sleight of hand

Danish translation: kunstgreb

08:48 Jul 24, 2013
English to Danish translations [PRO]
Poetry & Literature / drama
English term or phrase: sleight of hand
I'm doing my first literary translation of a play from English to Danish and I'd like a suggestion for 'sleight of hand'...or 'grandest illusion' as it appears in the text: "It was Werner Best's grandest illusion...."

Bit more context: the writer is a film director, so the reference is also obviously a nod to Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion. It refers to the fact that while appearing to obey Hitler's orders to arrest all the Danish Jews, he also pulled the wool over Hitler's eyes by warning them first so the had a chance to get out. Why? Because he wanted a quiet life.
phil curry
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:03
Danish translation:kunstgreb
Explanation:
Gyldendal suggests the following options for 'sleight of hand':

behændighed
taskenspillerkunst
tryllekunst
kunstgreb
greb

Ordbogen.com adds 'list' as an alternative.

Out of the above, I think only 'kunstgreb' matches the given context, although I don't quite understand why you are asking for a translation of 'sleight of hand' when the context says 'grandest illusion'...
Selected response from:

564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 07:03
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4mest storslåede illusion
Neil Paterson
3kunstgreb
564354352 (X)


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
sleight of hand or grandest illusion
mest storslåede illusion


Explanation:
If it is grandest illusion you want translated I would go with mest storslåede illusion, sleight of hand is something quite different.

Neil Paterson
Local time: 07:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in DanishDanish
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
kunstgreb


Explanation:
Gyldendal suggests the following options for 'sleight of hand':

behændighed
taskenspillerkunst
tryllekunst
kunstgreb
greb

Ordbogen.com adds 'list' as an alternative.

Out of the above, I think only 'kunstgreb' matches the given context, although I don't quite understand why you are asking for a translation of 'sleight of hand' when the context says 'grandest illusion'...

564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 07:03
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Gitte, of course! Not having a dictionary didn't help, but I did know that - thanks for reminding me. note behind the ear to buy Eng Da dictionary!

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