Polish-English Translation Competition #13 (closed)

The 13th translation competition absolutely coincidentally comes out on the 13th day of month. Given the waning attention Polandian’s readers pay to translation competitions, I am of the opinion it is high time we came up with something that would freshen up the content of the page. Before it happens, the last portion of translation puzzles. Here we go!

1. dać komuś popalić – to give sb a rough ride (island1)
2. radość życia – zest for life (Steve)
3. urżnąć się – to get hammered (-)
4. mieć przechlapane – to be in a doghouse (Steve)
5. salwy śmiechu – peals of laughter (siudol)
6. dojść do słowa – to get a word in edgeways (Decoy)
7. przypaść komuś do gustu – to take one’s fancy (Kasia)
8. podciąć komuś skrzydła – to take wind out of sb’s sails (Kasia)
9. otoczka dobrobytu – spare tyre (island1)
10. nie zmrużyć oka – not sleep a wink (daa)

There’s not leitmotiv this time, hope you won’t let me down, most of the phrases are really easy.

Good luck!

Polish-English Translation Competition #12 (closed)

If some of you, dear readers, wonder if the translation competitions will ever disappear from Polandian, I can assure you we have had more down than we have to go. We are actually winding down, hence short phrases to guess in this round.

1. niedoróbka – glitch (-)
2. zaścianek – a backwater (Decoy)
3. parapetówka – a house warming party (Basia z Szwecji)
4. rozchodniak – one for the road (Grze$ko)
5. wymówka – a cop-out (Basia z Szwecji)
6. zrzutka – a whip-round (Steve)
7. zapeszać – to put a jinx on it (-)
8. wykapany… – a spitting image (of sb) (Steve)
9. bajzel – shambles (-)
10. bebech – paunch (-)

Keep you answers short and simple!

Polish-English Translation Competition #11 (closed)

Traffic in Warsaw is snarled-up, hence it occured to me it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make speed a common denominator for this translation competition. Here we go!

1. iść pełną parą – to be in overdrive (-)
2. paliwożerca – a gas guzzler (Grze$ko)
3. ile wlezie – flat out (adthelad)
4. kumulacja – a rollover (TheAngol)
5. zdusić coś w zarodku – to nip sth in the bud (Pistefka)
6. bez zbędnych ceregieli – without further ado (Pistefka)
7. w gorącej wodzie kąpany – hot-headed (Kasia)
8. oberwanie chmury – a cloudburst (Pistefka)
9. klamka zapadła – a point of no return (Kasia)
10. na rzut beretem – within a stone’s throw (Kasia)

Hurry up!

Polish-English Translation Competition #10 (closed)

Some of readers might be despondent these days. The school year begins today, the weather hasn’t been clement recently in Poland, the days are drawing in, and autumn is imminent. For no apparent reason all those unfavourable circumstances prompted me to make criminality a leitmotiv of the tenth translation competition. Actually not all the phrases below refer to law violations, but in each case there’s at least a tiny connection with some sort of misconduct.

1. dojść do rękoczynów – to come to blows (Steve)
2. podprowadzić coś – to pilfer sth (PMK)
3. wieszać psy na kimś – to badmouth sb (Kasia)
4. podwędzić coś – to pinch sth (Name)
5. przekręt – scam (EM)
6. zbić kogoś na kwaśne jabłko – to beat sb to a pulp (Arturwarrior)
7. możni tego świata* – movers and shakers (-)
8. zaszywać się – to hole up (Name)
9. mały, krępy, niewywrotny** – pudgy (-)
10. nadziany*** – well-heeled (Tomasz)

* bear in mind there’s a numerous group of people in this country who believe everyone who belongs to the elite surely is a criminal…
** hint: use only one word
*** justification – to translate one of Poland’s most outstanding thinkers: “if somebody has money, they must have it from somewhere”

Polish-English Translation competition #9 (closed)

The heat(ing) is on, the new President has been sworn in, holiday period is drawing to a close. Life provides us with plenty of situations when we can we hear some drivel. To help deal with this and overcome the absurdities let’s tackle another dose of linguistic puzzles.

1. świrować – to go bananas (EM)
2. opowiadać duby smalone – to taletell (-)
3. wyzionąć ducha – to give up the ghost (Name)
4. opowiadać dyrdymały – talk bilge (Island1)
5. na haju – spaced out (Steve)
6. bujda na resorach – a cock-and-bull story (EM)
7. coś diabli wzięli – to go up in smoke (Island1)
8. trajkotać – to jabber (Steve)
9. w granicach rozsądku – within reason (Steve)
10. bez ładu i składu – without rhyme and reason (EM)

I’m sure the list above was compiled bez ładu i składu…

Enjoy anyway!