contempt as it is used in the title.
I can only speak for Czech language here, I don't know if this also applies to Polish.
Now, after some thinking about it, I believe that there's a slight difference. Not in the word contempt itself, but in adjectives that can be made from it. In Czech, as in English, you can have two adjectives derived from the noun contempt - contemptuous and contemptible - in Czech opovržlivý and opovrženíhodný. And I think that Czech opovrženíhodný can be a bit stronger than English contemptible, and that it can have a wider application than English contemptible.
Opovrženíhodný can also be translated as despicable, abominable, vile, and maybe even heinous. And if you inverse the Czech title and use opovrženíhodný you get something like Abominable Times or Vile Times. So, although the meaning of the title translated from Czech to English would be Times of Contempt (or Disdain), a Czech can feel the world opovrženíhodný in the title, and I think that it can therefore make a stronger impression in Czech than in English.
I can only speak for Czech language here, I don't know if this also applies to Polish.
Now, after some thinking about it, I believe that there's a slight difference. Not in the word contempt itself, but in adjectives that can be made from it. In Czech, as in English, you can have two adjectives derived from the noun contempt - contemptuous and contemptible - in Czech opovržlivý and opovrženíhodný. And I think that Czech opovrženíhodný can be a bit stronger than English contemptible, and that it can have a wider application than English contemptible.
Opovrženíhodný can also be translated as despicable, abominable, vile, and maybe even heinous. And if you inverse the Czech title and use opovrženíhodný you get something like Abominable Times or Vile Times. So, although the meaning of the title translated from Czech to English would be Times of Contempt (or Disdain), a Czech can feel the world opovrženíhodný in the title, and I think that it can therefore make a stronger impression in Czech than in English.
In today's English, "contempt" (and to an extent, "disdain") contains a callous disregard or disrespect for another, but it doesn't have the hint of violence. Perhaps "despise" or "despite" might carry that connotation of active dislike and disregard, close to but not fully synonymous with "hatred."
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.
Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
- 27/11/2010 03:24:22 AM
1515 Views
Bizarre that you would go to a Spanish translation
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
906 Views
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
906 Views
Not really, when that's the only complete translation available in a language I read
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
972 Views
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
972 Views
It's an interesting discussion about that title... "disdain" is indeed somewhat weak.
- 27/11/2010 06:35:14 PM
974 Views
When I have time later tonight, I'll translate the relevant passage near the end of the book
- 27/11/2010 06:57:23 PM
988 Views
Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
- 27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM
1050 Views
The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on
- 27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM
1012 Views
Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word
- 28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM
982 Views
Makes sense to me
- 28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM
1077 Views
Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM
981 Views
Hm. I'd actually say it makes me more inclined to think "contempt" is right after all.
- 28/11/2010 10:50:09 AM
1056 Views
I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler
- 28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM
940 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM
994 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM
830 Views
I find it funny that all the discussion in the thread is about the best translation of the title.
- 28/11/2010 10:17:44 PM
913 Views
Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning
- 28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM
1047 Views
Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
- 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM
1043 Views
Re: Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
- 29/11/2010 12:47:12 AM
1028 Views
You made me want to go and reread this again
- 29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM
1043 Views
I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM
1118 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM
1057 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM
1041 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM
1060 Views
Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1080 Views
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1080 Views
Re: Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1053 Views
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1053 Views
I refuse to give the Germans credit when it comes to language and grammar issues!
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1228 Views
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1228 Views
I don't see why; except maybe page long nouns
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1263 Views
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1263 Views
I dunno, some people dig saying "Machtübernahme" and "Größerdeutschland"
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1080 Views
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1080 Views

*NM*