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  3. Fergestedet - Kapitel V
  4. Unit 2
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no-en
Fergemadamen hadde skjult seg inne i kjøkkenet, Johannes kunne skimte henne så vidt, kjøkkendøren var åpen, fra lyset, som den fremmede bar i hånden, falt det et svakt skinn ned i det svarte kjøkken, det glimtet der inne som fra øyne i de blanke kjøkkenredskaper.
1
The innkeeper had hidden herself in the kitchen. Johannes could barely make her out. The kitchen door was open, and the faint glow from the stranger's light fell into the black kitchen. It glimmered in there like eyes in the polished kitchen utensils.
Translated by markvanroode 258 1 month ago
1
The ferrywoman had hidden herself in the kitchen. Johannes could barely make her out. The kitchen door was open, and the faint glow from the stranger's light fell into the black kitchen. It glimmered in there like eyes in the polished kitchen utensils.
Translated by markvanroode 258 1 month, 1 week ago
0
The ferry lady had hidden herself in the kitchen. Johannes could barely make her out. The kitchen door was open, and the faint glow from the stranger's light fell into the black kitchen, making the shiny kitchen utensils blink like glistening eyes.
Translated by markvanroode 258 1 month, 1 week ago
0
The ferry lady had hidden herself in the kitchen. Johannes could barely make out her. The kitchen door was open, and the faint glow from the stranger's light fell into the black kitchen, making the shiny kitchen utensils blink like glistening eyes.
Translated by markvanroode 258 1 month, 1 week ago

Discussion

Thanks, David and Wendy.

 by markvanroode 1 month ago

I know it only as innkeeper.

 by Merlin57 1 month ago

Thanks, David. Question is it inn keeper or innkeeper?

 by markvanroode 1 month ago

Sorry. I'm a bit late for this one. I've just been reviewing all the units I could find using "fergemadamen" and in chapter IV unit 60 I changed my translation of it to "the station inn keeper" and added the following explanation:
We've been looking for a proper translation of "fergemadamen". Elvestad in this context seems to be using "ferge" as an abbreviation for "fergestedet". Kaisa is not the madam of the boat but of the station. In other contexts he refers to her as "kromadamen" for which "inn keeper" seems to be an appropriate English translation. So "fergemadamen" would be "the station inn keeper".

 by DavidKenstad 1 month ago

Mark, did you intend to stick with "ferry lady"? "Madam" is listed in McKay's Modern Norwegian as "med etterfølgende etternavn, i tiltale til gift kvinne av lavere stand, nå foreldet". So it has a specific connotation in Norwegian though now obsolete. "Madam" would hint at a lower status in society. By using that word, the author conveys that connotation.

 by DavidKenstad 1 month, 1 week ago

Also Mark, Johannes could barely make her out.

 by Merlin57 1 month, 1 week ago

I too felt that lady didn't quite fit. How about ferry woman?

 by Merlin57 1 month, 1 week ago

Previously in the translation I had translated "fergemadamen", a few times as "the ferry madam". Elvestad refers to her as a witch but she also seems to be in charge of the place, isn't she? So I thought "madam" would convey the idea of authority. Out of consistency, should we continue to refer to her as "ferry madam" or change it to "ferry lady"?

 by DavidKenstad 1 month, 1 week ago