Reported speech
Автор темы: Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Ирландия
Local time: 23:25
английский => немецкий
+ ...
Jun 20, 2013

Hi everyone! Once again I am battling a nightmare of a text written in reported speech in German. I am translating it into English. So each paragraph begins with an introductory verb but the introductory verb is then omitted in the rest of the sentences. (e.g. Sie erklärte, die Arbeiten seien abgeschlossen. Die Saison sei nun in vollem Gange und man könne sich auf die Besucher freuen.) The paragraphs usually consist of 10 sentences or more. In German, reported speech is quite obvious due to th... See more
Hi everyone! Once again I am battling a nightmare of a text written in reported speech in German. I am translating it into English. So each paragraph begins with an introductory verb but the introductory verb is then omitted in the rest of the sentences. (e.g. Sie erklärte, die Arbeiten seien abgeschlossen. Die Saison sei nun in vollem Gange und man könne sich auf die Besucher freuen.) The paragraphs usually consist of 10 sentences or more. In German, reported speech is quite obvious due to the use of the Konjunktiv. However, this is not the case in English, as the backshift of tenses is not as obvious as the Konjunktiv.

So here is my question: do I need to include an introductory verb in each sentence (in the translation)? Or does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to handle this one?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
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David Wright
David Wright  Identity Verified
Австрия
Local time: 00:25
немецкий => английский
+ ...
Come across this often Jun 20, 2013

(with the higher court decision summarising the previous court's decision)

I always insert a reporting verb whenever the text becomes unclear. I don't think you can leave this out over long stretches, since as you say, the tense shift isn't as unambiguous as the subjunctive. How often you use a reporting verb is a question of felling what makes the text work in English.


 
Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Ирландия
Local time: 23:25
английский => немецкий
+ ...
Автор темы
Thank you David! Jun 20, 2013

So, whenever you feel you can leave out the verb, do you still apply the backshift of tenses?
So in the example above: She said that the work was now completed. "The season is now in full swing and we can welcome our visitors." or "The season was now in full swing and we could welcome our visitors."


 
Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker  Identity Verified
США
Local time: 18:25
испанский => английский
+ ...
Workaround Jun 20, 2013

How about modifying the meaning of "erklärte" and use an introductory clause or other verb to compensate for the lack of a reported speech tense in English? In other words, shift the meaning of the German subjunctive to the English declaring verb.

Something like this:
According to her, the work is finished, the season is now in full swing and we can welcome our visitors.

The words "according to her" make it clear that this is something she "erklärte", but also d
... See more
How about modifying the meaning of "erklärte" and use an introductory clause or other verb to compensate for the lack of a reported speech tense in English? In other words, shift the meaning of the German subjunctive to the English declaring verb.

Something like this:
According to her, the work is finished, the season is now in full swing and we can welcome our visitors.

The words "according to her" make it clear that this is something she "erklärte", but also distances the writer from the statement.



[Edited at 2013-06-21 03:37 GMT]
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Michael Wetzel
Michael Wetzel  Identity Verified
Германия
Local time: 00:25
немецкий => английский
explained + colon Jun 21, 2013

What about: "She explained: The work is finished. The season is now in full swing and we can welcome visitors."?

Jeff's solution (simply combine into one sentence) seems simpler, if there are really only the three clauses spread over two sentences. However, if it is a longer string of statements, this alternative might be worth considering. It doesn't really seem to add ambiguity in terms of whether the statements are assigned to the speaker or to the author, as long as the strategy
... See more
What about: "She explained: The work is finished. The season is now in full swing and we can welcome visitors."?

Jeff's solution (simply combine into one sentence) seems simpler, if there are really only the three clauses spread over two sentences. However, if it is a longer string of statements, this alternative might be worth considering. It doesn't really seem to add ambiguity in terms of whether the statements are assigned to the speaker or to the author, as long as the strategy is applied with a bit of common sense.

Oddly enough I've never really had this problem before, but it's an interesting translation problem.
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Elizabeth Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Ирландия
Local time: 23:25
английский => немецкий
+ ...
Автор темы
Yes, indeed... Jun 21, 2013

since my deadline was yesterday evening, I had to make a decision and this is exactly what I did, Micheal. The text was very long and most of it referred to expert opinions or witness statements, meaning that most of it was written in reported speech. So, I thought the most elegant solution was to use an introductory sentence (in my case "The Claimant argued as follows: ...." or "The expert explained the matter as follows: ..."). I suppose, you don't think about these issues until you have to fa... See more
since my deadline was yesterday evening, I had to make a decision and this is exactly what I did, Micheal. The text was very long and most of it referred to expert opinions or witness statements, meaning that most of it was written in reported speech. So, I thought the most elegant solution was to use an introductory sentence (in my case "The Claimant argued as follows: ...." or "The expert explained the matter as follows: ..."). I suppose, you don't think about these issues until you have to face them. It's not a very common problem but I seem to be attracting these types of documents. Thanks everyone for your input!Collapse


 


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Reported speech






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