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
1475 Views
Bizarre that you would go to a Spanish translation
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
875 Views
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
875 Views
Not really, when that's the only complete translation available in a language I read
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
929 Views
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
929 Views
It's an interesting discussion about that title... "disdain" is indeed somewhat weak.
- 27/11/2010 06:35:14 PM
938 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
955 Views
Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
- 27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM
1016 Views
The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on
- 27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM
975 Views
Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word
- 28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM
946 Views
Makes sense to me
- 28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM
1037 Views
Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM
934 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
1010 Views
I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler
- 28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM
904 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM
942 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM
793 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
877 Views
Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning
- 28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM
996 Views
Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
- 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM
1013 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
1006 Views
You made me want to go and reread this again
- 29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM
1011 Views
I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM
1082 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM
1027 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM
1008 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM
1032 Views
Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1046 Views
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1046 Views
Re: Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1017 Views
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1017 Views
I refuse to give the Germans credit when it comes to language and grammar issues!
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1191 Views
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1191 Views
I don't see why; except maybe page long nouns
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1218 Views
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1218 Views
I dunno, some people dig saying "Machtübernahme" and "Größerdeutschland"
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1043 Views
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1043 Views

*NM*