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
1600 Views
Bizarre that you would go to a Spanish translation
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
989 Views
(A translation note)
- 27/11/2010 04:05:28 PM
989 Views
Not really, when that's the only complete translation available in a language I read
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
1036 Views
- 27/11/2010 06:54:18 PM
1036 Views
It's an interesting discussion about that title... "disdain" is indeed somewhat weak.
- 27/11/2010 06:35:14 PM
1055 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
1058 Views
Re: Andrzej Sapkowski, Times of Disdain/Tiempo del odio
- 27/11/2010 09:37:07 PM
1123 Views
The main reason why I lean toward "hatred" is later on
- 27/11/2010 09:43:43 PM
1090 Views
Yeah, there may be a slight difference between Czech and English meaning of the word
- 28/11/2010 10:49:23 AM
1048 Views
Makes sense to me
- 28/11/2010 07:13:08 PM
1132 Views
Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 02:35:38 AM
1072 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
1149 Views
I didn't quote what happened immediately afterward, as that is a major spoiler
- 28/11/2010 07:16:39 PM
1024 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 28/11/2010 11:03:18 AM
1054 Views
Re: Now for that passage near the end of the book I said I'd post
- 29/11/2010 01:12:58 AM
900 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
975 Views
Time of Contempt is closest to original meaning
- 28/11/2010 11:42:56 PM
1147 Views
Perhaps, but there's been a weakening of "contempt" in English over the past few generations
- 28/11/2010 11:55:16 PM
1098 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
1114 Views
You made me want to go and reread this again
- 29/11/2010 12:07:46 AM
1104 Views
I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 12:32:23 AM
1181 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 01:05:30 AM
1104 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 05:02:48 AM
1111 Views
Re: I'm in the midst of re-reading The Tower of the Swallow
- 29/11/2010 04:39:02 PM
1138 Views
Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1152 Views
- 29/11/2010 11:37:22 PM
1152 Views
Re: Still, seeing as many as six consonants together can be intimidating for some of us
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1117 Views
- 30/11/2010 02:27:03 AM
1117 Views
I refuse to give the Germans credit when it comes to language and grammar issues!
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1302 Views
- 30/11/2010 03:04:30 AM
1302 Views
I don't see why; except maybe page long nouns
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1335 Views
- 30/11/2010 04:22:37 PM
1335 Views
I dunno, some people dig saying "Machtübernahme" and "Größerdeutschland"
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1154 Views
- 30/11/2010 05:53:43 PM
1154 Views

*NM*