Apr 14, 2010 18:08
14 yrs ago
Japanese term

へそくりのお洒落がま口鈴涼し

Japanese to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Pretty confused about how to translate this entire line, help please~
It's in the context of a poem

Discussion

Yohei Nakamitsu Apr 16, 2010:
>takanoriさん
discussion欄は、質問者に対して文脈について尋ねたりに使われることが多いので、そういう意見はnoteとして追記したほうがいいですよ。
takanori Apr 15, 2010:
I am enjoying other interpretations very much. The point is, according to me, why the purse should be related to へそくり, whether the former contains the latter, or the former was bought with the latter. The reason why I thought the sound of the bell 「涼し」 is not just "clear" but "innocent" is that the purse is something secret for the author (maybe an old or middle-aged lady) and nobody (even her husband) does not know the small secret of her. Thus, in my interpretation, the sound of the bell should be a symbol of something which tickles her mischievous enjoyment doing a tiny secret action (it may be, for example, a small revenge for her husband's tyranny.) Unless へそくり and 「涼し」い鈴の音 stand in contrast each other, there is no meaning for the purse to be something secret.

Proposed translations

9 hrs
Selected

..the clear, pure sound of the little bell on my stylish coin purse that contains my secret savings.

My interpretation as "...the clear, pure sound of the little bell on my stylish coin purse that contains my secret savings..." is based on the below:

- へそくり = secret savings; pin money, savings (that are) tucked away. (Shougakukan J-E Dictionary)
- お洒落 = stylish, tasteful, fashionable (in terms of fashion means stylish, tasteful, fashionable)
- がま口 = a pouch or a coin purse (Shougakukan J-E Dictionary)
- 鈴 = bell (in this case it is pretty small)
- 涼し = “refreshing” as in (涼しい風が出てきた:a refreshing breeze has sprung up)
= “clear [bright]” as in (目元の涼しい少年=a boy with clear [bright] eyes) (Shougakukan J-E Dictionary)


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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks very much :)"
1 hr

My lovely gamaguchi (traditional Japanese wallet) bought by secret savings...

This one looks a masterpiece! I don't know how to convey entire nuance it has, but literal translation will be like this. "My lovely gamaguchi bought by secret savings, a small bell attached to it makes a sound of innocence." 「涼し」 is a seasonal word of this haiku, but it does not refer to physical coolness here but "innocence". For へそくり and がま口, please refer to the following websites.

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Note added at 2時間 (2010-04-14 20:28:53 GMT)
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I should have said that this is a translation based on my interpretaion, not a literal translation. However, I guess it is not so far from the composer's intention.
Peer comment(s):

neutral Yohei Nakamitsu : I can't figure out why you thought that the savings was spent to buy a がま口.
1 day 5 hrs
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12 hrs

The charming purse with tinkling bells keeps my secret savings

The most difficult part is "鈴涼し", which expresses a fine clear sound of a small bell. I used "tinkling" to describe the atmosphere.

About "がま口", see the web reference. I think "charming" is appropriate to describe がま口. And additionally, it rhymes with "tinkling" and "saving(s)".
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1 day 7 hrs

My charming purse's secret savings are tinkling bells

I think the sound of the coins here is meant to be the focus of this line. The sound is described using 涼し to express the pleasure that the author gets from going shopping with her へそくり or maybe just adding more to it. It's a really cool image.
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