Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Aug 31, 2007 09:26
16 yrs ago
German term
United Kingdom
For the Love of Language
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
zerschunden
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Fantasy novel
This comes up a couple of times. Would "battered" be appropriate, or is it stronger than that?
"Dort hatten sich zwei weitere Frauen ängstlich zusammengekauert. Sie zitterten am ganzen Leib und schluchzten. Ihre Körper waren **zerschunden**, mit blauen Flecken und Blutergüssen übersät."
"Plötzlich sprang eine der **zerschundenen** Sklavinnen mit einem wilden Schrei hervor und stürzte sich mit bloßen Händen unversehens auf Grimmgour. "
"Dort hatten sich zwei weitere Frauen ängstlich zusammengekauert. Sie zitterten am ganzen Leib und schluchzten. Ihre Körper waren **zerschunden**, mit blauen Flecken und Blutergüssen übersät."
"Plötzlich sprang eine der **zerschundenen** Sklavinnen mit einem wilden Schrei hervor und stürzte sich mit bloßen Händen unversehens auf Grimmgour. "
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | battered |
Henry Schroeder
|
| 3 +1 | beaten |
Norbert Hermann
|
| 4 | ravaged / savaged |
Francis Lee (X)
|
| 3 | flayed |
franglish
|
| 3 | completely flayed |
Marcelo Silveyra
|
Change log
Sep 3, 2007 14:19: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"
Proposed translations
+1
3 hrs
Henry Schroeder
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
20 years of experience, certified, ATA
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English, Russian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
88
Selected
battered
I agree with you. Battered is exactly the word I would use for these women.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Henry. I'll go with my first thought then."
7 mins
flayed
another option
+1
56 mins
Norbert Hermann
Native in German
&
English
YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE - over 40 YEARS!
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: English to German, German to English, Portuguese to German, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
beaten
I would probably opt for beaten
... it's true it's true, we're beaten black and blue-- but it's all for you, it's ... a standing ovation as Tank bows over the beaten bodies of The Insiders ...
... journalists managed to escape with their lives and a harrowing story that ... Their bodies were beaten and bruised..." an unnamed officer was quoted as saying. ...
Early African Americans found ways to escape following their master's orders. ... Figure 1 shows a beaten slave and the scars that were left on his back. ...
Her fancies and contraptions always fill Her slaves' hands, and ... Madame Rita again comfortably sits and the beaten slave thanks Her for the whipping. ...
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Note added at 59 mins (2007-08-31 10:25:36 GMT)
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An there is nothing wrong with your suggestion "battered"
... it's true it's true, we're beaten black and blue-- but it's all for you, it's ... a standing ovation as Tank bows over the beaten bodies of The Insiders ...
... journalists managed to escape with their lives and a harrowing story that ... Their bodies were beaten and bruised..." an unnamed officer was quoted as saying. ...
Early African Americans found ways to escape following their master's orders. ... Figure 1 shows a beaten slave and the scars that were left on his back. ...
Her fancies and contraptions always fill Her slaves' hands, and ... Madame Rita again comfortably sits and the beaten slave thanks Her for the whipping. ...
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Note added at 59 mins (2007-08-31 10:25:36 GMT)
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An there is nothing wrong with your suggestion "battered"
1 hr
ravaged / savaged
Especially "ravaged"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Paul Cohen
: IMO "ravaged" could be misunderstood as raped / Well, you should thank your lucky stars that you've never been 'ravaged' (or flayed!!). Should we settle for beaten and battered? / Severely beaten?? Beaten bloody? How much blood do you want?
6 hrs
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A fair point, but I still think the above are closer to zerschunden than simply "battered"./ For me "zerschunden" implies blood(letting), so battered/beaten just don't do it for me.
|
7 mins
Marcelo Silveyra
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
A perfect track record of reliability
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
completely flayed
I would say that it's stronger, since "schinden" means "to flay." I personally associate flaying with more gruesome images than "simply" battering, but would wait for others' opinion on the matter as well.
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Note added at 3 days2 hrs (2007-09-03 11:42:53 GMT)
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Due to Paul's comment, I think that "flayed all over" would be a better choice than my original answer if the term "flayed" is to be used.
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Note added at 3 days2 hrs (2007-09-03 11:42:53 GMT)
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Due to Paul's comment, I think that "flayed all over" would be a better choice than my original answer if the term "flayed" is to be used.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Paul Cohen
: Fortunately, I've never been completely flayed. Is that akin to being flayed alive? I doubt that many people survive that kind of punishment. It means to have all your skin taken off (e.g., in a severe whipping, etc.). Or is this meant in a fig. sense?
7 hrs
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Hi Paul. It's meant in a fig.sense, of course....however, you did get me thinking...perhaps "flayed all over" would be better in a fig.sense.
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