handwringing

11:43 Jan 20, 2011 

Hi Øystein, thank you very much for your input. I guess I'm looking for a Norwegian translation to the 'handwringing' in the context of the English definition here:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/handwringing -

"An excessive expression of distress": i.e. handwringing by some experts over the state of the economy?

10:11 Jan 20, 2011 

Hi,
Are you asking for the translation of the word "hand-wringing", or do you want something that works in this context? In subtitling, the meaning is more important than finding one single word that may mean the same. In this case, I don't think there is any one word in Norwegian that means the same. Hand-wringing is a bit idiomatic, and we don't use the hand metaphor in this sense, at least not me. The Swedish translation you refer to, sounds OK to me, it means "doubt", which is similar to the basic meaning. It would be "tvil" in Norwegian. The idiomatic Norwegian expression "Få ut fingern" may be translated as "Make a decision!!!", or "get on with it". Not sure you know the literal meaning, which is "get your finger out of your behind!", to say it nicely... So for me it could convey the meaning of the English more or less. I wouldn't have a big problem with this, except that "Få ut fingern" is slang, or at least very informal, compared to "hand-wringing". Hope this helps.