, but more for our own personal pleasure and edification. I try not to get too hung up on minor points or shades of meaning, otherwise we might never be fully satisfied or complete our task. I am engaged more from the aspect of reading the story and the challenge of trying to improve my foreign language skill in the process. Cheers!
Accepted. Well Done; you've done a great deal of research work here, to prove your point. Life is not to be taken too seriously. Laugh more.
by Strydom 5 months agoYours in Linguistic Joy; rather than Painful Perfection,
Peter
Well, I just consulted Bing copilot for a second opinion, and here's what chat gpt says about Fiebertraum and 'fever dream":
Yes, "fever dream" is a very good and widely accepted translation of the German word Fiebertraum.
Here's a breakdown of why it's a strong match:
🔍 Literal and Contextual Accuracy
- Literal meaning: Fiebertraum is a compound noun: Fieber (fever) + Traum (dream), so "fever dream" is a direct, literal translation.
- Usage match: In both English and German, the term refers to the surreal, often disjointed or nightmarish experiences one might have while feverish. It can describe both actual fever-induced dreams and metaphorical states of confusion or intensity.
🧠 Connotation and Tone
- Figurative use: In modern usage, both "fever dream" and Fiebertraum are often used metaphorically to describe:
- Surreal or bizarre experiences
- Disorienting narratives (in film, literature, or art)
- Intense, chaotic mental states
- Emotional tone: Both carry a sense of unreality, intensity, and sometimes disturbance, making them stylistically and emotionally equivalent.
📚 Dictionary Support
Major bilingual dictionaries like Langenscheidt, Reverso, and LEO all list "fever dream" or "feverish dream" as the standard English translation for Fiebertraum.
So if you're translating Fiebertraum in a poetic, literary, or metaphorical context, "fever dream" is not just good—it’s ideal.
by DrWho 5 months agoDrWho, Google does not count for anything with me. if it's good for you, enjoy it.
by Strydom 5 months agoThanks for the suggestion - but "fever dream" is actually a thing. You can google it.
by DrWho 5 months agoFiebertraum: " fever dream " reads awkwardly. We need one word for a "dream produced by fever". Perhaps " delirium ", or " hallucination ".
by Strydom 5 months ago