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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

un buffo gadget

English translation: novelty item

18:08 Sep 2, 2018
Italian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / In A Magazine Article
Italian term or phrase: un buffo gadget
Contesto:

Le leggenda di P.I.D. (Paul Is Dead) non avrebbe avuto l'impatto che ha avuto, senz'un altra sigla a prima vista non meno oscura: O.P.D. È quello che si legge su un curioso distintivo che McCartney ha sul braccio sinistro proprio in quella foto. Per quasi tutti, McCartney in testa, è una scelta casuale, un buffo gadget canadese. Infatti O.P.D. starebbe per "Ontario Police Department. Secondo la versione complottistica O.P.D. indicherebbe la formula usata comunemente dalla polizia per dichiare il decesso di una persona: Officially Pronounced Dead.

Molte Grazie,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 12:10
English translation:novelty item
Explanation:
novelty: an article of trade whose value is chiefly decorative, comic, or the like and whose appeal is often transitory:
a store catering to tourists who loaded up with souvenir pennants and other novelties.

Since "novelty" already means something comic, I think you can safely leave "buffo" out here.

"Gadget" is one of those English words that has crept into Italian, used by the Italians to mean a novelty or promotional item, but "gadget" in English normally refers to a "mechanical contrivance or device; any ingenious article" (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gadget?s=t) - here we are talking about a badge or a patch that Paul is wearing on his arm, so I don't think "gadget" is appropriate.

Selected response from:

Fiona Grace Peterson
Italy
Local time: 18:10
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4novelty item
Fiona Grace Peterson
4 +2a fun gadget
Lisa Jane
4an amusing knickknack
Lara Barnett


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
novelty item


Explanation:
novelty: an article of trade whose value is chiefly decorative, comic, or the like and whose appeal is often transitory:
a store catering to tourists who loaded up with souvenir pennants and other novelties.

Since "novelty" already means something comic, I think you can safely leave "buffo" out here.

"Gadget" is one of those English words that has crept into Italian, used by the Italians to mean a novelty or promotional item, but "gadget" in English normally refers to a "mechanical contrivance or device; any ingenious article" (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gadget?s=t) - here we are talking about a badge or a patch that Paul is wearing on his arm, so I don't think "gadget" is appropriate.



Fiona Grace Peterson
Italy
Local time: 18:10
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 143
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. The issue I actually had with this phrase is what you have mentioned—that gadget usually refers to something mechanical, when, in fact, one is talking about a badge in this case.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  martini
5 hrs
agree  Ivana UK
8 hrs
agree  writeaway
14 hrs
agree  Michele Fauble
1 day 10 hrs
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
a fun gadget


Explanation:
or even 'funny little gadget'



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2018-09-03 12:25:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

if you don't want to stick to 'gadget' as it's often associated with devices (although promotional gadgets are not always devices) then I suggest SOUVENIR which would fit with Sir McCartney's claim that he picked up the badge while abroad in Canada. Also a single word.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2018-09-03 12:33:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or how about

memento

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/memento

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 18:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 496
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, I think "momento" fills the bill quite nicely. Thanks.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Davide Leone: "Funny" better than "Fun" in this case
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Davide!
agree  Daniela Cannarella: funny gadget, yes
17 hrs
  -> Thanks!
neutral  Fiona Grace Peterson: A "gadget" in Italian almost never means the same as "gadget" in English, especially not in this case.
17 hrs
  -> I see what you are saying ...let me think of a better word.
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1 day 21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
an amusing knickknack


Explanation:
An idea. Knickknack could cover many things, so could be appropriate here to cover the broader usage of "gadget" being used here.

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 87
1 corroborated select project
in this pair and field What is ProZ.com Project History(SM)?
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