Could you translate this sentence for me...

fuksja · Post by **fuksja** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 2:13 am

Hey, could somebody translate for me: "Every second that goes by, I think of you." into Finnish? just make sure spelling is 100% correct, it's gonna be engraved on a gift

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Lamauttaja · Post by **Lamauttaja** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:25 am

I've never heard that in finnish, so it can hear a litte stupid.

Ajattelen sinua joka toisen ohikulkijan kohdalla
could be what you are looking for, but wait if someone knows better

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:00 am

You might want to consider Ajattelen sinua joka hetki (I think of you every moment) or Ajattelen sinua jatkuvasti (I think of you continually) or Olet jatkuvasti mielessäni (You're continually on my mind) or Olet aina mielessäni (You're always on my mind) instead.

It's your call whether to use one of these or the earlier suggestion.

But I'd stick with one of these, so far.

Be sure you spell correctly. It looks incredibly lame when you double the wrong letter and halve one that should be double, particularly when it's obvious you don't know the language and you're only copying something.

One doesn't generally translate these things word-for-word, not if you want a natural-sounding translation, so I left your intensifiers out. Finnish is an understated language and even when there is emphasis or exaggeration or hyperbole, it is generally expressed in different ways than in English.

I'm not sure it makes that great an impression anyway to send someone else's translation that you don't even understand. Are you sure it wouldn't mean more to them if the engraving were in YOUR language? Would you be more intrigued if you received an engraving in English or in Finnish?

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:02 am

Lamauttaja wrote:Ajattelen sinua joka toisen ohikulkijan kohdalla
...but wait if someone knows better

Hahaa, that is great!

Good advice straight afterwards.

jahasjahas · Post by **jahasjahas** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:07 am

Lamauttaja wrote:wait if someone knows better

Or how about "Joka sekunti se menee ohitse, minä ajattelen sinusta"?

(fuksja: go with AldenG's suggestions.)

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:22 am

jahasjahas wrote:Or how about "Joka sekunti se menee ohitse, minä ajattelen sinusta"?

Every second that goes by, I think from you.

fuksja · Post by **fuksja** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:25 pm

Thank you all for quick replies, you're really helping me a lot!

AldenG, I was considering writing it in English, but it's not my first language either. We both live in UK and I thought that writing it in Finnish would make it even more special, not as if I took the producer's suggestion from catalogue

I think I'll use one of your versions, so thanks a lot!

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:54 pm

fuksja wrote:I think I'll use one of your versions, so thanks a lot!

I'd use first or last. The jatkuvasti versions seem somehow... suffocating to my taste.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:59 pm

Ajattelen sinua joka toisen ohikulkijan kohdalla

So, who do you then think of when the first passer-by comes along?

Hpslm · Post by **Hpslm** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 2:36 pm

Upphew wrote:
jahasjahas wrote:Or how about "Joka sekunti se menee ohitse, minä ajattelen sinusta"?
Every second that goes by, I think from you.

Actually: Every second it goes by I think from you

Translating back to English would fix those errors but it does underline how translation is context sensitive.

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