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Translation Q

от Miland, 09 декември 2007

Съобщения: 7

Език: English

Miland (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 18:15:54

Can anyone translate the word Krampuso(n) as it appears in section 23 of part 3 of Richardson's textbook? The context is a letter in which that Barbro says that she is sending her boyfriend a clipping from a Swedish Esperanto periodical about Xmas, and says (my italics): 'Rigardu: kia bona knabino mi estas; do ne sendu al mi la teruran Krampuson! Mi tre timas lin.'

Charlie (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 20:00:29

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus:

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine region the Krampus is represented by an incubus in company of St Nicholas. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December and particularly in the evening of December 5 and roam the streets frightening children (and adults) with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas also slight birching especially of young females by the Krampus is part of tradition.

The present day Krampus costume consists of red wooden masks or Larve, black sheep's skin and horns. Considerable effort goes into the manufacture of the hand-crafted masks, as many younger adults in rural communities engage competitively in the Krampus events.

Miland (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 21:29:06

That makes sense, thanks. I wondered why I couldn't find it even in the PIV, but it could be a germanismo.
This shows the value of the internet; I couldn't find krampus even in the Oxford English Dictionary, so this appears to be a German word that has not been imported into English.

Miland (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 21:35:03

PS. Looking back, I just noticed that Section 20 of Richardson's book (p 225) explains in detail what a krampuso is, within the Esperanto narrative text (an earlier letter in the exchange). That explains why it wasn't in the vocabulary at the end of the book, or at the foot of section 23. I thought I might have seen it before!

Lanctupo (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 22:43:00

Ugh, I could tell you horrible stories about children chasen around by angry Krampusses through the dusky narrow cobble alleys of an old small wintry provincial town ... brrr!
I was among them!
(On the side of the chasen ones, of course.)

eb.eric (Покажи профила) 09 декември 2007, 23:49:24

Is it a tradition sort of like Halloween?

Lanctupo (Покажи профила) 10 декември 2007, 01:06:05

I don't know much about halloween, because it didn't yet exist during my childhood. I mean here in Germany, to where halloween has been imported just about 10, maybe 15 years ago.
As far as I know, halloween ist a kind of amusement for children; they dress up to scare, but nobody is scared, but gives sweets instead, right?
Krampus, however, is someone who professionally punishes bad children. And bad children are those, who prove their courage by provoking him.
When I was a child, to be caught by a Krampus really meant to be thrashed!

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