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Zwei Zupftöne aus einer mongolischen Maultrommel...

English translation: two plucked tones from a (Mongolian) Jew\'s harp

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Zwei Zupftöne aus einer mongolischen Maultrommel...
English translation:two plucked tones from a (Mongolian) Jew\'s harp
Entered by: Brennan Holt

19:31 Oct 19, 2016
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama / Movie script
German term or phrase: Zwei Zupftöne aus einer mongolischen Maultrommel...
Zwei Zupftöne aus einer mongolischen Maultrommel, die in leicht irritierender Disharmonie eine Weile nachschwingen.

This is the description of the end of a scene. I just have no idea what zupftöne can be translated into.

Thanks in advance for your help!

B
Brennan Holt
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:16
two plucked tones from a (Mongolian) Jew's harp
Explanation:
Zupfen means to pluck, which is how you play the Jew's harp anyway, so it's a bit of a tautology. And I'm not sure why it has to be Mongolian.

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Note added at 7 mins (2016-10-19 19:39:00 GMT)
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Or maybe "twanging sounds".
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thanks so much, very very useful
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5two plucked tones from a (Mongolian) Jew's harp
philgoddard
4 +1plucked notes from...
Rachel Hutcheson


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
two plucked tones from a (Mongolian) Jew's harp


Explanation:
Zupfen means to pluck, which is how you play the Jew's harp anyway, so it's a bit of a tautology. And I'm not sure why it has to be Mongolian.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2016-10-19 19:39:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or maybe "twanging sounds".


    Reference: http://dictionary.reverso.net/german-english/zupfen
philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 18
Grading comment
Thanks so much, very very useful

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Hutcheson: You must have posted this just as I was writing my answer!
2 mins
  -> Yes, I was racing to finish before you did.
agree  Lancashireman: 'twanging sounds' conveys the idea better. I think it might be better to call it a Khel Khuur http://mongoliamusic.weebly.com/instruments.html
15 mins
agree  Lonnie Legg: My post would have been identical, but I think Lancashireman's points are well taken.
2 hrs
agree  Paul Cohen: with a couple of twanging sounds from a khel khuur (I wonder why they call it a Jew's harp anyway).
8 hrs
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): nasal tones
9 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
plucked notes from...


Explanation:
I would go with something simple like plucked notes.

Rachel Hutcheson
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: I prefer "notes" to "tones"
12 hrs
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