gufare

English translation: jinx

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:gufare
English translation:jinx
Entered by: Maria Burnett

14:53 Oct 16, 2019
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / book
Italian term or phrase: gufare
This is the issue. This tale is about an owl and a bat that become friends. No issues with the whole tale, except this one. At some point, and I will report the exact passage. The author uses the word "gufare" to express something that brings back luck. Of course there is a reference to the word "gufo", which is one of the characters in the tale.

The issue is that I don't know how to translate that and, consequently, how to render the meaning of the sentence. I am looking for suggestions. Here is the sentence:

– Dovresti tornare dai tuoi compagni, sai? E convincerti che siamo aggressivi, che succhiamo il sangue, che siamo ciechi e ci attacchiamo ai capelli, così come pensano di noi gli umani – gli disse quando finì di lavarsi.
Bollino spalancò maggiormente gli occhi ma rimase in silenzio.
– Beh, non dici niente? – gli chiese il compagno in tono provocatorio.
– Visto che hai voglia di piangerti addosso aggiungo che vi considerano anche bruttissimi.
Dopo un attimo di silenzio il pipistrello iniziò a ridere, dapprima con un piccolo ghigno e poi sempre più rumorosamente mostrando i denti aguzzi. – Gli umani non sono gentili neppure con voi, però – riuscì a dire fra le risate – visto che la parola gufare significa portare sfortuna.
Hu hu hu, hu hu hu, hu hu hu – rispose Bollino, ridendo sguaiatamente insieme all’amico.

Should I change the sentence? or is there a way of rendering the concept in English? Thank you so much.
Maria Burnett
United States
Local time: 04:00
jinx
Explanation:
the literal translation of the meaning of 'gufare' in English
Selected response from:

Cedric Randolph
Italy
Local time: 09:00
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2jinx
Cedric Randolph
4 +1ill omen—harbinger of bad luck/misfortune—scared
Wolf Draeger
3 +1owling
Eduardo Siqueira
Summary of reference entries provided
Gufare...
Roberta Broccoletti

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
owling


Explanation:
There's no easy way out of this; gufare is clearly a play on words in this case, and its double-meaning is only truly understood in the original language.

You may want to consider the term 'owling', which has two meanings in English; 1) The smuggling of sheep or wool from England to another country (centuries ago—not the case here) or 2) the act of squatting at random locations for sport.

Now, this internet craze which lasted about a year (similar to 'planking') can be, if creative enough, used as an allusion to 'gufare'; at least the term 'owling' can be inserted - the bat will have to say something other than a 'bad luck' reference.

How you choose to re-design the word's identity is up to you; but at least comedically, something may play out.

It is possible to simply re-write, however. In cases like this, creative liberties are allowed, just make sure you inform the author.


    https://www.oddee.com/item_97833.aspx
Eduardo Siqueira
Brazil
Local time: 05:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Roberta Broccoletti: https://www.focusjunior.it/animali/animali-selvatici/e-vero-... anche per Inghilterra, ai tempi di Sheakespeare il gufo era portatore di sventure.
17 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ill omen—harbinger of bad luck/misfortune—scared


Explanation:
I don't think you can reproduce the pun on gufare/gufo in EN, so perhaps the next best thing is to use the symbolism of owls in some (not all) cultures as harbingers of death or misfortune, as ill omens.

The humour would be conveyed in the assertion by Bat that humans don't look kindly on owls either, seeing them as bad omens.

Or you could sidestep the problem altogether and go with a wording around "scared" or "frightened" (see my 2nd e.g. sent.).

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Note added at 4 hrs (2019-10-16 18:55:23 GMT)
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Of course, as a "night owl" myself, I associate owls with wisdom :-)

Example sentence(s):
  • [...] seeing as they fear you as an ill omen! / [...] since they see you as a harbinger of misfortune!
  • [...] judging by how scared they are of you!

    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl#Symbolism_and_mythology
Wolf Draeger
South Africa
Local time: 10:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kate Chaffer: This is the only sensible way of getting round it, replacing 'visto che la parola gufare significa portare sfortuna' with 'they think you're bad omens'
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Kate!
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
jinx


Explanation:
the literal translation of the meaning of 'gufare' in English

Cedric Randolph
Italy
Local time: 09:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  bluenoric: or jynx, as per EloE reference
27 mins

agree  Shera Lyn Parpia
3 hrs
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Reference comments


12 mins
Reference: Gufare...

Reference information:
Hallo Ms Maria..for me Your translation is lovely.
"Gufare" in the meaning of bad luck is lovely



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Note added at 32 min (2019-10-16 15:26:37 GMT)
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I'm sorry, now I check!

Roberta Broccoletti
Italy
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Italian
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thank you for your comment. However, the people that are reading the tale in English will have no way of understanding the relationship between gufare and bad luck. I am looking for an equivalent word in English or I might have to change the sentence altogether. English speaking readers most likely won't know that gufo is an owl, thus won't be able to make that leap.

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