This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Danish to English
  3. Religion

bedekølle

English translation: prayer bat

21:23 Jan 11, 2009
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Religion / Article on Muslim converts
Danish term or phrase: bedekølle
Here's a bit of a challenge! I'm working on a newspaper article about Danes who have converted to Islam. The word "bedekøller" is used, possibly as a joke, but I cannot work out whether or not a pun is intended:

"Imamen oplever også selv, at nogle slækker på reglerne, som tiden går, men han kommenterer det ikke.
»Jeg har ikke nogle bedekøller stående i hjørnet, som jeg kommer efter dem med,« siger Abdul Wahid Pedersen og lader et stænk af jysk lune skinne igennem sin imam-aura, inden han igen bliver alvorlig."

"Bedekølle" can mean "leg of mutton/gigot", but can anyone confirm whether it might also refer to an implement used in prayer, e.g. "prayer wand" or similar? Any comments at all will be greatly appreciated, as I see the potential here for an almighty gaffe...!
Pernille Chapman
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:27
English translation:prayer bat
Explanation:
That's a difficult one alright. It sounds like a play on words: bedekølle = leg of mutton, but bede = pray and kølle = (slagkølle) = club, bludgeon or cudgel, i.e. if they don't pray (5 times each day) he does not have a club to punish them with.

For some reason prayer bat came to mind (rhymes with prayer mat?)

Selected response from:

Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Local time: 20:27
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Diarmuid, for getting me out of a sticky situation! Excellent solution, and I'm sure the client will agree :-)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
1prayer bat
Diarmuid Kennan


  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
prayer bat


Explanation:
That's a difficult one alright. It sounds like a play on words: bedekølle = leg of mutton, but bede = pray and kølle = (slagkølle) = club, bludgeon or cudgel, i.e. if they don't pray (5 times each day) he does not have a club to punish them with.

For some reason prayer bat came to mind (rhymes with prayer mat?)



Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Local time: 20:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Diarmuid, for getting me out of a sticky situation! Excellent solution, and I'm sure the client will agree :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search