Stichling Mallochers

English translation: attempt of a translation

14:58 Sep 4, 2006
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Folklore
German term or phrase: Stichling Mallochers
This is the part of the phrase that is puzzling me the most, but the meaning of the entire phrase is eluding me at present! Here's the sentence:

Er führte mit seinem Schwerte Streiche, als regierten es Luftgeister wie Stichling Mallochers, des regsamen Schneidermeisters, auch Geisterkönigs, Scheren und Nadeln.

From what I understand, the simile is referring to the way the Knight darts in and out with his sword like a tailor with needle and thread (or scissors as it says here), but I don't quite understand the sentence as a whole. The knight is competing in a tournament and the presence of a beautiful lady has spurred him on to win the contest.

I don't know if this helps, but the rest of the text uses words and phrases used more in south Germany/Austria.

I hope someone can shed some light on this! Thanks.
Lisa Hoggard
Italy
Local time: 10:47
English translation:attempt of a translation
Explanation:
His sword, resembling the busy needles and scissors of (und hier entweder einen sprechenden Namen einsetzen oder) the tailor who reigned over the spirit folk, danced as if it was guided by sylphs.

Muss natürlich noch überarbeitet werden, aber das überlass ich den engl. Muttersprachlern.
Selected response from:

silvia glatzhofer
Local time: 10:47
Grading comment
Danke schön, Silvia!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +2attempt of a translation
silvia glatzhofer
3explanation - not for points
Rahel H.
2greased lightning
Frosty


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


54 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
explanation - not for points


Explanation:
Ich kann keine Übersetzung beisteuern, aber so verstehe ich den Satz:

Er stach mit seinem Schwert zu, als ob es (das Schwert) von Luftgeistern regierte würde, so wie die Scheren und Nadeln von Stichling Mallocher, einem regsamen (fleißigen) Schneidermeister und Geisterkönig.
(d.h. Stichling Mallocher ist der Name des Schneiders und seine Scheren und Nadeln werden auch von Luftgeistern regiert.)

Perhaps this helps someone else to come up with a translation?

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Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-04 16:05:38 GMT)
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Der Name Stichling Mallocher ist vermutlich auch noch ein Wortspiel: "Stichling" von "stechen" und "Mallocher" von "Malocher" = umgs. Arbeiter

Rahel H.
Switzerland
Local time: 10:47
Native speaker of: German
Notes to answerer
Asker: Danke Rahel! Alleine hätte ich den Satz nie richtig verstanden. Manchmal braucht man einen Muttersprachler!

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
greased lightning


Explanation:
Thinking somewhat logically and out of the box:

Firstly, we have a hand tool: Stichling - Diese Raspel mit Bohrerspitze erlaubt das Ausarbeiten von beliebig konturierten Durchbrüchen in Holz und Gipskartonplatten.

The movements a Stichling would make when in use would be very similar to those of a sword - back and forth from the body, on a more or less horizontal plane.

Secondly, we have Mallochen - and, as Rahel H. correctly indicates, work, worker and suchlike. However, the word does carry the intimation of heavy montonous work with a high "sweat" potential - digging holes, dragging loads, sawing logs - or shaping pieces of wood/metal with a Stichling.

The swordblade is thus moving through the air at a high tempo - similar to the way a worker would be "malloching" with his "Stichling" in rasping down a piece of wood.

A term that did occur to me comes from a song by Mike Harding and involves a sewing machine - but I doubt it would be suitable here (too risque!), such things weren`t around when knights carried swords and a tailoring reference is already present.

Perhaps someone could offer a better alternative to "greased lightning" as a way of indicating a very fast sword movements.










Frosty
Local time: 10:47
Native speaker of: English
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
attempt of a translation


Explanation:
His sword, resembling the busy needles and scissors of (und hier entweder einen sprechenden Namen einsetzen oder) the tailor who reigned over the spirit folk, danced as if it was guided by sylphs.

Muss natürlich noch überarbeitet werden, aber das überlass ich den engl. Muttersprachlern.

silvia glatzhofer
Local time: 10:47
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Danke schön, Silvia!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Wow, I really like this! Thank you.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rahel H.: Sounds great.
12 hrs

agree  Gábor Simon
14 hrs
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