június 13, 2007

a what?

Let's play.

I invite you to present English words, expressions and/or sentences that read the same from the front as from backwards. What did I just mean?
Palindromes.

Here are my versions (with my lame translations in brackets and italics)

--- Erős a sas őre. (the eagle has a strong guard)
--- Erőszakos kannak sok a szőre. (the agressive male has lots of hair)
--- Az a hat ló Bartókot rabolta haza. (these six horses captured Bartók home)
--- Indul a pap aludni. (the priest is going to sleep)
--- Indul a görög aludni. (the greekman is going to sleep)
--- Indul a kutya s a tyúk aludni. (the dog and the hen are going to sleep)
--- Géza, kék az ég. (Look, Géza, the sky is blue)
--- Leventét nevel. (he's raising a fighter)
--- Réti pipitér. (THIS IS NOT translation: this is the name of a flower that actually exists)
--- Goromba rab morog. (the impolite prisoner is grouching)
--- Csak a mama makacs. (only mommy is obstinate)

But hear the LONGEST palindrom in Hungarian:

"Kis erek mentén, láp sík ölén, oda van a bánya rabja, jaj Baranyában a vadon élő Kis Pálnét nem keresik."


This is a silly sentence, though a Hungarian speaker can completely understand it. No word-plays or slangs or really rare words. Maybe, some poetric images.
Here's my translation:
'Beside small creeks, on the heart of marshlands, the prisoner of the mine is gone, oh, the nomad wife to Kis Pál, is not sought after in Baranya anymore.'

Applause.

6 megjegyzés:

Beth írta...

Holy cow, that makes my head hurts. I know there are some, but wow, Hungarians have a LOT! If I think of any or come across any, I'll come back to post them.

Tia írta...

Wow! That is impressive. I won't try that at home!!!

Anniina írta...

The world's longest single word palindrome (in the Guinness Book of World Records) is the Finnish word "Saippuakauppias" which means "Soap seller" - I don't know of any in English really.

SzélsőFa írta...

Hello,
Beth - allright, if you come accross any, please let me know.
Tia - heehee.
Anniina - that is impressive! Thank you!

onlyjokinglasse írta...

The oldest palindrome must be the one that Adam said to Eve: Madam, i'm Adam.

SzélsőFa írta...

OnlyjokingLasse,
that is cool. I think I've heard of it some time before.