Nov 8, 2018 09:56
5 yrs ago
English term

Scritch vit bottofix

English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
She groped for an ornate speaking tube, but Moist took it gently from her hand, whistled expertly down it, lifted it to his ear and flashed her a smile.
[…]
A voice in his ear, faint as a spider trapped in a matchbox, said: ‘Scitich wabble nabnab?’
‘Hugo? ’ said Moist. ‘It’s good of you to make time for me. It’s Moist, Moist von Lipwig. Postmaster General.’ He glanced at the speaking tube. It disappeared into the ceiling. ‘So kind of you to assist us, Hugo. It’s these missing letters. Five missing letters, to be exact.’
‘Scrik? Shabadatwik? *Scritch vit bottofix*!’
‘Don’t really carry that kind of thing, Hugo, but if you’d care to look out of your window you’ll see my personal assistant, Mr Pump. He’s standing on the other side of the street.’
And he’s eight feet tall and carrying a huge crowbar, Moist added mentally. He winked at the lady
sitting at the desk, who was watching him in a kind of awe. You had to keep people skills polished at all times.
He heard the muffled expletive through the floor. Via the speaking tube it became ‘Vugrs nickbibble!’
--quoted from Going Postal (2004, fantasy fiction) by Terry Pratchett (link: http://www.8novelsread.com/read/going-postal/334910)

Sorry for the length, but I have to. The context is that: Hugo, who said the weird words, had stolen some metal letters of a slogan sign from the post office to make his own sign, and Moist, Postmaster General, asked Hugo to return the letters with threat and succeeded, despite his reluctance.
The three lines said by Hugo were distorted by a speaking tube and became a voice "as a spider trapped in a matchbox", so left me three riddles to be cracked.
Now, the first line "Scitich wabble nabnab" may be "Is it corporal Nobby Nobbs". Here is my question about it: https://chi.proz.com/kudoz/english/poetry-literature/6586483...
The third line "Vugrs nickbibble!" may be "buggers nickable". Here is my question about it: https://chi.proz.com/kudoz/english/poetry-literature/6586031...

"Scritch vit bottofix" is the third part of the second line to be cracked.
Thank you very much for your participation!

Discussion

updownK (asker) Nov 8, 2018:
Summary of the 3 line of 5 riddles: Scitich wabble nabnab? = Is it corporal Nobby Nobbs? (by Ajin Im)
Scrik? = Excuse me? (my wild guess)
Shabadatwik? = So what's it have to do with me? (by Yvonne Gallagher)
Scritch vit bottofix! = Screw your post office! (my wild guess, not perfect for "Scritch vit", but fits Moist 's answer "Don’t really carry that kind of thing (screw)")
Vugrs nickbibble = buggers nickable (by David Hollywood, not perfect for "nickbibble")

Responses

+1
1 day 10 hrs
Selected

Screw the post office

Checking the Czech translation, the first line (‘Scitich wabble nabnab?’) is roughly (backtranslation from Czech) "What the hell is going on over there?" and the second line (‘Scrik? Shabadatwik? Scritch vit bottofix') is "What? How dare you? I'll see about that!"
The third line (‘Vugrs nickbibble!’) is translated as, basically, "Fuck my life."

Now, I think "Screw the post office" is a possible explanation, Moist's response would make sense.
(If we look at a screw as a tool that Moist, in fact, doesn't carry around with him. And Hugo presumably isn't too happy about the prospect of being beaten on by Mr Pump.)
Note from asker:
Thank you! You provide important reference for me.
Peer comment(s):

agree Yvonne Gallagher : good find
1 day 15 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much!"
+3
1 hr

it's rubbish

see my previous answer to your similar question
Note from asker:
Maybe. But after Ajin Im cracked "Scitich wabble nabnab" as "Is it corporal Nobby Nobbs?" which so fits the context, I am almost certain there are understandable version for these "rubbish".
And I think "bottofix" must be "post office"
Thank you very much! Your opinion is reasonable and helpful, but I'm afraid I cannot agree that these word are totally rubbish, at least part of them means something.
Peer comment(s):

agree Jack Doughty
9 mins
agree B D Finch
3 hrs
agree philgoddard
13 hrs
Something went wrong...
48 mins

scratch with a key wrench

bottofix seems to be some sort of wrench for bicycles

https://www.fietsshop.be/en/fietsonderhoud/389-bbb-sleutel-b...

scritch seems to be Scots for scratch
http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/skritch

or take off/remove/prise off since Moist responds with "don't really carry that kind of thing...but...carrying a huge crowbar"

I assume the crowbar is to prise the letters off and the fact the assistant is tall he won't need a ladder.







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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-08 12:05:31 GMT)
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yes, it's a guess for the distortion, to do with the response of ‘Don’t really carry that kind of thing"
Just saying "it's rubbish" is a cop-out imo

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Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-08 12:11:59 GMT)
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scritch could be just
is it...

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Note added at 14 hrs (2018-11-09 00:18:52 GMT)
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Good guess for bottofix being post office.
Note from asker:
Thank you, but I don't think they had reached the stage of talking about tools, because first reaction of Hugo seems to be denial of the fact. It is after seeing the big man Mr. pump with a crowbar that Hugo surrendered. I guess Hugo might mention some warrant or proof or similar things to raise obstacles against Moist.
"scritch could be just is it..." Agree!
Thank you!
Peer comment(s):

neutral Edith Kelly : The target language has to be adapted so it is not an cop-out. If not understable right away, the target language such also be garbled. So no need to "guess" the meaning as it is just a guess
20 hrs
it's a cop-out saying something is rubbish just because you don't understand it. There IS a conversation going on here between Moist and Hugo. So yes, the target can be garbled too but based on the garbled English as far as that can be ascertained
Something went wrong...
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