M A S A R Y K U N I V E R S I T Y
Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times
(Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
Bachelor Thesis
Brno 2008
Supervisor:
Mgr. Martin Němec
Written by:
Lenka Křivková
Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
Declaration
I declare that I worked on my Bachelor thesis on my own and that all the information
sources I used are listed in the bibliography.
I agree with storing my thesis in the library of the Faculty of Education of Masaryk
University in order to make it available for study purposes.
Lenka Křivková
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
Acknowledgements
I would like to give my cordial thanks to Mgr. Martin Nemec for his kind guidance that
he provided me as a supervisor. I particularly appreciated his helpful advice, insightful
comments and most of all his enormous patience.
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION 5
2 TERRY PRATCHETT AND 1 IIS WORK 6
3 PRACTICAL PART 8
4 THEORETICAL PART 37
4.1 Stylistic aspect 37
4.1.1 Colloquial Czech 38
4.1.2 Speech of other characters 38
4.1.3 Foreign language 40
4.1.4 Culturally specific expressions 41
4.1.5 Italics and intensifiers 41
4.1.6 Interjections 43
4.1.7 Vulgarisms 44
4.1.8 Concretization 45
4.1.9 Communicative verbs 45
4.1.10 Comparison to Jan Kanturek's style 47
4.2 Lexical aspect 49
4.2.1 Proper nouns 50
4.2.1.1 Personal names 50
4.2.1.2 Names of barbarians 52
4.2.1.3 Animal names 54
4.2.1.4 Place names 54
4.2.2 Sayings 56
4.2.3 Other difficulties 57
4.2.4 Lexical problems in Jan Kanturek's translation 58
5 CONCLUSION 61
6 RESUME 62
7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 63
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
1 INTRODUCTION
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
This Bachelor thesis deals with the translation and subsequent analysis of selected parts
of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel Interesting Times. In order to develop my skills as
a translator and gain a deeper insight into the questions of the theory as well as practice
of the translation, I determined to accept the challenge to create such translation that
could be considered as a real work of art, not only the mechanical reproduction. The
choice of the book of my translation was very easy because I am a big fan of the comic
and witty style of Pratchett's science fiction novels. This particular novel provides many
challenges for the translator, especially in the field of proper names. Hence, I decided to
choose parts of the book respective to the occurrence of proper names as well as other
interesting phenomena from the translator's point of view. What is more, while
consulting the problems I had to solve during my work with the official Czech
translation made by Jan Kantůrek, I came across several cases of misinterpretations,
lexical errors, and stylistic clumsiness in his work. Therefore, I decided to compare our
solutions to certain problems in our translations from two points of view, stylistic and
lexical, in order to offer the reader two different, though I dare say still accurate,
interpretations.
The thesis is divided into two main parts. The first, practical one contains the Czech
translation itself, providing also the original English version for easy comparison. The
second part deals with the analysis of the translated text applying the established
translation methods, while discussing the most interesting points of the translation in
further detail in relevant sections.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
2 TERRY PRATCHETT AND HIS WORK
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
Terence David John Pratchett, a British fantasy, science fiction and children's author,
was born in Beaconsfield, England in 1948. He is best known for his popular and longrunning
Discworld series of comic fantasy novels. Since his first Discworld novel (The
Colour of Magic) was published in 1983, he has written two books a year on average.
He is considered the United Kingdom's best-selling author of the 1990's and by the year
2007 he had sold more than 55 million books worldwide that have been translated into
33 languages. Currently, he is the second most-read writer in the United Kingdom.
Pratchett was the British Book Awards' 'Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the
Year' for 1994 and, in 1998, was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
'for services to literature'. His children's novel The Amazing Maurice and His Educated
Rodents won the Carnegie Medal in 2001. [1]
Terry Pratchett's most famous literary work is a comedic fantasy book series Discworld,
set on a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the
back of a giant turtle. The books frequently parody or at least borrow ideas from famous
authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien or William Shakespeare or mythology, fairy tales,
folklore and history, often using them for satirical parallels with current cultural,
technological and scientific issues. [2] Pratchett is particularly known for his distinctive
writing style, including numerous characteristic features such as the use of footnotes,
which usually involve a comic departure from the narrative or a commentary on the
narrative, or the tendency to avoid using chapters. As he says in a Book Sense interview
'Life doesn't happen in regular chapters', adding 'I'm blessed if I know what function
they serve in books for adults'. [1] [3] His books often contain puns, allusions and
various cultural references which form characters, place names, and titles.
As of 2008, there have been 38 Discworld novels published and the series has expanded
to several related books and maps, short stories, cartoon and theatre adaptations. Even a
live-action television adaptation of Pratchett's book Hogfather was broadcast over
Christmas 2006. [2] [4]
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Jan Kantůrek, born in Zlín, but currently living in Prague, is the exclusive Czech
translator of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and therefore has become one of the
most popular Czech translators. His translations were awarded with the prize of
'Academy of science fiction, fantasy and horrors' in the years 1995, 1996, 1997 and
1999, and in 2003 he received a prize for his lifetime work. [5] Although some readers
criticize Kanturek's inconsistency and occasional factual mistakes, Terry Pratchett once
proclaimed that he was confident in the good translation of his books only in Holland
and Czech Republic. [6]
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature
3 P R A C T I C A L PART
Brno 2008
Interesting Times
It was barely a track. Rabbits would
have walked right past it. And you'd have
sworn there was a sheer, passless rock
wall until you found the gap.
Once you did find it, it was hardly
worth the bother. It led to a long gully
with a few natural caves in it, and a bit of
grass, and a spring.
And, as it turned out, Cohen's gang.
Except that he called it a horde. They were
sitting in the sun, complaining about how
it wasn't as warm as it used to be.
'I'm back then, lads,' said Cohen.
'Been away, have you?'
'Whut? Whut's he say?'
'He said HE'S BACK.'
'Black what?'
Cohen beamed at Rincewind. 'I brought
'em with me,' he said. Like I said, no
future in going it alone these days.'
'Er,' said Rincewind, after surveying the
little scene, 'are any of these men under
eighty years old?'
'Stand up, Boy Willie,' said Cohen.
A dehydrated man only marginally less
wrinkled than the others got to his feet. It
was his feet that were particularly
noticeable. He wore boots with extremely
Zajímavé časy
Byla tam sotva vyšlapaná pěšinka.
I králík by to byl minul. A než jste našli
skulinku, byli byste přísahali, že tam není
nic, než jen obrovská strmá skála.
Ale když jste ji našli, brzo jste zjistili,
že to za tu námahu ani nestálo. Vedla jen
k dlouhé rokli s několika jeskyněmi, pár
trsy trávy a malým potůčkem.
A jak se ukázalo, i ke Kohenově tlupě.
Až na to, že on jim říkal horda. Vyhřívali
se na slunci a stěžovali si, že to dnešní
teplo už není, co bývalo.
„Sem zpátky, hoši," zahlaholil Kohen.
„Tys byl pryč, jo?"
„Sožééé? Sožikááá?"
„Zeje zpátky."
„laký splátky?"
Kohen zářil na Větroplacha. „Vzal sem
je sebou," chlubil se. „lak sem řek, putovat
sám dneska nemá žádnou budoucnost."
„Nó," zaváhal Větroplach, poté co
pochybovačně zhodnotil zdejší sešlost, „je
vůbec některýmu z těchhle chlapíků pod
osmdesát?"
„Zvedni se, Usmrkanej Vilíku," zavelel
Kohen.
Vysušený mužíček, svrasklý jen o něco
míň než všichni ostatní, se vydrápal na
nohy. Na obzvláště nápadné nohy. Měl
pěkně tlusté podrážky.
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature
thick soles.
'So's me feet touch the ground,' he said.
Brno 2008
'Don't they... er... touch the ground in
ordinary boots?'
'Nope. Orthopaedic problem, see.
Like... you know how a lot of people've
got one leg shorter than the other? Funny
thing, with me it's—'
'Don't tell me,' said Rincewind.
'Sometimes I get these amazing flashes...
Both legs are shorter than the other, right?'
'Amazing. O' course, I can see you're a
wizard,' said Boy Willie. 'You'd know
about this sort of thing.'
Rincewind gave the next member of the
Horde a bright mad smile. It was almost
certainly a human being, because wizened
little monkeys didn't usually go around in
a wheelchair while wearing a helmet with
horns on it. It grimaced at Rincewind.
'This is—'
'Whut? Whut?'
'Mad Hamish,' said Cohen.
'Whut? Whozee?'
'I bet that wheelchair terrifies them,'
said Rincewind. 'Especially the blades.'
'We had the devil of a job getting it
„Takhle se moje nohy pořádně dotýkaj
země," vysvětloval.
„A v normálních botách se... ehm...
nedotýkají?"
„Kdepak. Je to ortopedickej problém,
chápeš? Je to jako... znáš to, když maj
některý lidi jednu nohu kratší než tu
druhou? Tak u mě je vtip v tom, že-"
„Nech mě hádat," přerušil ho
Větroplach. „Občas mám takový záchvaty
jasnozfivosti... Ty máš každou nohu kratší
než tu druhou, že?"
„Úžasný. Teď aspoň vidim, že seš
vopravdovej čaroděj," prohlásil uznale
Usmrkanej Vilík. „Ti se hold v těchdle
věcech vyznaj."
Větroplach obšťastnil dalšího člena
hordy zářivým, napůl šíleným úsměvem.
Byl si téměř jistý, že je to člověk, protože
vysušené opice se obvykle neproháněly
kolem v kolečkovém křesle s rohatou
helmicí na hlavě. A nešklebily se přitom
na Větroplacha.
„Tohleje-"
„Sožééé? Sožééé?"
„Potrhlý Humoš," představoval ho
Kohen.
„Sožééé? Kdožééé?"
„Vsadím se, že to kolečkový křeslo
nepřátele děsí k smrti," přisadil si
Větroplach. „Zvlášť ty čepele."
„Dalo nám sakra práci dostat ho sem
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
over the wall,' Cohen conceded. 'But you'd
be amazed at his turn of speed.'
'Whut?'
'And this is Truckle the Uncivil.'
'Sod off, wizard.'
Rincewind beamed at Exhibit B. 'Those
walking sticks... Fascinating! Very
impressive the way you've got LOVE and
HATE written on them.'
Cohen smiled proprietorially.
'Truckle used to be reckoned one of the
biggest badasses in the world,' he said.
'Really? Him?'
'But it's amazing what you can do with
a herbal suppository.'
'Up yours, mister,' said Truckle.
Rincewind blinked. 'Er. Can I have a
word, Cohen?'
He drew the ancient barbarian aside.
'I don't want to seem to be making
trouble here,' he said, 'but it doesn't strike
you, does it, that these men are a bit, well,
past their sell-by date? A little, not to put
too fine a point on it, old?'
'Whut? Whutzeesayin'?'
'He says IT'S COLD.'
'Whut?'
'What're you saying? There's nearly
five hundred years of concentrated
barbarian hero experience in 'em,' said
Cohen.
'Five hundred years' experience in a
přes tu zeď," připustil Kohen. „Ale koukal
bys, jak rychle s tím nabírá otáčky."
„Sožééé?"
„A tady je Podrs Grobián."
„Vodprejskni, čaroději!"
Větroplach se zaměřil na nový exponát.
„Ty berle... prostě paráda! Zvlášť způsob,
jak máš na jedné napsaný LÁSKA a na
druhé NENÁVIST, fakt dělá dojem."
Kohen se majetnícky křenil.
„Tady starýho Podrse kdysi považovali
za jednoho z nej větších křiváků na světě,"
pyšnil se. „Kálel na jakoukoli etiku."
„Vážně? Tenhle?"
„Ale je úžasný, co s tebou udělá
takovej čistě přírodní čípek."
„Až po tobě, šéfe," zavrčel Podrs.
Větroplach jen zamrkal. „Hele,
Kohene, můžu na slovíčko?"
Odtáhnul prastarého barbara stranou.
„Nechci působit jako zbytečnej
potížista," zašeptal, „ale tobě to nedochází,
že? Ze tihle chlapíci už mají, řekněme, tak
trochu po záruční lhůtě? Prostě že jsou
poněkud, mírně řečeno, staří?"
„Sožééé? Sožikááá?"
„Říká, JAK SE DAŘÍ?"
„Sožééé?"
„Vo čem to mluvíš? Je v nich skoro pět
set let koncentrovaných zkušeností
barbarskýho hrdiny," namítal Kohen.
„Pět set let zkušeností jak bojovat je
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature
fighting unit is good,' said Rincewind. It's
good. But it should be spread over more
than one person. I mean, what are you
expecting them to do? Fall over on
people?'
'Nothin' wrong with 'em,' said Cohen,
indicating a frail man who was staring
intently at a large block of teak. Look at
ole Caleb the Ripper over there. See?
Killed more'n four hundred men with his
bare hands. Eighty-five now and but for
the dust he's marvellous.'
'What the hell is he doing?
'Ah, see, they're into bare-handed
combat here. Very big thing, unarmed
combat, on account of most people not
being allowed weapons. So Caleb reckons
he's on to a good thing. See that big lump
of teak? It's amazin'. He just gives this
bloodcurdlin' shout and—'
'Cohen, they're all very old men.'
'They're the cream!'
Rincewind sighed.
'Cohen, they're the cheese. Why've you
brought them all the way here?'
'Gonna help me steal something,' said
Cohen.
'What? A jewel or something?'
' 'S something,' said Cohen, sulkily. ' 'S
Brno 2008
v pořádku," potvrdil Větroplach.
„V pořádku, vážně. Ale měly by být
zhuštěný víc než do jedny osoby. Chci říct,
co od nich vlastně čekáš? Ze budou
omdlívat na lidi?"
„Nic jim není," nedal se Kohen
a ukázal na chatrného staříka, který upřeně
zíral na obrovský pahýl týku. „Koukni
támhle na starýho Kalibra Rozparovače.
Vidíš? Zabil víc než čtyři sta chlapů
holej ma rukama. Je mu teď pětaosmdesát a
až na to, že je trochu zaprášenej, vypadá
báječně."
„Co to ksakru dělá?"
„Jo, no to máš tak, tady sou všichni
úplně udělaný do boje holej ma rukama.
Bezva věcička, tyhle bojový umění. Fakt
se šiknou, vzhledem k tomu, že tady valná
většina lidí nemá zbraně vůbec povolený.
No a Kalibr si myslí, že už to má
vychytaný. Vidíš ten velkej týkovej
špalek? Úžasný, ne? Jen takhle
hrůzostrašně zaječí a-"
„Kohene, ti muži jsou opravdu velmi
staří."
„Je to třída!"
Větroplach si povzdechl.
„Kohene, je to bída. Proč jsi je sem
vůbec tahal?"
„Pomůžou mi něco ukrást," prozradil
Kohen.
„Co? Nějakej šperk nebo něco?"
„Něco s velkým N , " zakabonil se
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
in Hung-hung.'
'Really? My word,' said Rincewind.
'And there's a lot of people in Hunghung, I
expect?'
About half a million,' said Cohen.
'Lots of guards, no doubt?'
About forty thousand, I heard. About
three-quarters of a million if you count all
the armies.'
'Right,' said Rincewind. 'So, with these
half-dozen old men—'
'The Silver Horde,' said Cohen, with a
touch of pride.
'What? Pardon?'
'That's their name. Got to have a name
in the horde business. The Silver Horde.'
Rincewind turned around. Several of
the Horde had fallen asleep.
'The Silver Horde,' he said. 'Right.
Matches the colour of their hair. Those
that have got hair. So... with this... Silver
Horde you're going to rush the city, kill all
the guards and steal all the treasure?'
Cohen nodded. 'Yeah... something like
that. Of course, we won't have to kill all
the guards...'
'Oh, no?'
Tt'd take too long.'
'Yes, and of course you'll want to leave
something to do tomorrow.'
Kohen. „Něco v Hung Hungu."
„Vážně? No maucta," zarazil se
Větroplach. „A v Hung Hungu je
předpokládám asi hodně lidí, že?"
„Asi tak půl milionu," zamyslel se
Kohen.
„Bezpochyby spousta stráží?"
„Asi tak čtyřicet tisíc, co sem slyšel.
A když počítáš všechny ty armády, tak tři
čtvrtě milionu."
„Výborně," zahlaholil Větroplach.
„Takže s tímhle půl tuctem staříků-"
„Stříbrná horda," pronesl Kohen se
značnou dávkou pýchy.
„Cože? Prosím?"
„Tak se jmenují. Když se motáš kolem
hrdinství, musíš mít ňáký jméno. Todle je
Stříbrná horda."
Větroplach se rozpačitě rozhlédl kolem.
Několik členů hordy zatím usnulo.
„Stříbrná horda," utrousil. „Bezva.
Aspoň to sedí na barvu jejich vlasů. Tedy,
těch, co ještě vlasy mají. Takže...
s touhle... Stříbrnou hordou se chystáš
vyřítit na město, pozabíjet všechny stráže
a ukrást poklad?"
Kohen přikývl. „Jo... tak nějak.
Samozřejmě nemusíme zabít ty stráže
všechny..."
„Ne, vážně?"
„To by trvalo moc dlouho."
„Jasně, a vy si samozřejmě chcete něco
nechat na zítra, že?"
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'I mean they'll be busy, what with the
revolution and everything.'
'A revolution too? My word.'
'They say it's a time of portents,' said
Cohen. 'They—'
'I'm surprised they've got time to worry
about the state of their camping
equipment,' said Rincewind.
'You'd be well advised to stay along o'
us,' said Ghenghiz Cohen. 'You'll be safer
with us.'
'Oh, I'm not sure about that,' said
Rincewind, grinning horribly. I'm not sure
about that at all.'
By myself, he thought, only ordinary
horrible things can happen to me.
Cohen shrugged, and then stared
around the clearing until his gaze lighted
on a slight figure who was sitting a little
apart from the rest, reading a book.
Look at him,' he said, benevolently,
like a man pointing out a dog doing a good
trick. Always got his nose in a book.' He
raised his voice. 'Teach? Come and show
this wizard the way to Hunghung.'
He turned back to Rincewind. 'Teach'll
tell you anything you want to know, 'cos
he knows everything. I'll leave you with
him. I've got to go and have a talk with
„Tím myslím, že budou mít co dělat
s tou revolucí a tak."
„A, tak revoluce je tam taky? No,
maucta."
„Říká se tu, že nastal čas zlých
znamení," zachvěl se Kohen. „Říká se,
že-"
„Překvapuje mě, že tu vůbec mají ještě
čas zabývat se nějakou kosmologií,"
podivil se Větroplach.
„Měl by ses nás radši držet," navrhoval
Cingis Kohen. „S náma budeš v bezpečí."
„No, tím si nejsem tak jistej," otřásl se
Větroplach a zděšeně se zazubil. „Vůbec si
tím nejsem jistej."
Když jsem sám, pomyslel si, můžou se
mi stát jen normálně příšerný věci.
Kohen pokrčil rameny a pátral po
mýtině, dokud jeho pohled nespočinul na
nenápadné postavě, sedící kousek dál od
ostatních a čtoucí knihu.
„Podívej se na něj," řekl shovívavě
s výrazem muže, který ukazuje na svého
pejska předvádějícího nějaký obzvláště
šikovný kousek. „Dycky má nos zaborenej
v knížce." Zvýšil hlas. „Prófo? Pojď
ukázat tadydle čarodějovi, jak se dostane
do Hung Hungu."
Potom se obrátil zpět na Větroplacha.
„Prófa ti řekne všechno, co budeš chtít
vědět, protože on ví všechno. Nechám tě
s ním. Musím dát řeč s Krabatým
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Old Vincent.' He waved a hand
dismissively. 'Not that there's anything
wrong with him, at all,' he said defiantly.
It's just that his memory's bad. We had a
bit of trouble on the way over. I keep
telling him, it's rape the women and set fire
to the houses.'
'Rape?' said Rincewind. 'That's not
very—'
'He's eighty-seven,' said Cohen. 'Don't
go and spoil an old man's dreams.'
Teach turned out to be a tall, stick-like
man with an amiably absent-minded
expression and a fringe of white hair so
that, when viewed from above, he would
appear to be a daisy. He certainly did not
appear to be a bloodthirsty brigand, even
though he was wearing a chain-mail vest
slightly too big for him and a huge
scabbard strapped across his back, which
contained no sword but held a variety of
scrolls and brushes. His chain-mail shirt
had a breast pocket with three different
coloured pens in a leather pocket
protector.
'Ronald Saveloy,' he said, shaking
Rincewind's hand. 'The gentlemen do
rather assume considerable knowledge on
my part. Let me see... You want to go to
Hunghung, yes?'
Rincewind had been thinking about
this.
Vinckem." Mávl zamítavě rukou. „Ne, že
by s ním bylo něco v nepořádku, to
vůbec," odmítal vzdorně. „Má už jenom
špatnou paměť a cestou měl trochu potíže
si to srovnat. A přitom mu můžu stokrát
opakovat, že znásilňují se ženy a zapalují
domy."
„Znásilňují?" vyděsil se Větroplach.
„Ale to snad-"
„Je mu sedmaosmdesát," uklidňoval ho
Kohen. „Doufám, že bys nechtěl tomu
staroušovi kazit iluze."
Ukázalo se, že Prófa je vysoký muž,
hubený jak špejle, s přívětivě
nepřítomným výrazem a lemem bílého
chmýří na hlavě, takže shora vypadal jako
sedmikráska. Rozhodně nevypadal jako
krvežíznivý divoch, přestože měl na sobě
trochu příliš velkou drátěnou košili a na
zádech měl připoutanou obrovskou pochvu
na meč, která ale místo meče obsahovala
jen širokou paletu svitků a štětců. V
náprsní kapsičce kroužkové košile měl
navíc tři různě barevná pera, pečlivě
uložená v koženém pouzdře.
„René Uzenka," představil se a potřásl
Větroplachovi rukou. „Tady pánové
poněkud přeceňují mé znalosti. Tak se na
to podívejme... Vy chcete jít do Hung
Hungu, že ano?"
Větroplach o tom chvilku přemýšlel.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'I want to know the way to Hunghung,'
he said guardedly.
'Yes. Well. At this time of year I'd head
towards the setting sun until I left the
mountains and reached the alluvial plain
where you'll see evidence of drumlins and
some quite fine examples of obviously
erratic boulders. It's about ten miles.'
Rincewind stared at him. A brigand's
directions were usually more on the lines
of 'keep straight or past the burning city
and turn right when you've passed all the
citizens hanging up by their ears'.
'Those drumlins sound dangerous,' he
said.
'They're just a type of post-glacial hill,'
said Mr Saveloy.
'What about these erratic boulders?
They sound like the kind of thing that'd
pounce on—'
'Just boulders dropped a long way from
home by a glacier,' said Mr Saveloy.
'Nothing to worry about. The landscape is
not hostile.'
Rincewind didn't believe him. He'd had
the ground hit him very hard many times.
'However,' said Mr Saveloy, 'Hunghung
is a little dangerous at the moment.'
'No, really?' said Rincewind wearily.
„Chci zjistit cestu do Hung Hungu,"
odpověděl ostražitě.
„Ano. Jistě. V tomto ročním období
bych se být vámi vydal za zapadajícím
sluncem. Až minete hory, projdete až
k aluviálním pláním s průkaznými
drumliny a krásnými příklady zřetelně
nahodilých bludných balvanů. Je to odsud
asi šestnáct kilometrů."
Větroplach na něj užasle zíral. Pokyny
barbara se většinou nesly spíše ve stylu
'běž rovně až k tomu hořícímu městu
a zahni doprava tam, kde uvidíš všechny
obyvatele pověšený za ušiska'.
„Ty drumliny zní dost nebezpečně,"
riskoval Větroplach.
„Je to jen typ postglaciálního valu,"
uklidňoval ho pan Uzenka.
„A co ty nahodilé bludné balvany? To
zní jako ty věci, co na vás vyskočí a-"
„Jsou to jen omleté kameny, přenesené
ledovcem daleko od místa vzniku,"
přesvědčoval ho pan Uzenka. „Není se
čeho obávat. Krajina zde není
nepřátelská."
Větroplach mu nevěřil. Země ho už
několikrát udeřila velice tvrdě.
„Přesto," pokračoval pan Uzenka,
„Hung Hung je momentálně poněkud
nebezpečný."
„Ne, vážně?" zeptal se Větroplach
poněkud znuděně.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'It's not exactly a siege. Everyone's
waiting for the Emperor to die. These are
what they call here' - he smiled 'interesting
times.'
'I hate interesting times.'
The other Horders had wandered off,
fallen asleep again or were complaining to
one another about their feet. The voice of
Cohen could be heard somewhere in the
distance: Look, this is a match, and this
is—'
'You know, you sound a very educated
man for a barbarian,' said Rincewind.
'Oh, dear me, I didn't start out a
barbarian. I used to be a schoolteacher.
That's why they call me Teach.'
'What did you teach?'
'Geography. And I was very interested
in Auriental1
studies. But I decided to give
it up and make a living by the sword.'
After being a teacher all your life?'
'It did mean a change of perspective,
yes.'
'But... well... surely... the privation, the
terrible hazards, the daily risk of death...'
Mr Saveloy brightened up. 'Oh, you've
been a teacher, have you?'
Rincewind looked around when
someone shouted. He turned, to see two of
the Horde arguing nose to nose.
„Nejde tu vlastně o skutečné obléhání.
Všichni jen čekají, až císař zemře. A právě
tomu tady říkají," pousmál se, „zajímavé
časy."
„Nesnáším zajímavé časy."
Ostatní členové hordy zevlovali okolo,
znova usnuli, popřípadě si stěžovali jeden
druhému na nohy. Odněkud zdálky byl
slyšet Kohenův hlas: „Tak hele, tohle je
sirka a tohle je-"
„Víte, na barbara mluvíte dost
vzdělaně," podivil se Větroplach.
„Svatá prostoto! Ale já přece nezačínal
jako barbar. Býval jsem profesorem. Proto
mi také všichni říkají Prófo."
„Co j ste vyučoval?"
„Zeměpis. A hodně jsem se zajímal
o Aurientální2
studia. Ale rozhodl jsem se
toho nechat a začít se živit mečem."
„Poté, co jste byl celý život učitelem?"
„Znamenalo to jistou změnu
perspektivy, to ano."
„Ale... vždyť... přece... věčná strádání,
děsivá rizika, každodenní nebezpečí
smrti..."
Pan Uzenka se rozzářil. „Takže vy jste
byl také učitel, viďte?"
Větroplach se spěšně rozhlédl, když
zaslechl výkřiky. Otočil se a spatřil dva
členy hordy, jak se hádají, tělo na tělo.
1
The Ankh-Morpork name for the Counterweight Continent and its nearby islands. It means 'place where the
gold comes from'.
2
Ankh-morporský název pro Vyvažovači světadíl a přilehlé ostrovy. Znamená to 'místo, odkud pochází zlato'.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Mr Saveloy sighed.
I'm trying to teach them chess,' he said.
It's vital to the understanding of the
Auriental mind. But I am afraid they have
no concept of taking turns at moving, and
their idea of an opening gambit is for the
King and all the pawns to rush up the
board together and set fire to the opposing
rooks.'
Rincewind leaned closer.
Look, I mean... Ghenghiz Cohen?' he
said. 'Has he gone off his head? I mean...
just killing half a dozen geriatric priests
and nicking some paste gems, yes.
Attacking forty thousand guards all by
himself is certain death!'
'Oh, he won't be by himself,' said Mr
Saveloy.
Rincewind blinked. There was
something about Cohen. People caught
optimism off him as though it was the
common cold.
'Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry. I'd forgotten
that. Seven against forty thousand? I
shouldn't think you'll have any problems.
I'll just be going. Fairly quickly, I think.'
'We have a plan. It's a sort of—' Mr
Saveloy hesitated. His eyes unfocused
slightly. 'You know? Thing. Bees do it.
Wasps, too. Also some jellyfish, I
believe... Had the word only a moment
ago... er. It's going to be the biggest one
Pan Uzenka si povzdechl.
„Pokouším se je naučit šachy,"
vysvětloval. „Je to zásadní, abyste
pochopil mysl Aurientálců. Ale obávám
se, že si vůbec neosvojili princip střídání
se v tazích a pod zahajovacím gambitem si
představují, že se král se všemi pěšáky
vyřítí na šachovnici a zapálí nepříteli
věže."
Větroplach se k němu naklonil.
„Podívejte, mám takovej dojem, že...
Cingis Kohen, no," nadhodil opatrně.
„Nepřišel náhodou o rozum? Chci říct...
zabít půl tuctu přestárlých kněží a štípnout
jim nějaký ty umělý drahokamy, to jo. Ale
sám zaútočit na čtyřicet tisíc stráží, to je
jasná sebevražda!"
„Ale on přece nebude sám," ujišťoval
ho pan Uzenka.
Větroplach zamrkal. Na Kohenovi něco
bylo. Lidé od něj chytali optimismus
stejně snadno jako chřipku.
„Aha. No, jasně. Pardon. Na to jsem
zapomněl. Sedm proti čtyřiceti tisícům.
Jak jsem jen mohl pochybovat. Takže, já
zase poběžím. Dost rychle, řekl bych."
„Máme plán. Je to něco jako-" pan
Uzenka zaváhal. Oči se mu mírně
rozostřily. „Víte, ta věc. Dělají ji včely.
Vosy také. Stejně jako některé druhy
medúz, jak se domnívám... Před chvílí
jsem měl to slovo na jazyku... ehm.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
ever, I think.'
Rincewind gave him another blank
stare. I'm sure I saw a spare horse,' he
said.
Let me give you this,' said Mr Saveloy.
'Then perhaps you'll understand. It's what
it's all about, really...'
He handed Rincewind a small bundle
of papers fastened together by a loop of
string through one corner.
Rincewind, shoving it hastily into his
pocket, noticed only the title on the first
page.
It said:
WHAT I DID ON MY HOLIDAYS
The choices seemed very clear to
Rincewind. There was the city of
Hunghung, under siege, apparently
throbbing with revolution and danger, and
there was everywhere else.
Therefore it was important to know
where Hunghung was so that he didn't
blunder into it by accident.
He paid a lot of attention to Mr
Saveloy's instructions, and then rode the
other way.
[...]
'Eat up, gentlemen. It may be a long
night.'
'What is this stuff?' said Truckle,
spearing something with his chopstick.
'Er. Chow,' said Mr Saveloy.
Myslím, že to bude jedna z těch nej větších
věcí vůbec."
Větroplach se na něj znova rozpačitě
zadíval. „Jsem si jistý, že jsem tu někde
zahlédl koně navíc," couval.
„Dám vám tohle," řekl mu pan Uzenka.
„Potom možná pochopíte, o čem to
všechno skutečně je..."
A předal Větroplachovi úzký svazeček
papírů, které byly v rohu proděravěné
a svázané chatrným provázkem.
Větroplach ho spěšně zastrčil do kapsy,
přičemž si všiml pouze nadpisu na první
stránce.
Stálo tam:
CO JSEM DĚLAL O PRÁZDNINÁCH
Větroplachovy možnosti se zdály jasné.
Na jedné straně stálo obléhané město
Hung H'ung, pulzující revolucí
a nebezpečenstvím, na straně druhé bylo
kdekoli jinde.
Proto bylo tak důležité vědět, kde Hung
Hung je, aby na něj nenatrefil náhodou.
Věnoval tedy veškerou pozornost
pokynům pana Uzenky a pak se vydal
přesně opačným směrem.
[...]
„Pořádně se najezte, pánové. Možná to
bude velmi dlouhá noc."
„Co to je todle?" zeptal se Podrs
a nedůvěřivě cosi napíchl hůlkami.
„No, jídlo," navrhl nesměle pan
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Department of English Language and Literature
Uzenka
'Yes, but what is it?'
'Chow. A kind of... er... dog.'
The Horde looked at him.
'There's nothing wrong with it,' he said
hurriedly, with the sincerity of a man who
had ordered bamboo shoots and bean curd
for himself.
'I've eaten everything else,' said
Truckle, 'but I ain't eating dog. I had a dog
once. Rover.'
'Yeah,' said Cohen. 'The one with the
spiked collar? The one who used to eat
people?'
'Say what you like, he was a friend to
me,' said Truckle, pushing the meat to one
side.
'Rabid death to everyone else. I'll eat
yours. Order him some chicken, Teach.'
'Et a man once,' mumbled Mad
Hamish. 'In a siege, it were.'
You ate someone?' said Mr Saveloy,
beckoning to the waiter.
'Just a leg.'
'That's terrible!'
'Not with mustard.'
Just when I think I know them, Mr
Saveloy mused...
He reached for his wine glass. The
Horde reached for their glasses too, while
watching him carefully.
Brno 2008
„Jasně, ale co to je?"
„Maso. Je to jistý druh... é... psa."
Horda se na něj zadívala.
„Ale vždyť na tom není nic špatného,"
namítal spěšně s upřímností člověka, který
si pro sebe objednal bambusové výhonky
s fazolovou kaší.
„Už sem teda jedl ledacos," rozhorlil se
Podrs, „ale psy teda nejim. Jednou sem
měl psa. Jmenoval se Vořech."
„Jo, já vim," rozpomenul se Kohen.
„To byl ten s ostnatým vobojkem? Jak žral
lidi?"
„Rikej si, co chceš, byl to kamarád,"
hájil se Podrs a odstrčil maso stranou.
„Ale všichni ostatní ať pochcípaj na
vzteklinu! Ukaž, já to dojim. Objednej mu
ňáký kuře, Prófo."
„Jednou šem jed chlapa," zamumlal
Potrhlý Humoš. „Za oblíhání to tenkrát
bylo."
„Vy jste někoho snědl?" zhrozil se pan
Uzenka, když privolával číšníka.
„Jenom nohu."
„Ale to je příšerné!"
„S hoščisí ani ne."
Právě když už si myslím, že je znám,
podivil se pan Uzenka...
Chopil se své sklenice vína. Horda
rovněž, přičemž ho bedlivě sledovala.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'A toast, gentlemen,' he said. And
remember what I said about not quaffing.
Quaffing just gets your ears wet. Just sip.
To Civilization!'
The Horde joined in with their own
toasts.
' "Pcharn'kov!" '3
' "Lie down on the floor and no-one
gets hurt!" '
' "May you live in interesting pants!" '
' "What's the magic word? Gimmee!"'
' "Death to most tyrants!" '
'Whut?'
[...]
Six Beneficent Winds had thought it
was a pretty good plan. The horrible old
men were lost in the Forbidden City.
Although they had a wiry look, rather like
natural bonsai trees that had managed to
flourish on a wind-swept cliff, they were
nevertheless very old and not at all heavily
armed.
So he led them in the direction of the
gymnasium.
And when they were inside he
screamed for help at top of his voice. To
his amazement, they didn't turn and run.
'Can we kill him now?' said Truckle.
A couple of dozen muscular men had
stopped pounding logs of wood and piles
„Přípitek, pánové," pronesl slavnostně.
„A pamatujte, co jsme si říkali
o chlemtání. Když chlemtáte, jste mokří až
za ušima. Pouze usrkněte, ano? Na
civilizaci!"
Každý člen hordy přispěl svým
vlastním přípitkem.
„Pcharn'kov!"4
„Lehněte si na zem a nikomu se nic
nestane!"
„Ať žijete v zajímavých spodkách!"
„Jaký je kouzelný slovíčko? Dej mííí!"
„Smrt většině tyranů!"
„Sožééé?"
[...]
Šest blahodárných větrů byl přesvědčen
o tom, že je to skutečně dobrý plán. Tihle
děsiví staříci se ztratili v Zakázaném
městě. A přestože vypadali značně odolně,
asi jako samorostlá bonsaj schopná
rozkvětu i na větrem bičovaném skalním
útesu, byli nicméně opravdu hodně staří
a nijak zvlášť ozbrojení.
Proto je vedl směrem k tělocvičně.
A když byli uvnitř, začal ze všech sil
křičet o pomoc. K jeho velkému údivu se
nikdo neotočil, natož aby se dal na útěk.
„Teď už ho konečně můžeme zabít?"
dožadoval se Podrs.
Pár tuctů svalnatých mužů přestalo
rozmetat dřevěné trámky a hromady cihel
3
'Your feet shall be cut off and be buried several yards from your body so your ghost won't walk.'
4
'Ať j sou vám uříznuty obě nohy a pohřbeny pěkně daleko od těla, aby váš duch nemohl chodit.'
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
of bricks and were regarding them
suspiciously.
'Got any ideas?' said Cohen to Mr
Saveloy.
'Oh, dear. They're so very tough
looking, aren't they?'
'You can't think of anything civilized?'
'No. It's over to you, I'm afraid.'
'Hah! Hah! I bin waiting for this,' said
Caleb, pushing forward. 'Bin practising
every day, 'n I? With my big lump o' teak.'
'These are ninjas,' said Six Beneficent
Winds proudly, as a couple of the men
wandered towards the door and pulled it
shut. 'The finest fighters in the world!
Yield now!'
'That's interesting,' said Cohen. 'Here,
you, in the black pyjamas... Just got out of
bed, have you? Who's the best out of all of
you?'
One of the men stared fixedly at Cohen
and thrust out a hand at the nearest wall. It
left a dent.
Then he nodded at the tax gatherer.
'What are these old fools you've brought
us?'
'I think they're barbarian invaders,' said
the tax-man.
'How'd you - How'd he know that?' said
Boy Willie. 'We're wearin' itchy trousers
and eatin' with forks and every thin'—'
a začalo j e podezíravě sledovat.
„Nejakej nápad?" obrátil se Kohen na
pana Uzenku.
„Jeminkote. Vypadají jako opravdu
drsní hoši, že?"
„Nenapadá tě něco civilizovanýho?"
„Ne. Obávám se, že tentokrát je to
zcela na vás."
„Hahá! Tak přesně na todle sem čekal,"
zazářil Kalibr a dral se dopředu. „Trénoval
sem na to každej den, no né? Se svým
krásným týkovým špalkem."
„Tohle jsou nindžové," oznámil jim
Šest blahodárných větrů pyšně, zatímco se
párek mužů připlížil ke dveřím a zabouchl
je. „Jsou to nej lepší bojovníci na světě!
Okamžitě se vzdejte!"
„Zajímavý," prohodil společensky
Kohen. „Hej, ty, v tom černým pyžamu...
Zrovna si vylez z postele, co? Kterej z vás
je tady nej lepší?"
Jeden z mužů se na Kohena upřeně
zadíval a vymrštil ruku proti nej bližší zdi.
Zůstal v ní dolík.
Potom kývnul na výběrčího daní. „Co
jsi nám to přivedl za starý blázny?"
„Myslím, že jsou to barbarští
nájezdníci," zachvěl se výběrčí.
„Jak na to - Jak to ví?" nechápal
Usmrkanej Vilík. „Dyť nosíme tady ty
kousavý gatě, jíme vidličkou a vůbec
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Department of English Language and Literature
secko-'
The leading ninja sneered. 'Heroic
eunuchs?' he said. 'Old men?'
Brno 2008
'Who're you calling a eunuch?' Cohen
demanded.
'Can I just show him what I've been
practising with my lump o' teak?' said
Caleb, hopping arthritically from one foot
to the other.
The ninja eyed the slab of timber.
'You could not make a dent on that, old
man,' he said.
You watch,' said Caleb. He held out
the wood at arm's length. Then he raised
his other hand, grunting a little as it got
past shoulder height.
You watching this hand? You
watching this hand?' he demanded.
'I am watching,' said the laugh.
'Good,' said Caleb. He kicked the man
squarely in the groin and then, as he
doubled up, hit him over the head with the
teak.
'Cos you should've been watchin' this
foot.'
And that would have been all there was
to it if there had only been one ninja. But
there was a clatter of rice flails and an
unsheathing of long, curved swords.
The Horde drew closer together.
Náčelník nindžů se ušklíbl. „Hrdinští
eunuši?" zeptal se pobaveně. „Tihle
dědci?"
„Komu řikáš eunuch?" rozčiloval se
Kohen.
„Můžu mu jenom ukázat, co sem
natrénoval se svým týkovým špalkem?"
dožadoval se Kalibr a revmaticky
poskakoval z jedné nohy na druhou.
Nindža sledoval dřevěnou fošnu.
„Do tohohle teda důlek neuděláš,
starouši," zasmál se.
„Tak sleduj," zavrčel Kalibr a přidržel
si fošnu na délku paže před sebou. Pak
zvedl druhou ruku, přičemž trochu
zavrávoral, když mu při tom ruplo
v rameni.
„Sleduješ tudle ruku? Sleduješ ji?"
naléhal nedočkavě.
„Sledujú," smál se nindža na celé kolo.
„Bezva," zahalekal Kalibr, kopnul
muže přímo do rozkroku a pak, když se
protivník svíjel bolestí, sejmul ho ještě po
hlavě kusem týku.
„Ale měls radši sledovat tudle nohu."
A to by bylo to vše, kdyby stál
v místnosti pouze jeden nindža. Takhle se
však ozvalo hrozivé zachrastění nunčaků
a téměř neslyšné tasení dlouhých
zahnutých mečů.
Horda se seskupila. Humoš ze sebe
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Hamish pushed back his rug to reveal their
armoury, although the collection of
notched blades looked positively homely
compared with the shiny toys ranged
against them.
'Teach, why don't you take Mr Taxman
over to the corner out of harm's way?' said
Ghenghiz.
This is madness!' said Six Beneficent
Winds. 'They're the finest fighters in the
world and you're just old men! Give in
now and I'll see if I can get you a rebate!'
'Calm down, calm down,' said Mr
Saveloy. 'No-one's going to get hurt.
Metaphorically, at least.'
Ghenghiz Cohen waved his sword a
few times.
'OK, you lads,' he said. 'Give us your
best ninje.'
Six Beneficent Winds looked on in
horror as the Horde squared up.
'But it will be terrible slaughter!' he
said.
'I'm afraid so,' said Mr Saveloy. He
fished in his pockets for a bag of
peppermints.
Who are these mad old men? What do
they doT
'Barbarian heroing, generally,' said Mr
Saveloy, 'Rescuing princesses, robbing
temples, fighting monsters, exploring
shodil deku, aby tak odkryl jejich výzbroj,
jakkoli obyčejně vypadala sbírka zubatých
čepelí v porovnání se všemi těmi lesklými
hračkami, které teď byly namířeny proti
nim.
„Prófo, proč nevezmeš tady pana
výběrčího někam do rohu, aby se mu
náhodou něco nestalo?" navrhl Cingis.
„Tohle je šílenství!" křičel Šest
blahodárných větrů. „Tohle jsou nejlepší
bojovníci světa a vy jste jen staří muži!
Vzdejte se a já se pokusím pro vás získat
milost!"
„Uklidněte se, jen se uklidněte,"
konej šil ho pan Uzenka. „Nikomu se nic
nestane. Alespoň metaforicky řečeno."
Cingis Kohen párkrát zkusmo zamáchal
mečem.
„Bezva, hoši," zazubil se. „Tak nám
předveďte to svý nejlepší nindží."
Šest blahodárných větrů s hrůzou
pozoroval, jak se horda seskupila do
čtvercové formace.
„Ale to bude strašný masakr!" zhrozil
se.
„Obávám se, že máte pravdu," potvrdil
pan Uzenka a zašmátral v kapse po balíčku
mentolek.
„Kdo vlastně jsou tihle šílení staří
muži? Co vlastně dělají?"
„Barbarské hrdinství, všeobecně
vzato," poučil ho pan Uzenka.
„Zachraňování princezen, vykrádání
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ancient and terror-filled ruins... that sort of
thing.'
'But they look old enough to be dead!
Why do they do it?'
Saveloy shrugged. 'That's all they've
ever done.'
A ninja somersaulted down the room,
screaming, a sword in either hand; Cohen
waited in an attitude rather similar to that
of a baseball batter.
'I wonder,' said Mr Saveloy, 'if you
have ever heard of the term "evolution"?'
The two met. The air blurred.
'Or "survival of the fittest"?' said Mr
Saveloy.
The scream continued, but rather more
urgently.
'I didn't even see his sword move!'
whispered Six Beneficent Winds.
'Yes. People often don't,' said Mr
Saveloy.
'But... they're so old!'
'Indeed,' said the teacher, raising his
voice above the screams, 'and of course
this is true. They are very old barbarian
heroes.'
The taxman stared.
'Would you like a peppermint?' said Mr
Saveloy, as Hamish's wheelchair
Brno 2008
chrámů, zabíjení oblud, zkoumání
starobylých a hrůzostrašných zřícenin...
a tak podobně."
„Ale vždyť oni j sou tak staří, že by už
mohli být mrtví! Proč to dělají?"
Uzenka pokrčil rameny. „Nikdy
nedělali nic jiného."
Za bojového pokřiku prolétl místností
v estrádě salt jeden z nindžů, třímaje v
každé ruce meč. Kohen vyčkával v pozici
baseballového pálkaře.
„Tak mě napadlo," nadhodil pan
Uzenka, „jestli jste někdy slyšel o výrazu
'evoluce'?"
Dva bojovníci se setkali. Ve vzduchu se
něco zamíhalo.
„Nebo 'přežijí jen ti nej silnější'?"
zajímal se pan Uzenka.
Křik pokračoval, i když teď poněkud
naléhavěji.
„Ani jsem nestihl sledovat pohyb jeho
meče!" zašeptal nevěřícně Šest
blahodárných větrů.
„To se lidem často stává," uklidňoval
ho pan Uzenka.
„Ale... vždyť oni jsou tak letití!"
„Ano," zvedl hlas učitel, aby přehlušil
okolní výkřiky, „to je právě ono. Jsou to
opravdu dlouholetí barbarští hrdinové."
Výběrčí jen nevěřícně zíral.
„Nedal byste si mentolku?" navrhoval
pan Uzenka právě v okamžiku, kdy kolem
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
thundered past in pursuit of a man with a
broken sword and a pressing desire to stay
alive. 'You may find it helps, if you are
around the Horde for any length of time.'
The aroma from the proffered paper
bag hit Six Beneficent Winds like a
flamethrower.
'How can you smell anything after
eating those?'
'You can't,' said Mr Saveloy happily.
The taxman continued to stare. The
fighting was a fast and furious affair but,
somehow, only on one side. The Horde
fought like you'd expect old men to fight slowly,
and with care. All the activity was
on the part of the ninjas, but no matter
how well flung the throwing star or speedy
the kick, the target was always, without
any obvious effort, not there.
'Since we have this moment to chat,'
said Mr Saveloy, as something with a lot
of blades hit the wall just above the
taxman's head, 'I wonder: could you tell
me about the big hill just outside the city?
It is quite a remarkable feature.'
'What?' said Six Beneficent Winds
distractedly.
'The big hill.'
You want to know about that? Now?'
'Geography is a little hobby of mine.'
prosvištělo Humošovo kolečkové křeslo,
pronásledující muže se zlomeným mečem
a naléhavou touhou zůstat naživu.
„Zjistíte, že to pomáhá, když s hordou
strávíte nějaký ten čas."
Vůně z nabízeného balíčku zasáhla Šest
blahodárných větrů jako palba
z plameňometu.
„Jak můžete po tomhle něco cítit?"
„Nemůžete," zazářil šťastně pan
Uzenka.
Výběrčí daní nepřestával zírat. Boj byl
rychlý a zběsilý, a přesto tak nějak
jednostranný. Horda bojovala, jak by se to
od mužů jejich věku očekávalo - pomalu
a s rozvahou. Veškerou činnost zajišťovali
nindžové, ale nezáleželo na tom, jak
přesně vrhali své hvězdice nebo jak rychle
kopali, cíl tam nikdy, navíc bez jakékoliv
zjevné snahy, nebyl.
„Vzhledem k tomu, že teď máme čas si
chvilku popovídat," zahájil rozhovor pan
Uzenka, právě když něco s mnoha
čepelemi zasáhlo zeď těsně nad výběrčího
hlavou, „zajímalo by mě, jestli byste mi
mohl říct něco o tom velkém kopci za
městem? Je to velice pozoruhodný úkaz."
„Cože?" zeptal se Šest blahodárných
větrů roztržitě.
„Ten velký kopec."
„Vy o něm chcete slyšet právě teď?"
„Zeměpis je tak trochu můj koníček."
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Someone's ear hit Six Beneficent
Winds on the ear.
'Er. What? We call it the Big Hill...
Hey, look at what he's doing with his—'
'It seems remarkably regular. Is it a
natural feature?'
What? Eh? Oh... I don't know, they say
it turned up thousands of years ago.
During a terrible storm. When the first
Emperor died. He... he's going to be
killed! He's going to be killed! He's going
to be - How did he do that?'
Six Beneficent Winds suddenly
remembered, as a child, playing Shibo
Yangcong-san with his grandfather. The
old man always won. No matter how
carefully he'd assembled his strategy, he'd
find Grandfather would place a tile quite
innocently right in the crucial place just
before he could make his big move. The
ancestor had spent his whole life playing
shibo. The fight was just like that.
'Oh, my,' he said.
'That's right,' said Mr Saveloy. 'They've
had a lifetime's experience of not dying.
They've become very good at it.'
[...]
The last ninja was upright, but only
just; Hamish had run his wheelchair over
his foot. Mr Saveloy patted the taxman's
Něčí ucho přistálo Šesti blahodárným
větrům na uchu.
„No. Cože? Ano, říkáme mu tady
Velký kopec... No toto, podívejte se, co
dělá s tím svým-"
„Vypadá nápadně pravidelně. Je to
skutečně přírodní úkaz?"
„Cože? Já? Och... Já nevím, říká se, že
se objevil před tisíci lety. Během hrozivé
bouře. Když zemřel první císař. Teď ho
má! Teď zemře! Teď určitě - Jak to
udělal?"
Šest blahodárných větrů si náhle
vzpomněl, jak jako dítě hrával se svým
dědečkem Shibo Yangcong-san. Ten starý
muž vždycky vyhrál. Nezáleželo na tom,
jak důkladně měl promyšlenou svou
strategii, stejně vždy zjistil, že dědeček
s naprosto nevinným výrazem umístil
figurku na klíčové políčko, a to těsně
předtím, než mohl chlapec uskutečnit svůj
vítězný tah. Předek strávil hrou shibo celý
svůj život. S bojem to bylo zrovna tak.
„Můj bože," vydechl.
„Přesně tak," potvrdil pan Uzenka.
„Mají celoživotní zkušenost v tom, jak se
nenechat zabít. A jsou v tom opravdu
dobří."
[...]
Poslední zbylý nindža se sice stále ještě
držel na nohou, ale to jen proto, že mu po
jedné z nich bolestivě přejel Potrhlý
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
arm. 'Excuse me,' he said. 'I find I often
have to intervene at this stage.'
He padded over to the surviving man,
who was looking around wildly. Six
swords had become interlaced around his
neck as though he'd taken part in a rather
energetic folk dance.
'Good morning,' said Mr Saveloy. 'I
should just point out that Ghenghiz here is,
despite appearances, a remarkably honest
man. He finds it hard to understand empty
bravura. May I venture to suggest
therefore that you refrain from phrases like
"I would rather die than betray my
Emperor" or "Go ahead and do your
worst" unless you really, really mean
them. Should you wish for mercy, a
simple hand signal will suffice. I strongly
advise you not to attempt to nod.'
The young man looked sideways at
Cohen, who gave him an encouraging
smile.
Then he waved a hand quickly.
The swords unwove. Truckle hit the
ninja over the head with a club.
'It's all right, you don't have to go on
about it, I didn't kill him,' he said sulkily.
'Ow!' Boy Willie had been
Humoš svým kolečkovým křeslem. Pan
Uzenka poklepal výběrčího daní po
rameni. „Omluvte mě, prosím," prohlásil.
„Zde obvykle cítím, že bych měl
zasáhnout."
Vydal se k přeživšímu muži, který se
zběsile rozhlížel kolem. Těsně pod krkem
se mu proplétalo šest mečů, takže celá
scéna připomínala jakýsi značně energický
folklórní tanec.
„Dobrý den," ujal se slova pan Uzenka.
„Chtěl bych jen podotknout, že tady pan
Cingis, ačkoliv na to nevypadá, je
neobyčejně čestný muž. Nechápe tudíž
falešné hrdinství. Proto si vám dovoluji
navrhnout zdržet se frází jako 'Raději bych
zemřel, než zradil svého císaře' nebo 'Tak
pojď, udělej mi to nejhorší, co umíš',
pokud to nemyslíte opravdu, ale opravdu
vážně. Pokud byste si přál milost, bude
stačit pouhé znamení ruky. Především vám
ale radím, abyste se nesnažil přikývnout."
Mladý muž se po očku podíval na
Kohena, který se na něj povzbudivě
zazubil.
Poté rychle zamával rukou.
Meče pod jeho krkem se v mžiku
rozpletly a Podrs praštil nindžu palicí po
hlavě.
„Je to v klidu, nemusíte s tím zas
začínat, dyť sem ho nezabil," namítal
rozmrzele.
„Jééé!" udeřil se do ucha Usmrkanej
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experimenting with a rice flail and had hit
his own ear. 'How'd they manage to fight
with this rubbish?'
'Whut?'
'These little Hogswatch decoration
thingies look the business, though,' said
Vincent, picking up a throwing star.
'Aaargh!' He sucked his fingers. 'Useless
foreign junk.'
'That bit where that lad sprang
backwards right across the room with
them axes in his hands was impressive,
though.'
'Yeah.'
You didn't ought to have stuck your
sword out like that, I thought.'
'He's learned an important lesson.'
'It won't do him much good now where
he's gone.'
'Whut?'
Six Beneficent Winds was half
laughing, half shocked.
'But... but... I've seen these guards fight
before!' he said. 'They're invincible^
'No-one told us.'
'But you beat them all!'
Yep!'
'And you're just eunuchs!'
There was a scrape of steel. Six
Beneficent Winds closed his eyes. He
Vilík, když experimentoval s objevenými
nunčaky. „Jak můžou s těmadle blbostma
bojovat?"
„Sožééé?"
„Ale tyhle malý kravinky, co vypadaj
jak ozdoby k svátku Prasečí hlídky, by se
mohly hodit," kochal se Krabatý Vincek,
když zvedal ze země vrhací hvězdici.
„Jauvajs!" Strčil si krvácející prsty do
pusy. „Bezcennej cizáckej šmejd!"
„Ale ten kousek, jak ten mládenec
metal místností salta a máchal při tom
těma svejma sekyrkama, byl celkem
působívej."
„Jo, to j o."
„Ale říkal sem si, že od tebe nebylo
moc hezký, žes na něj takhle vystrčil
meč."
„Aspoň se naučil důležitou lekci."
„Ta mu ale tam, kde je teď, bude houby
platná."
„Sožééé?"
Šest blahodárných větrů nevěděl, jestli
se má smát nebo být v šoku.
„Ale... vždyť... Viděl jsem tyhle stráže
bojovat předtím!" nechápal. „Jsou
neporazitelní!"
„To nám nikdo neřek."
„Ale vy j ste j e všechny pobili!"
„Jojo!"
„A přitom j ste j enom eunuši!"
Ozval se zvuk skřípající oceli. Šest
blahodárných větrů zavřel oči. Cítil, jak se
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could feel metal touching his neck in at
least five places.
'There's that word again,' said the voice
of Cohen the Barbarian.
'But... you're... dressed... as...
eunuchs...' murmured Six Beneficent
Winds, trying not to swallow.
Mr Saveloy backed away, chuckling
nervously.
'You see,' he said, speaking fast, 'you're
too old to be taken for guards and you
don't look like bureaucrats, so I thought it
would be, er, a very good disguise to—'
'Eunuch?' roared Truckle.
[...]
Look, it's an honour to be a eunuch in
the Forbidden City. Many of them occupy
very exalted positions in—'
'Then prepare yourself for high office,
teacher!' Truckle shouted.
Cohen knocked the sword out of his
hand.
'All right, none of that. I don't like it
either,' he said, 'but it's just a disguise.
Shouldn't mean anything to a man who
once bit a bear's head off, should it?'
Yeah, but... you know... it's not... I
mean, when we went past those young
ladies back there they all giggled...'
'Maybe later you can find them and
chladný kov dotýká jeho krku nejmíň na
pěti místech.
„A zase to slovo," prohlásil nevěřícně
barbar Kohen.
„Ale... vy jste... oblečení... jako...
eunuši..." zamumlal Šest blahodárných
větrů, přičemž se snažil nepolknout.
Pan Uzenka začal nepatrně couvat
a nervózně se uchichtávat.
„No, víte," začal velice rychle
vysvětlovat, „na stráže jste příliš staří
a nevypadáte ani jako úředníci, takže jsem
si myslel, že, no, že by bylo velmi chytré
převléct se za-"
„Eunuchy?" zaburácel Podrs.
[...]
„Podívejte, v Zakázaném městě je to
čest být eunuch. Mnoho z nich zastává
vysoké funkce v-"
„Tak se připrav na ouřad nejvyšší,
učiteli!" zařval hrozivě Podrs.
Kohen mu vyrazil meč z ruky.
„No tak, no tak, nic takovýho. Mně se
to taky nelíbí," začal, „ale je to jenom
převlek. To by přece pro chlapa, co jednou
ukous hlavu medvědovi, nemělo vůbec nic
znamenat, ne?"
„Jasně, ale... vždyť víš... není to... no
třeba, když sme procházeli kolem těch
mladej ch dam, všechny se hihňaly jak
pominutý..."
„Tak je potom můžeš najít a opravdu je
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make them laugh,' said Cohen. 'But you
should've told us, Teach.'
'Sorry.'
'Whut? Whatseesay?'
'He said you're a EUNUCH!' Boy
Willie bellowed in Hamish's ear.
'Yep!' said Hamish happily.
'What?'
'That's me! The one an' only!'
'No, he didn't mean—'
'Whut?'
'Oh, never mind. It's all pretty much the
same to you, Hamish.'
Mr Saveloy surveyed the wrecked gym.
'I wonder what time it is?' he said.
'Ah,' gurgled Six Beneficent Winds,
happy to lighten things a little. 'Here, you
know, we have an amazing demonpowered
device that tells you what the
time is even when the sun isn't—'
'Clocks,' said Mr Saveloy. 'We've got
them in Ankh-Morpork. Only demons
evaporate eventually so now they work
by—' He paused. Interesting. You don't
have a word for it. Er. Shaped metal that
does work? Toothed wheels?'
The taxman looked frightened. 'Wheels
with teeth?'
rozesmát," navrhl Kohen. „Ale měls nám
to říct, Prófo."
„Omlouvám se."
„Sožééé? Sožikááá?"
„Řiká, že seš EUNUCH!" křičel
Usmrkanej Vilík Humošovi do ucha.
„Jo jo!" přitakal šťastně Potrhlý
Humoš.
„Cože?"
„No jo! To šem selej já! V selý švý
kráse!"
„Ale ne, on tím myslel, že-"
„Sožééé?"
„Ale, to je fuk. Tobě to může bejt
stejně jedno, Humoši."
Pan Uzenka si prohlédl polorozbořenou
tělocvičnu. „Zajímalo by mě, kolik tak
může být hodin?" nadhodil.
„Jistě," zacvrlikal blaženě Šest
blahodárných větrů, rád, že může konečně
něco osvětlit. „Víte, tady máme takové
úžasné, démonky poháněné věcičky, které
vám řeknou, kolik je hodin, i když právě
nesvítí-"
„Hodinky," prohlásil pan Uzenka. „Ty
máme v Ankh-Morporku taky. Ale
démonci se časem vypaří, takže teď
pracují na-" Zamyslel se. „To je zvláštní.
Nemáte pro to žádný výraz. No.
Tvarovaný kov, který pracuje? Ozubená
kola?"
Výběrčí daní se poněkud vyděsil.
„Kola, co mají zuby?"
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Department of English Language and Literature
'What do you call the things that grind
corn?'
'Peasants.'
'Yes, but what do they grind corn with?'
'I don't know. Why should I know?
Only peasants need to know that!
Yes, I suppose that says it all, really,'
said Mr Saveloy sadly.
'It's a long way off dawn,' said Truckle.
'Why don't we go and kill everyone in
their beds?'
'No, no, no!' said Mr Saveloy. 'I keep
telling you, we've got to do it properly!
'I could show you the treasure house,'
said Six Beneficent Winds helpfully.
'Never a good idea to give a monkey
the key to a banana plantation,' said Mr
Saveloy. 'Can you think of anything else to
keep them amused for an hour?'
[...]
Truckle stopped for breath, rain
streaming off his beard.
'I can't be having with this running,
though,' he said. 'Not and push Hamish's
wheelchair in all this mud. Let's have a
breather.'
'Whut?'
'Stopping for a breather?' said Cohen.
'My gods! I never thought I'd see the day!
A hero having a rest? Did Voltan the
Brno 2008
„Jak tady říkáte tomu, co mele obilí?"
„Rolníci."
„Ano, ale čím to obilí melou?"
„To nevím. Proč bych to měl vědět? To
potřebují vědět hlavně oni."
„Ano. Předpokládám, že to mluví
opravdu za vše," zasmušil se pan Uzenka.
„Do svítání času dost," nechal se slyšet
Podrs. „Proč prostě nejdem a všechny
nepodřežem, dokud sou ještě v postelích?"
„Ne, ne, ne!" zarazil ho pan Uzenka.
„Stále vám opakuji, že to musíme udělat
správně."
„Mohl bych vám ukázat císařskou
pokladnici," snažil se být nápomocný Šest
blahodárných větrů.
„Dát opici klíč k banánové plantáži
není nikdy moc dobrý nápad," zavrtěl
hlavou pan Uzenka. „Nenapadá vás něco
jiného, čím bychom je na hodinku
zabavili?"
[...]
Podrs se zastavil, aby zalapal po dechu.
Z vousů mu crčel hustý déšť.
„Já už takhle dál nemůžu! Už mám tady
toho pobíhání plný zuby," zafuněl.
„A navíc tlačení Humošova křesla vším
tím bahnem. Dejme si voraz."
„Sožééé?"
„Dát si voraz?" rozkřikl se Kohen.
„Ježkovy zraky! Nikdy bych nevěřil, že se
tohodle dožijú! Hrdina a má si dát voraz?
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Indestructible have a bit of a rest?'
'He's having one now. He's dead,
Ghenghiz,' said Caleb.
Cohen hesitated.
'What, old Voltan?'
'Didn't you know? And the Immortal
Jenkins.'
'Jenkins isn't dead, I saw him only last
year.'
'But he's dead now. All the heroes are
dead, 'cept us. And I ain't too sure about
me, too.'
Cohen splashed forward and snatched
Caleb upright by his shirt.
What about Hrun? He can't be dead.
He's half our age!'
Last I heard he got a job. Sergeant of
the Guard somewhere.'
'Sergeant of the Guard?' said Cohen.
'What, forpay?'
'Yep.'
'But... what, like, forpay?'
'He told me he might make Captain
next year. He said... he said it's a job with
a pension.'
Cohen released his grip.
'There's not many of us now, Cohen,'
said Truckle.
Cohen spun around.
A l l right, but there's never been many
of us! And I ain't dyin'! Not if it means the
world's taken over by bastards like Hong,
Dal si snad někdy Nezničitelnej Volťák
voraz?"
„Dává si ho teď, Cingisi. Je mrtvěj,"
zchladil ho Kalibr.
Kohen zaváhal.
„Cože, starej Volťák?"
„Tys to nevěděl? A taky Nesmrtelnej
Džanek."
„Džanek nemůže bejt mrtvěj, dyť sem
ho viděl loni."
„Každopádně je mrtvěj teď. Všichni
hrdinové sou mrtví, až na nás. A co se mě
tejče, nejsem si tak docela j i stej."
Kohen se probrouzdal bahnem kupředu
a prudce vyzdvihl Kalibra za košili.
„A co Hrun? Ten nemůže bejt mrtvěj.
Není mu ani půlka toho, co nám."
„Co sem o něm naposledy slyšel, našel
si práci. Dělá někde seržanta stráže."
„Seržanta stráže?" opakoval nevěřícně
Kohen. „To jako, za plat?"
„Jojo."
„Ale... cože, to jako fakt za plat?"
„Říkal, že by to za rok moh dotáhnout
na kapitána. Řikal, že... řikal, že dostane
i penzi."
Kohen uvolnil své sevření.
„Už nás moc není, Kohene," řekl
omluvně Podrs.
Kohen se otočil.
„Jasně, nikdy nás moc nebylo! Ale já
teda neumírám! Ne, pokud by to mělo
znamenat, že budou světu vládnout takoví
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
who don't know what a chieftain is. Scum.
That's what he called his soldiers. Scum.
It's like that bloody civilized game you
showed us, Teach!'
'Chess?'
'Right. The prawns are just there to be
slaughtered by the other side! While the
king just hangs around at the back.'
'Yeah, but the other side's yon, Cohen.'
'Right! Right... well, yes, that's fine
when I'm the enemy. But I don't shove
men in front of me to get killed instead of
me. And I never use bows and them dog
things. When I kill someone it's up close
and personal. Armies? Bloody tactics?
There's only one way to fight, and that's
everyone charging all at once, waving
their swords and shouting! Now on your
feet and let's get after him!'
'It's been a long morning, Ghenghiz,'
said Boy Willie.
'Don't give me that!'
'I could do with the lavatory. It's all this
rain.'
Let's get Hong first.'
'If he's hiding in the privy that's fine by
me.'
[...]
Every face watched Cohen, turning to
follow him as flowers follow the sun.
He ignored them.
bastardi jako je Hong, kteří ani neví, co to
je bejt dobrej velitel. Šupáci! Tak volal na
svoje vojáky. Šupáci! To je jak v tý
pitomý hře, cos nám ukazoval, Prófo!"
„Šachy?"
„Jo. Pěšáci sou tam jenom proto, aby je
druhá strana zmasakrovala! Zatímco král
vokouní někde vzadu."
„Ano, ale ta druhá strana jsi ty,
Kohene."
„No dobrá, dobrá... to je samo sebou
v pořádku, když sem nepřítel. Ale já aspoň
nestrkám chlapy před sebe, aby je zabili
místo mě. A nikdy taky nehrajú na luky
ani na ty zatracený krámy, co vypadaj jak
psi. Když já chci někoho zabít, je to pěkně
zblízka a je to osobní. Armády? Mizerná
taktika? Je jenom jeden způsob, jak
správně bojovat, a to že všichni naráz
vystartujou, máchaj mečema a řvou! Tak
se zvedněte a dem po něm!"
„Bylo to fakt dlouhý ráno, Cingisi,"
stěžoval si Usmrkanej Vilík.
„S tím na mě nechoďte!"
„Potřeboval bych si odskočit. To dělá
ten déšť."
„Nejdřív pojďme dostat Honga."
„Jestli se schovává na latríně, já sem
pro."
[...]
Dav sledoval Kohena pohledem stejně,
jako se slunečnice natáčejí za sluncem.
Nevšímal si jich.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'Crowdie the Strong?' he said to Caleb.
'Dead.'
'Can't be. He was a picture of health
when I saw him a coupla months ago.
Going on a new quest and everything.'
'Dead.'
'What happened?'
'You know the Terrible Man-eating
Sloth of Clup?'
'The one they say guards the giant ruby
of the mad snake god?'
'The very same. Well... it was.'
[...]
'How about Organdy Sloggo? Still
going strong down in Howondaland, last I
heard.'
'Dead. Metal poisoning.'
'How?'
'Three swords through the stomach.'
[...]
'Slasher Mungo?'
'Presumed dead in Skund.'
'Presumed?'
'Well, they only found his head.'
[...]
The Horde approached the inner gates
of the Forbidden City. The crowd
followed them at a distance.
These gates were shut, too. A couple of
heavy-set guards were standing in front of
them. They wore the expressions of men
who'd been told to guard the gates and
„Silák Kraken?" zkusil to znova na
Kalibra.
„Mrtvěj"
„Není možná. Byl zdravej jak rybička,
když sem ho před pár měsíci viděl. Zrovna
se vydával na novou výpravu a tak."
„Tuhej."
„Co se stalo?"
„Znáš Příšernýho lidožravýho
lenochoda z Klubek?"
„Ten, co vo něm říkaj, že střeží ten
obrovskej rubín šílenýho hadího boha?"
„Jo, to bude von. Teda... byl."
[...]
„Co Orkán Třískač? Pořád si ještě
užívá tam dole v Kocwandě, co sem
slyšel."
„Mrtvěj. Otrava ocelí."
„Jak?"
„Tři meče v břiše"
[...]
„Bivoj Klestič?"
„Pravděpodobně zemřel ve Skundu."
„Jak pravděpodobně?"
„No, našli j en jeho hlavu."
[...]
Horda dorazila k vnitřním bránám
Zakázaného města. Dav je v jisté
vzdálenosti následoval.
Tyhle brány byly také zavřené. Stálo
před nimi několik těžkooděných stráží.
Vypadali jako muži, kterým bylo řečeno
střežit brány a kteří je taky budou střežit,
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
were going to guard the gates come what
may. The military depends on people who
will guard gates or bridges or passes come
what may and there are often heroic poems
written in their honour, invariably
posthumously.
'Gosbar the Wake?'
'Died in bed, I heard.'
'Not old Gosbar!'
'Everyone's got to sleep some time.'
'That's not the only thing they've got to
do, mister,' said Boy Willie. 'I really need
the wossname.'
'Well, there's the Wall.'
'Not with everyone watching! That
ain't... civilized.'
Cohen strode up to the guards.
'I'm not mucking about,' he said. 'OK?
Would you rather die than betray your
Emperor?'
The guards stared ahead.
'Right, fair enough.' Cohen drew his
sword. A thought seemed to strike him.
'Nurker?' he said. 'Big Nurker? Tough
as old boots, him.'
'Fishbone,' said Caleb.
'Nurker? He once killed six trolls with
a—'
'Choked on a fishbone in his gruel. I
thought you knew. Sorry.'
Cohen stared at him. And then at his
sword. And then at the guards. For a
moment there was silence, broken only by
ať se děje cokoliv. Armáda závisí na
takových mužích, co střeží brány, mosty či
průsmyky, ať se děje cokoliv. Často jsou
také opěvováni v hrdinských písních, leč
téměř vždy posmrtně.
„Gosbar Hromotluk?"
„Zemřel v posteli, co sem slyšel."
„Ne starej Gosbar!"
„Každej si občas musí dáchnout."
„To není to jediný, co lidi občas musej,
šéfe," vykřikoval Usmrkanej Vilík. „Já
fakt potrebujú tamto..."
„Hele, tady máš zeď."
„Vždyť každej kouká! To by nebylo
to... civilizovaný."
Kohen si to namířil přímo ke strážím.
„Hele, já jen tak nežvaním, jasný?"
vyštěkl. „Chcete radši zemřít, než byste
zradili svýho císaře?"
Stráže upřeně zírali před sebe.
„Výborně, to mi stačí," tasil meč
Kohen. Najednou ho něco napadlo.
„Šroťák?" zkusil to. „Velkej Šroťák?
Ten je přece tuhej jak kanady."
„Rybí kost," ozval se nesměle Kalibr.
„Šroťák? Dyť ten jednou zabil šest
trollů pouhou-"
„Udusil se rybí kostí v ovesný kaši.
Myslel sem, že to víš. Promiň."
Kohen na něj nechápavě zíral. Potom
na svůj meč. Pak na stráže. Nastalo ticho,
přerušované j en kapkami deště.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
the sound of the rain.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
4 THEORETICAL PART
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
The theoretical part of my Bachelor thesis deals with the analysis of selected and
translated parts of the novel Interesting Times written by Terry Pratchett. It reveals the
basic methods of translation and several difficulties, supplied with concrete examples
from the translation, I had to solve during my work. In order to achieve a well-arranged
systematic whole, it is divided into particular thematic parts according to stylistic and
lexical aspects as I considered these two points of view as the most interesting and most
valuable for my experience as a translator. Unfortunately, there was not enough space
for more complex analysis from other points of view, such as morphological or
syntactic. The considerable part of the thesis is also devoted to the professional
translation of Jan Kantůrek and its comparison to my translation, presented at the end of
every thematic chapter.
4.1 Stylistic aspect
The translation from a foreign language can be generally defined as a process of
searching for appropriate equivalents for Czech stylization. However, it is not always
possible to find adequate equivalents as the language devices of the two different
languages have different aesthetic values. That is why, according to Levý, the more
artistic function the translation has, the more difficult it is (Levý 1983: 67).
For accomplishing an adequate translation, Hrdlička points out the importance of the
successful reproduction of stylistic qualities of the original text since the style is a
certain integral element of the literary work (Hrdlička 1997: 65).
According to the translator's personal style and his or her unique interpretation of the
final translation of the literary work, one can consider the translation to be an expression
of the creative individuality of the translator (Levý 1983: 31).
In consequence, although it is always necessary to follow the original spirit and
communicative function intended by the author, a translator should take advantage of all
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Lenka KřivkováMasaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
his or her imagination and invention in order to create an adequate, though distinctive,
style influenced by his or her personality and taste.
4.1.1 Colloquial Czech
Levý suggests translating convention by convention and demonstrates this principle on
the example of the usage of an English dialect as a conventional means of caricature
that should be thus translated by the same means of comic dialect in a target language
(Levý 1983: 36). However, Knittlová emphasizes the fact that there is actually no
English equivalent to colloquial Czech as in English emotivity and expressivity are
usually expressed rather by interjections or not directly at all. Therefore it may seem
that the English inventory of expressive devices is poorer than Czech, nevertheless, it is
not necessarily less effective. However, it is usually translated into Czech by a
considerable number of expressive, colloquial, slang, and other expressions (Knittlová
2003: 106, 107).
I chose colloquial Czech especially for the speech of barbarians as they are considered
as uneducated and even uncivilized, and the author's aim to express their rough, though
remarkably comic, locution is particularly visible in the original text.
I applied the typical elements of colloquial Czech in my translation as follows:
1) morphologically by using non-literary suffixes -ej, -ý instead of correct -ý, -é in
adjectives (e.g. vopravdovej, jistej, příšerný věci) and improper forms of verbs
(e.g. sleduju, řiká, dotýkaj),
2) phonologically (e.g. tejče instead of týká, tadydle instead of tadyhle, ňáký
instead of nějaký), and
3) lexically by employing expressive and colloquial expressions (e.g. starouš,
dáchnout, paráda, křivák).
4.1.2 Speech of other characters
Generally speaking, I used colloquial Czech for the speech of majority of characters in
order to create spoken atmosphere and informal relationship between writer and reader.
However, I preserved literary Czech for the character of the former teacher of
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
geography Ronald Saveloy, who is the only obvious graduate in the text and who
sometimes even uses unintelligible scientific terms connected with his previously taught
subject.
English original:
'At this time of year I'd head towards the setting sun until I left the mountains and
reached the alluvial plain where you'll see evidence of drumlins and some quite
fine examples of obviously erratic boulders.'
My translation:
„V tomto ročním období bych se být vámi vydal za zapadajícím sluncem. Až
minete hory, projdete až k aluviálním pláním s průkaznými drumliny a krásnými
příklady zřetelně nahodilých bludných balvanů."
Concerning the character of Mr Saveloy, I also retained a sort of professional affectation
caused by his previous teaching experience, letting him speak to uncivilized barbarians
as to elementary schoolchildren.
English original:
And remember what I said about not quaffing.'
My translation:
„A pamatujte, co jsme si říkali o chlemtání."
On the other hand, there is the character of the considerably venerable barbarian Mad
Hamish who is basically deaf and therefore usually demands repetition of the particular
phrases by using the same interjection, which I preserved. I also considered the fact that
half-deaf people often shout since they cannot hear themselves properly, and, due to his
lack of dentures, I added lisping.
Moreover, a funny play with the puns based on the rhymes occurs when the senile Mad
Hamish or other characters that 'interpret' for him the situational context, misinterpret
the information.
English original:
A little, not to put too fine a point on it, old?'
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
'Whut? Whutzeesayin'?'
'He says IT'S COLD.'
My translation:
„Prostě že jsou poněkud, mírně řečeno, staří?"
„Sožééé? So žikááá?"
„Říká, JAK SE DAŘÍ?"
4.1.3 Foreign language
In all cases, the decisive criterion is functional. This also concerns a foreign language
used in the literature just for creation of atmosphere, in addresses, greetings, social
phrases, etc. Under these circumstances, the foreign language should remain in its
original version even in translation (Knittlová 2003: 114).
Following the established rules, I kept a toast of one of the barbarians in the original
version, regarding the fact that it is as incomprehensible for an English reader as for the
Czech one and, in addition, the meaning of the phrase is later explained in the author's
footnote.
English original:
' "Pcharn'kov!" '
My translation:
„Pcharn'kov!"
The other example of a foreign language occurring in the text is the name of
Discworld's board game, analogous to the Oriental game Mahjongg, played with ivory
tiles and requiring a lifetime to be able to play it well. [7] From my point of view, it is
most likely unknown to the original target reader as well as to the Czech one, and thus I
preserved the original version of the game in my translation.
English original:
Six Beneficent Winds suddenly remembered, as a child, playing Shibo Yangcongsan
with his grandfather.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
My translation:
Šest blahodárných větrů si náhle vzpomněl, jak jako dítě hrával se svým
dědečkem Shibo Yangcong-san.
4.1.4 Culturally specific expressions
For fiction, the decision whether to convert or transfer weights, measures, quantities,
and currencies depends on the importance of retaining local colour (Newmark 1988:
218). Those devices which do not have adequate equivalents and do not even make
illusion of original can be substituted by a neutral analogy which is not clearly
connected with any particular times or place of the translation (Levý 1983: 122).
Despite the fact that the action of this literary work takes place on the fictional
Discworld, the story is set into an area analogical to the East; strictly speaking, to China
(see 4.2.1.4 Place names). In my opinion, a common Czech reader does not know which
distance measures are used in south eastern Asia and that is why I found appropriate to
change miles into kilometres as to provide the reader familiar, though neutral, feeling.
English original:
'It's about ten miles.'
My translation:
„Je to odsud asi šestnáct kilometrů."
4.1.5 Italics and intensifies
In general terms, English and Czech intensifiers usually do not correspond. In most
cases, translators rather focus on representing an adequate Czech stylization.
Intensifiers, together with interjections, function as signals to make the whole statement
more expressive (Knittlová 2003: 72). Another device of emphasis is a graphic usage of
italics. However, in these cases, Czech takes advantage of lexical means of emphasis
(Knittlová 2003: 98).
Since the occurrence of italics is a rather typical feature of English literary style but
does not feel very natural in Czech, I ran into the problem of how to avoid using italics
in my translation. In the first instance presented, I took the advice of Knittlova's solution
and replaced a demonstrative indefinite article by a lexical word.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
English original:
'Eat up, gentlemen. It may be a long night.'
My translation:
„Pořádně se najezte, pánové. Možná to bude velmi dlouhá noc."
Later on, I implemented the Czech particle ale so as to accentuate the statement, achieve
an easy reading effect and, at the same time, refrain from using the italics.
English original:
'May I venture to suggest therefore that you refrain from phrases like "I would
rather die than betray my Emperor" or "Go ahead and do your worst" unless you
really, really mean them.'
My translation:
„Proto si vám dovoluji navrhnout zdržet se frází jako 'Raději bych zemřel, než
zradil svého císaře' nebo 'Tak pojď, udělej mi to nejhorší, co umíš', pokud to
nemyslíte opravdu, ale opravdu vážně."
Another means of avoiding the italics is to apply the Czech collocations which also
perform a certain degree of expressivity.
English original:
'I bet that wheelchair terrifies them,' said Rincewind.
My translation:
„Vsadím se, že to kolečkový křeslo nepřátele děsí k smrti," přisadil si Větroplach.
Furthermore, I utilized the considerable difference between Czech and English word
order, especially referring to the syntactic end-focus principle while putting the word
with the highest degree of communicative dynamism at the end of the phrase in order to
create the emphasis on that particular word.
English original:
'Matches the colour of their hair. Those that have got hair.'
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Lenka KřivkováMasaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
My translation:
„Aspoň to sedí na barvu jejich vlasů. Tedy, těch, co ještě vlasy mají."
English original:
'Of course, we won't have to kill all the guards...'
My translation:
„Samozřejmě nemusíme zabít ty stráže všechny..."
4.1.6 Interjections
Interjections express a strong emotional meaning. Primary interjections usually lack any
denotative value, whereas secondary, derived ones can still convey a part of the original
denotative meaning. The correspondence between English and Czech interjections does
not exist. However, they can be more frequently found in English texts (Knittlová 2003:
63).
In spite of the statement of Knittlová pronouncing that the interjections are more likely
a matter of an English style, I believe that Czech has an extensive variety of
interjections to offer as well. In following examples, one can notice the colourful
diversity of Czech equivalence for English common interjection Oh, dear.
English original:
'Oh, dear me, I didn't start out a barbarian.'
My translation:
„Svatá prostoto, ale já přece nezačínal jako barbar."
English original:
'Oh, dear. They're so very tough looking, aren't they?'
My translation:
„Jeminkote. Vypadají jako opravdu drsní hoši, že?"
In addition, probably the most commonly used English interjection is well. In Czech,
there is no adequate equivalent, thus it is usually translated according to the particular
style of speech or situational context, though sometimes it is simply omitted altogether.
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
English original:
'But... well... surely... the privation, the terrible hazards, the daily risk of death...'
My translation:
„Ale... vždyť... přece... věčná strádání, děsivá rizika, každodenní nebezpečí
smrti..."
English original:
'Right! Right... well, yes, that's fine when I'm the enemy.'
My translation:
„No dobrá, dobrá... to je samosebou v pořádku, když sem nepřítel."
English original:
'The very same. Well ... it was.'
My translation:
„Jo, to bude von. Teda... byl."
English original:
'Well, they only found his head.'
My translation:
„No, našli jen jeho hlavu."
English original:
'Well, there's the Wall.'
My translation:
„Hele, tady máš zeď."
4.1.7 Vulgarisms
As regards vulgarisms, first of all, what is considered as acceptable and what
undesirable depends on the times and society. Vulgarity used with frequency weakens
and disappears, as does its taboo. Therefore it is necessary to take account of its
considerably broad linguistic and extra-linguistic context as well as to respect its
pragmatic aspect (Knittlová 2003: 65).
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
The book contains in particular the vulgarisms referring to an 'infernal theme', which
basically serve here as interjections with the intensification function. Nevertheless,
considering the fact that the literary work deals with a sort of rough barbarian invaders,
the use of vulgarisms seemed to me fairly modest.
English original:
'What the hell is he doing?'
My translation:
„Co to ksakru dělá?"
English original:
'It's like that bloody civilized game you showed us, Teach!'
My translation:
„To je jak v tý pitomý hře, cos nám ukazoval, Prófo!"
4.1.8 Concretization
In respect to the selection of words, Levý elaborates the theory about the lexical
impoverishment by the translator's choosing of a more general word that is
consequently less objective and vivid. Levý lays down the rule that author should not
write A bird sat on the tree' but A yellow-hammer sat on the alder-tree' (Levý 1983:
137).
Since I took to heart Levy's principle mentioned above, I implemented more
concretization to my translation, as shown in the following example where I replaced
general expressionflowers by a concrete species.
English original:
Every face watched Cohen, turning to follow him asflowersfollow the sun.
My translation:
Dav sledoval Kohena pohledem stejně, jako se slunečnice natáčejí za sluncem.
4.1.9 Communicative verbs
Knittlová underlines a decent move to particularity of verbs in translation from English
into Czech. This principle is related to the typological difference between nominal
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
English and verbal Czech (Knittlová 2003: 42). Nonetheless, Levý complains of
insufficient development of the abundance of Czech synonyms and points out the
different convention of English writers to repeat the stereotype communicative verb
said in reporting clauses which should be diversified when translated into Czech (Levý
1983: 143).
With a view to achieve as much colourful, readable, but also suitable language as
possible, I decided to take advantage of all various aspects of implications of the
statement depending on the situational context, such as framework of statement (zeptat
se, odpovědět), form of the message (zavzdychat, rozčilovat se) or its content
(chlácholit, varovat) (Knittlová 2003: 49).
English original:
Tm back then, lads,' said Cohen.
My translation:
„Sem zpátky, hoši," zahlaholil Kohen.
English original:
'I brought 'em with me,' he said.
My translation:
„Vzal sem je sebou," chlubil se.
English original:
'Stand up, Boy Willie,' said Cohen.
My translation:
„Zvedni se, Usmrkanej Vilíku," zavelel Kohen.
English original:
'So's me feet touch the ground,' he said.
My translation:
„Takhle se moje nohy pořádně dotýkaj země," vysvětloval.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
4.1.10 Comparison to Jan Kanturek's style
In the end of this section, I would like to devote a little attention to the comparison of
Jan Kanturek's translation style to mine. Generally speaking, I would evaluate my style
as more expressive, employing more colloquial and rather specific expressions and
maintaining more likely informal atmosphere of the text. Let me demonstrate this
argument with the following examples.
Referring to the previous section about communicative verbs, I tried to take advantage
of the whole abundance of Czech varieties to the English conventional communicative
verb said, and unlike Kantůrek, I always tried to imagine and reconstruct the given
situation, as well as situational context, and present it to the reader in the most accurate
manner. I had in mind Levy's statement that vivid imagination and invention is a crucial
quality of every good translator so as to have at his or her disposal an extensive amount
of lexis and have the possibility to choose the most appropriate one (Levý 1983: 78).
English original:
Look, I mean . . . Ghenghiz Cohen?' he said.
Kanturek's translation:
„Podívejte, co se týče Cingise Cohena, no?" řekl.
My translation:
„Podívejte, mám takovej dojem, že... Cingis Kohen, no," nadhodil opatrně.
English original:
A toast, gentlemen,' he said.
Kanturek's translation:
„Takže přípitek, pánové," řekl.
My translation:
„Přípitek, pánové," pronesl slavnostně.
English original:
'That's interesting,' said Cohen.
Kanturek's translation:
„To je zajímavý," řekl Cohen.
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Department of English Language and Literature
My translation:
„Zajímavý," prohodil společensky Kohen.
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
Seemingly more elaborate use of expressive language of my translation can be caused
either by the fact that Jan Kantůrek translated this literary work ten years ago and there
has been some change of modishness of particular expressions over time or just by
dissimilar taste, comprehension of the author's intention and even the different ages of
Mr Kantůrek and me.
English original:
'Sod off, wizard.'
Kanturek's translation:
„Odpal, mágu!"
My translation:
„Vodprejskni, čaroději!"
English original:
'Useless foreign junk.'
Kanturek's translation:
„Mizerný cizozemský zboží!"
My translation:
„Bezcennej cizáckej šmejd!"
With a view to achieve the effect of lack of education of the barbarians and show their
spontaneity, I did not follow Kanturek's example of employing markers of politeness
vykání commonly used in Czech that actually does not exist in English at all. Thus, I
also accomplished to observe rather informal atmosphere of the text.
English original:
'Nope. Orthopaedic problem, see. Like... you know how a lot of people've got one
leg shorter than the other? Funny thing, with me it's—'
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Kanturek's translation:
„Ne. Je to ortopedický problém, chápete? Jak bych vám to... víte, že je spousta
lidí, kteří mají jednu nohu kratší než druhou? Možná vám to bude připadat jako
legrace, ale já mám-"
My translation:
„Kdepak. Je to ortopedickej problém, chápeš? Je to jako... znáš to, když maj
některý lidi jednu nohu kratší než tu druhou? Tak u mě je vtip v tom, že-"
English original:
'Don't tell me,' said Rincewind.
Kanturek's translation:
„Už mi nic neříkejte," zarazil ho Mrakoplaš.
My translation:
„Nech mě hádat," přerušil ho Větroplach.
4.2 Lexical aspect
One of the possible definitions of translation suggests that it is an activity on the
borderland between science and art and the highest challenge of every translator is to
upgrade mere reproduction to a work of art. In this aspect, the art of translation seems
the most similar to the dramatic art (Levý 1983: 83).
The most challenging aspect of translator's work is solving the lexical problems, since
searching for adequate equivalents is their most time-consuming, though most
rewarding, activity. The translator will come across numerous difficulties caused not
only by differences in lexis of particular languages, but also differences linked with
culture, history and the way of life of those with a certain language background.
Abiding by this principle, it does not matter what linguistic devices we use as long as
they fulfil the same function as in the original and the effect on the reader remains the
same (Knittlová 2003: 6).
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
4.2.1 Proper nouns
It is widely recognized that translating proper names belongs to the most distinguished
parts of a translator's work. Particularly in fiction, appropriate translation of proper
names supports a favourable general atmosphere of the literary work and may even
encourage its popularity, especially concerning longer series such as Terry Pratchett's
Discworld, by promising to meet readers' expectations in the next sequels. Therefore it
is desirable to create original and witty names that are easy to absorb into the
consciousness of the readership.
In a few cases mentioned bellow, I would also like to point out the different solutions of
Jan Kantůrek and me with respect to the translating of proper names.
4.2.1.1 Personal names
There is usually no equivalence while translating proper names from one language into
another, and thus it is either possible to adapt them or translate them. Proper names may
be translated only when they have a significant meaning. It is not necessary to translate
names carrying a certain semantic content, however, as they are not important for the
significance of the literary work. In this case, the translator utilizes only transcription,
which preserves the name in its original version (Levý 1983: 114, 115). I transcribed
only few names in my translation. One of the examples is the name Lord Hong which I
retained the same as it connotes an Oriental nobleman and thus satisfies the author's
intention.
Hrun —> Hrun
In my translation, I mostly tried to create barbarian names and nicknames closer to the
Czech national background. However, I preserved the name Hrun as it, in my opinion,
also connotes the bloodcurdling brigand, especially thanks to the onomatopoeic sound
of the Czech interjection hrr in it.
Now, let me demonstrate how I tackled the translation of the names of the main
characters.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Rincewind —> Větroplach
When translating this name, I bore in mind not only the compound of words making this
name, consisting of rince that sounds the same as the verb rinse (oplachovat) and noun
wind (vítr) but also the typical feature of personality of this character who is an absolute
coward with a tendency to flee (pláchnout) from every possible danger. That is why I
do not entirely agree with Kanturek's treatment of this name as he translated it as
Mrakoplaš that rather connotes me a man engaged in some Indian ritual of dispelling
the clouds.
Ghenghiz Cohen —> Cingis Kohen
This name was made up with a view of creating a parody of the well-known fantasy
hero Conan the Barbarian (Barbar Conan) with the first name derived from the most
famous Mongol emperor Genghis Khan (Čingischán). Hence I preserved the author's
idea since both names have in Czech cultural background its indisputable tradition.
Although Conan the Barbarian is usually written as Barbar Conan in Czech, I decided to
transcribe the name so as to make it more natural for the Czech readership.
Ronald Saveloy —> René Uzenka
A translator often encounters names, carrying an explicit meaning, which completely
lost the character of proper names. In this case, a good translator should create the
adequate equivalent that basically looks like a proper name in a target language, e.g. in
Czech, pan Nedělka sounds far better than pan Neděle (Levý 1983: 151). Saveloy is a
sort of meat product, typical of Switzerland; hence I used a substitution closer to the
Czech national background. I also changed the first name of the character, while
applying the principle of cultural transplantation, as I consider name René not only
more familiar to the Czech reader, but also more ridiculous for him.
Teach —> Prófa
As regards Mr Saveloy, addressed by the uneducated barbarians by the nickname
derived from his former profession of a schoolteacher, I decided to promote him to a
professor because of the fact that the Czech nickname derived from učitel - úča would
sound rather pejoratively. In Czech cultural background, the professor also connotes a
high school teacher, so the original reference to coping with tiresome pupils remains.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
4.2.1.2 Names of barbarians
The typical feature of a barbarian name is its particular composition. They usually
consist of the first name and the nickname, describing the most remarkable quality of
the hero. Translating names of barbarians was the most interesting and enjoyable part of
my work, as I tried to take advantage of the immense abundance of Czech lexis in order
to create as much diverse, entertaining, but still adequate equivalents as possible.
Caleb the Ripper —> Kalibr Rozparovač
Since the Hebrew name Caleb has no equivalent in Czech, I decided to utilize the
phonological resemblance to the Czech word kalibr (calibre) that also evokes the image
of somebody tough and strongly armed. The nickname Ripper is obviously a certain
parody on the famous London killer Jack the Ripper, thus I used the fixed form of this
character, Rozparovač in Czech.
Voltan the Indestructible —> Nezničitelnej Volťák
Due to the sound resemblance to the Czech expression for the unit of electric energy
volt, the first name of this barbarian hero immediately connoted me someone utterly
electric and therefore truly dangerous, so I decided to employ this funny connotation in
my translation while modifying the word volt to sound more like a proper name.
The Immortal Jenkins —> Nesmrtelnej Dianek
The first name Jenkins could be probably translated as Jeník, though this translation did
not incite in me the impression of a fearsome barbarian at all. Hence, at least, I used a
humorous form of the first name Jan from the Moravian dialect with a view to approach
this English name without a Czech equivalent to the Czech reader.
Crowdie the Strong —> Silák Kraken
In order to preserve the character of the name, I modified the nickname Strong to sound
as a name in Czech {Silák). In the first name Crowdie, I again used the phonological
resemblance to the Czech word Kraken, generally established for a horrifying
mythological monster.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education Lenka Křivková
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Gosbar the Wake —> Gosbar Hromotluk
Here, I conserved the original form of the first name since it connotes even in Czech a
sort of gruesome Mongol barbarian. The nickname Wake evoked in me the image of
violent waves breaking up against a steep cliff, making deafening noise. Therefore,
combining these connotations, I made up the nickname Hromotluk.
Truckle the Uncivil —> Podrs Grobián
Firstly, I intended to name this character Podlez since the English word truckle means
podrobit se in Czech. However, this name would not match the personality of the
character as he is in the text described as 'one of the biggest badasses in the world'.
Thus I searched the dictionary for a possible phonological resemblance to another word
and I found the expression truculent, which means bojovný, zkázonosný, and made up a
combination of my first idea and this new enquiry.
Boy Willie —> Usmrkanej Vilík
Concerning this barbarian, I only conserved the author's intended joke of calling an
eighty-year old villain a diminutive used for addressing children. To underline this
effect, I added the adjective usmrkanej, intensifying the impression of a little runnynosed
boy.
Mad Hamish —> Potrhlý Humoš
As the originally Scottish name Hamish has no adequate equivalent in Czech, I again
decided to utilize the aural resemblance to the Czech colloquial expression humoš that
evokes something decomposing, which is quite convenient for a hundred-year old
barbarian fighting in his wheelchair.
Old Vincent —> Krabatý Vincek
As regards Old Vincent, I employed the more familiar version of the Czech equivalent
of this name Vincek and added the adjective producing the image of a really old
wrinkled man.
Organdy Sloggo —> Orkán Třískač
This name translation consists of a phonological resemblance of the first name Organdy
to the Czech expression orkán, which creates the effect of someone fabulously speedy
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
and destructive, and the translation and modification of the verb slog which means
tfiskat in Czech.
Slasher Mungo —> Bivoj Klestíc
In this case, I interchanged the first name and the nickname. I used the Czech translation
of the English verb slash (proklestit) and created the name form klestič, which better fits
for the position of a nickname. Mungo has no adequate equivalent in Czech and
therefore I let my imagination create a name without consideration for an English
expression.
Big Nurker —> Velkej Sroťák
Browsing the Internet sources, I came across the expression nurker in a slang dictionary,
saying that nurker is someone educationally intellectual. [8] Using that, I borrowed a
Czech slang expression for studying hard srotit se and created the name Šroťák,
sounding as well as someone scrapping a scrap metal.
4.2.1.3 Animal names
Rover —> Vořech
When left unchanged, the name Rover would probably connote to majority of readers
the famous English car make, so I decided to translate the animal name occurring in the
selected extract of the text so as to gain more natural and comprehensible effect on the
Czech readership by adapting it to the Czech cultural background. Hopefully, I
succeeded in making a funny impression while employing rather pejorative expression
of the mixed dog breed for the bloodthirsty animal, though warmly beloved by the most
menacing barbarian of all.
4.2.1.4 Place names
Since the majority of names carry a certain cultural hint or reference, which is
particularly typical of Terry Pratchett's literary production, I ran into the problem of
translating the names while preserving the author's intention for the Czech reader.
Auriental studies —> Aurientální studia
The whole action of the story takes place on the fictional Discworld, more precisely on
the Counterweight Continent (Vyvažovači světadíl) that refers to our world's Far East.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
The culture inhabiting this part of the Disc is a play upon that of Imperial China, most
obviously due to the vast wall surrounding the whole empire, which refers to the famous
Great Wall of China. In the whole Discworld, the Empire is also known as the Aurient,
which is a pun on Orient and Latin word for gold aurum. That is why the Aurient means
'the place where the gold comes from' [9] and again the reference to our China can be
clearly visible. Therefore I decided to conserve this pun even in Czech.
Hunghung —> Hung H'ung
For part of the capital of the Empire, I only invented a slightly more interesting
graphical solution to this place name, referring to the quite strange spelling of certain
Chinese names, such as the river Jang-c'-t'iang and many others. Nevertheless, in
essence, I retained the original version, unlike Jan Kantůrek who created Czech
substitution Visovis that, from my point of view, connotes some Slavonic name, e.g.
Moravian town Vizovice.
Howondaland —> Kocwanda
Howondaland presents the Discworld's analogue to Sub-Saharan Africa and its name is
probably a play on the ancient south continent Gondwanaland. [10] According to this
enquiry, I introduced the following procedure in my translation. First of all, I took the
atlas of the world and chose one of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, Rwanda. Then
I created a play on this state in accordance with the author's example and also
employing an additional joke, making an impression of a country full of beautiful girls
where the barbarian character is supposed to enjoy his time. Here I would also point out
my disagreement with Jan Kanturek's translation Jakazačistán which connotes rather
some country in Central Asia, such as Tádžikistán or others, and is therefore to some
extent inappropriate.
English original:
'How about Organdy Sloggo? Still going strong down in Howondaland, last I
heard.'
Kanturek's translation:
„A co Orkantýn Rváč? Pořád ještě si vede skvěle v Jakazačistánu, jak jsem
slyšel."
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Lenka KřivkováMasaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
My translation:
„Co Orkán Třískač? Pořád si ještě užívá tam dole v Kocwandě, co sem slyšel."
4.2.2 Sayings
Fixed phrases, idioms, and most of popular sayings and proverbs are translated as
lexical units (Levý 1983: 128). All in all, one can notice that all English sayings
mentioned in the examples below have some more or less corresponding Czech
equivalent, using stylistic devices like metaphor or literary hyperbole. Some of them are
used in a common and frequent way, such as:
English original:
'Had the word only a moment ago...'
My translation:
„Před chvílí jsem měl to slovo na jazyku..."
English original:
'He was a picture of health when I saw him a coupla months ago.'
My translation:
„Byl zdravej jak rybička, když sem ho před pár měsíci viděl."
English original:
'I keep telling him, it's rape the women and set fire to the houses.'
My translation:
„A přitom mu můžu stokrát opakovat, že znásilňují se ženy a zapalují domy."
The others are rather less common and more expressive:
English original:
'It won't do him much good now where he's gone.'
My translation:
„Ta mu ale tam, kde je teď, bude houby platná."
English original:
'Everyone's got to sleep some time.'
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Department of English Language and Literature
My translation:
„Každej si občas musí dáchnout."
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
4.2.3 Other difficulties
In the case where the word does not carry any particular meaning on its own and is just
a part of the whole, this whole is translated in a way irrespective of the meaning of
single words (Levý 1983: 128). In other words, it is more important to preserve the play
upon words and its overall sense than strictly interpret lexical meanings of particular
words.
I would like to present my solution to some of the difficulties I had to face during my
work. Firstly, I was obliged to add some supplementary information since I encountered
the lexis without a Czech equivalent in the particular context. In connection with this
additional information, the translation speaks about (useful) redundancy (Hrdlička
1997: 28). This principle helps the reader to imagine the given situation more properly.
The discussed lexis badass could be probably solved by using a Czech equivalent
vulgarism sráč which seemed to me rather too strong, though. That is why I decided to
tackle the problem by employing additional information in order to conserve the
author's joke about an herbal suppository that refers to it a few lines later.
English original:
'Truckle used to be reckoned one of the biggest badasses in the world,' he said.
'Really? Him?'
'But it's amazing what you can do with a herbal suppository.'
'Up yours, mister,' said Truckle.
My translation:
„Tady starýho Podrse kdysi považovali za jednoho z největších křiváků na světě,"
pyšnil se. „Kálel na jakoukoli etiku."
„Vážně? Tenhle?"
„Aleje úžasný, co s tebou udělá takovej čistě přírodní čípek."
„Až po tobě, šéfe," zavrčel Podrs.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
Secondly, I was challenged to provide a solution to the case where Czech equivalents
were available yet could not be used in the Czech context with the same meaning as in
English. In cases like this, a translator needs to adjust the text to the reader of a different
cultural background on the basis of empirical and situational context (Knittlová 2003:
11). Comparing people to cream and cheese is not familiar to the Czech discourse;
therefore I replaced the missing belonging to food by rhymes and I utilized expressions
třída and bída.
English original:
'They're the cream!'
Rincewind sighed.
'Cohen, they're the cheese. Why've you brought them all the way here?'
My translation:
„Je to třída!"
Větroplach si povzdechl.
„Kohene, j e to bída. Proč j si j e sem vůbec tahal?"
4.2.4 Lexical problems in Jan Kantůrek's translation
Even though I consider Jan Kanturek's translation as highly professional and
particularly funny and readable as a whole, I came across a few cases of
misinterpretations, lexical errors or stylistic clumsiness. In this chapter, I would like to
underline the most obvious problems I ran into and present my own solutions to them.
Terry Pratchett's style is famous for its numerous and witty references to all spheres of
mankind, including cultural, religious, scientific and historical allusions. Thus the
translator of his literary work must have broad general knowledge. Therefore it is not
surprising that even such an experienced translator as Jan Kantůrek can miss some of
Pratchett's references. As already mentioned above, the action of the story is set to the
Empire, which is analogous to our Imperial China, and the thick wall that surrounds it,
which refers to the Great Wall of China. In the given extract, Kantůrek omitted this
reference to the Wall and therefore misinterpreted the author's intention.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
English original:
'We had the devil of a job getting it over the wall,' Cohen conceded. 'But you'd be
amazed at his turn of speed.'
Kanturek's translation:
„Musím říct, že nám dá vždycky zatracenou práci dostat ho přes hradby," přiznal
Cohen, „ale divil by ses, jak rychle na tom umí jezdit."
My translation:
„Dalo nám sakra práci dostat ho sem přes tu zeď," připustil Kohen. „Ale koukal
bys, jak rychle s tím nabírá otáčky."
In other cases, a few examples of stylistic clumsiness appeared in Kanturek's translation
that sounds, in my opinion, rather unnatural in Czech, especially in the given context.
English original:
'Don't go and spoil an old man's dreams.'
Kanturek's translation:
„Doufám, že bys nechtěl tomu starýmu chlapovi bourat jeho sny?"
My translation:
„Doufám, že bys nechtěl tomu staroušovi kazit iluze."
English original:
'How can you smell anything after eating those?'
'You can't,' said Mr Saveloy happily.
Kanturek's translation:
„Jak vám může fungovat čich, když sníte něco takového?"
„Ten vám práce nefunguje," odpověděl pan Cabajka spokojeně.
My translation:
„Jak můžete po tomhle něco cítit?"
„Nemůžete," zazářil šťastně pan Uzenka.
Ultimately, Kantůrek committed some lexical errors caused presumably by
misunderstanding the situational context or the author's intention. In the first example,
Kantůrek makes an impression that Rincewind does not know which way to go,
although the original version obviously states that his choices seemed very clear to him.
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
English original:
The choices seemed very clear to Rincewind. There was the city of Hunghung,
under siege, apparently throbbing with revolution and danger, and there was
everywhere else.
Kanturek's translation:
Mrakoplaš měl dojem, že si nemá z čeho vybírat. Jednak tady bylo město Visovis,
obležené, překypující nebezpečím a revolucí, a pak tady bylo všude jinde.
My translation:
Větroplachovy možnosti se zdály jasné. Na jedné straně stálo obléhané město
Hung Hung, pulzující revolucí a nebezpečenstvím, na straně druhé bylo kdekoli
jinde.
The second example demonstrates Kanturek's misinterpretation of the word homely that
he translated as domácký instead of obyčejný and thus created a totally different
connotation incomprehensible for the Czech reader. Moreover, I do not appreciate his
attempt to stylistically improve the author's interpretation of this extract and, in my
opinion, it seems here fairly redundant and clumsy.
English original:
Hamish pushed back his rug to reveal their armoury, although the collection of
notched blades looked positively homely compared with the shiny toys ranged
against them.
Kanturek's translation:
Bláznivý Humoš odhodil deku a odkryl tak jejich zbrojnici, i když sbírka zubatých
čepelí vypadala na první pohled mnohem domáčtěji než ty štíhlé lesklé hračky,
kterými vládli nepřátelé Stříbrné hordy.
My translation:
Humoš ze sebe shodil deku, aby tak odkryl jejich výzbroj, jakkoli obyčejně
vypadala sbírka zubatých čepelí v porovnání se všemi těmi lesklými hračkami,
které teď byly namířeny proti nim.
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
5 CONCLUSION
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
I found the translating of this literary work a highly instructive and rewarding activity,
and I am very thankful for having the possibility to accept this challenging task. Though
solving certain translation problems in the practical part of my thesis was timeconsuming
and sometimes difficult, I believe I managed to introduce my personal point
of view while preserving the original intention of the author, and also considerably
improved my knowledge and better understanding of the numerous differences between
Czech and English.
Probably the most important and valuable chapters of the theoretical part of my thesis
concern those on proper names since almost every single one occurring in the extract
contained a certain meaning, which made it interesting to translate in a way as familiar
to the Czech readership as possible. The other interesting issues regarded in particular
the comparison to Jan Kanturek's translation on stylistic and lexical level and
summarizing the most obvious differences in our approaches. On the whole, my
translation could be evaluated as more expressive and informal, concentrating on the
comprehensible interpretation for the Czech reader as demonstrated in a number of
given examples.
In conclusion, I feel really grateful for this inspiring experience that I will certainly take
advantage of in my further path, either as an amateur in a teaching practice or even on
the professional level.
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
6 RESUME
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
This Bachelor thesis deals with the translation and subsequent analysis of selected parts
of a science fiction novel Interesting Times written by Terry Pratchett. It is divided into
two main parts. The first is practical, containing the translation itself, whereas the
second is theoretical, analysing the various translation problems I ran into during my
work and presenting my own solutions to them and comparing them, in most cases, to
the official Czech translation Jan Kantůrek made in 1998.
Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Masaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature
7 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lenka Křivková
Brno 2008
Primary literature:
1. PRATCHETT, Terry. Interesting Times. 1st
ed. London: GORGI BOOKS, 1995.
ISBN 978-0-552-14235-9.
Secondary literature:
2. PRATCHETT, Terry. Zajímavé časy. Překl. Jan Kantůrek. 1. vyd. Praha:
TALPRESS, 2007. ISBN 80-7197-158-8.
3. KNITTLOVÁ, D. K teorii i praxi překladu. 2. vyd. Olomouc: Univerzita
Palackého v Olomouci, 2003. ISBN 80-244-0143-6.
4. LEVÝ, J. Umění překladu. 2. vyd. Praha: Panorama, 1983. ISBN 505-21-825.
5. NEWMARK, P. A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice Hall, 1988.
ISBN 0-13-912593-0.
6. HRDLIČKA, M . Literární překlad a komunikace. Praha: Univerzita Karlova,
1997. ISBN 80-85899-22-1.
7. HAIS, K., HODEK, B. Velký anglicko-český slovník. Praha: Academia, 1991.
ISBN 80-200-0065-8
8. KERNERMAN, L. Password. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1991. ISBN 80-204-0288-8.
Internet sources quoted:
[1] Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. March 30, 2008. Wikimedia Foundations,
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Terry Pratchett: Interesting Times (Translation and Analysis of Selected Parts)
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Lenka KřivkováMasaryk University - Faculty of Education
Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
[3] Book Sense.com. 2000. Book Sense Inc. March 30, 2008.
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2008. <http://dictionary.cambridge.org>
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Department of English Language and Literature Brno 2008
3. Campbell, Mike. Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names.
March 11 2008. April 10, 2008. <http://www.behindthename.com/
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