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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Klabautermann

English translation:

Klabautermann

Added to glossary by Olaf Reibedanz
Jul 5, 2004 15:17
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

Klabautermann

German to English Art/Literary Folklore Elves, Pixies, Gnomes ...
I recently came across this in a text for kids' face-paints (the children could paint themselves a "klabautermann" mask). As far as I know Pumuckl is a Klabautermann and a klabautermann is some kind of ship's protective spirit (I've seen quite a few translations: from hobgoblin, to (what I eventually used for the sake of understanding - ship's imp - I considered elf) to the German word being used in English. I also feel that ship's spirit isn't quite right.

It really made me think, though ... there are quite a few cultural concepts that are rather hard to render in English. So, I was just wondering: Is there an Anglo-Saxon concept of some kind of Klabautermann - i.e. is there a proper word for Klabautermann, i.e. similar Anglo-Saxon legends, or is it something you just have to describe?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 Klabautermann
3 +2 Leave it in German and add a note

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com Jul 6, 2004:
Funny you say that Nancy - about ship's spirit - that's what I originally used, but my agency didn't like it and changed it to kobold, which is how I ended up with imp.
Manfred Mondt Jul 5, 2004:
Wer erinnert sich noch:
Es weht der Wind mit St�rke zehn das Schiff schwankt hin und her
am Himmel ist kein Stern zu sehn es tobt das wilde Meer
O seht dort zeigt sich der Klabautermann
Doch wenn der l Mast auch bricht-Das kann doch einen Seemann nich
Manfred Mondt Jul 5, 2004:
So schlimm wie Langnet andeutet ist die Sache auch wieder nicht. Der K ist auf dem Schiff um es zu besch�tzen. Siehe auch:
http://www.janmaat.de/klabaut.htm
http://www.oppisworld.de/poesie/philo/klabaut.htm
langnet Jul 5, 2004:
auch b�se, aber relativ harmlose Streiche spielt. F�r "goblin" lese ich bei leo.org dagegen auch "der Alb" ("Alp"), ein furchtbares Wesen, vielleicht ist das also eine gute Wahl.
Maria Ferstl Jul 5, 2004:
Glaube ich auch nicht. Ich persoenlich habe noch nie eine Geschichte vom Klabautermann gelesen, aber das Wort weckt in mir negative Assoziationen. So etwas wie ein unheimliches Gesicht, das im Dunkeln auftaucht und Angst macht...
langnet Jul 5, 2004:
er erscheint den Seeleuten, um den Untergang ihres Schiffes (also den Tod) anzuk�ndigen und ist/war deshalb sehr gef�rchtet. Du solltest diese negative Bedeutung unbedingt auf Englisch mit her�berbringen. Ein "Kobold" ist f�r mich eher ein Wesen, das
langnet Jul 5, 2004:
Hallo Sarah, ich halte mich wohlwei�lich zur�ck beim Vorschlag einer englischen �bersetzung, m�chte aber eine Sache anmerken, die mir bei den gegebenen Antworten fehlt und vielleicht zur Entscheidung beitr�gt. Der "Klabautermann" ist keine positive Figur,
Non-ProZ.com Jul 5, 2004:

Thank you to everyone for all your efforts. It was actually more of a theoretical question as I had already translated it for my text (and rephrased it so that kiddies will understand it - it was the title of a make-up mask).

I was more interested really in not how to translate it, but if there is an actual equivalent in Anglo-Saxon mythology - It seems to be some kind of Germanic creation, but I had never come across anything similar in Britain, etc.

However, in any case (other than kid's make-up) where it is important to convey the right meaning, I think I agree: Leave it as it is (with explanation) - it isn't looking like there is any equivalent.

I love mythology!
Stefanie Sendelbach Jul 5, 2004:
Hi Sarah, how about ship's goblin then? Would that fit better?
Non-ProZ.com Jul 5, 2004:
Hi Olaf!
You've got to bear in mind what kind of native speakers you're addressing - although I know the word Kobold, I've only known it since I learnt German (It is not generally known). Educated people or German-speakers might know it, but the book was for children ...
Non-ProZ.com Jul 5, 2004:
Also we considered using kobold, but most English-speakers don't know what it means
Non-ProZ.com Jul 5, 2004:
I agree that the term should be left, but as this was a text for children's face paints to be understood by children, I translated it as ship's imp. I think it depends on the kind of text you're translating.

Proposed translations

+3
6 mins
Selected

Klabautermann

I think the best would be to leave the word as it is and not to translate it. Just add a little explanation in brackets ("ship's kobold" should do) the first time the word occurs in your translation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2004-07-05 15:34:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think the word \"kobold\" is not that unknown to English speakers - at least there is an entry for it in the Webster\'s New World Heritage Dictionary and there are plenty of google hits.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 34 mins (2004-07-05 15:52:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Dear Sarah, if you want to make sure that the children understand it, you could add the following description in brackets:

\"A klabautermann is a small spirit living on a ship and having supernatural powers. It is invisible to us and likes to play all sorts of jokes and tricks on people.\"

Something along those lines :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree avantix
4 mins
agree David Hollywood : going to agree with Sundari too and strongly recommend that you all get your hands on a copy of the marvellous Achim Reichel album of the same name :) rock on :)
18 mins
agree Nancy Arrowsmith : I would use ship's spirit instead of imp or kobold - more easily understandable!
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you to both you - your comments and answers were really interesting. Points go to Olaf for your cute explanation. Incidentally, I also saw kobold in Merriam-Webster (before you mentioned) it, but I was really surprised, because I didn't know it even existed in English. "
+2
7 mins

Leave it in German and add a note

Hi Sarah,

I agree with you that the term has quite a lot of cultural concept behind it. For a translation, I suggest you leave the German term and add a note, explaining it is some kind of sea kobold or ship's kobold (see below the two sources that I found).

Klabautermann: a kind of sea kobold. ...
www.talklikeapirate.com/howtogerman.html -

SHIP'S KOBOLD or GOBLIN (KLABAUTERMANN). ...
www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/ walkthroughs/shadowsoverrivawalk2.htm
Peer comment(s):
agree Kathinka van de Griendt
13 mins
agree David Hollywood : same as I said for Olaf :)
20 mins
Something went wrong...
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