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sich versenken in

English translation: to lose oneself in contemplation of

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:sich versenken in
English translation:to lose oneself in contemplation of
Entered by: Stephen Old

17:40 Jan 23, 2019
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Zen and haiku poetry
German term or phrase: sich versenken in
This text is about Wallace Stevens' poem Thirteen Ways ofLooking at ablackbird:

I think the poet is trying to become one with the balckbird buthow do I translate this term - sich versenken in - exactly. It I remember correctly Hermann Hesse used the term, "sich versenken" to describe a practice like Meditation in his novels. I never found a suitable translation when I readthose novels either.

Als Tier, in das der Dichter sich geistig versenkt hat, stellt sie die Verbindung von Mensch und Natur her, und als "blackbird" verkörpert sie in Korrelation dazu den schwarzen "Barden" ("black
bard“).25)
Stephen Old
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:42
to lose oneself in contemplation of
Explanation:
One suggestion with meditative intent

A guiding ideal of the haiku poet is selflessness: to lose oneself in contemplation of the object. https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/f134...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 3 hrs (2019-01-25 20:57:29 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

They do. It seems it is integral to the haiku, as well.
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:42
Grading comment
Thanks Helen. Poets definitely lose themselves in the objects they are contemplating. The ones I am writing about did anyway.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4to lose oneself in contemplation of
Helen Shiner
5become absorbed in
Jane Ninsiima
3 +1immerse oneself in
Michael Martin, MA
3to merge with/ become one with/
Ramey Rieger (X)
2 +1to identify with
Wendy Streitparth
Summary of reference entries provided
Your previous query
Anne Schulz

Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to merge with/ become one with/


Explanation:
to lose oneself in - another possibility of selflessness. Unfortunately, contemplation/meditation are, as verbs, poor translations


Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 23:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Katarina Peters: in this context.
16 mins
  -> Let's be one,..
disagree  philgoddard: This is overtranslation in my opinion, and you haven't provided any evidence.
20 mins
  -> I don't need evidence for what I know. To merge with is often used in contemplative/meditative practices.
disagree  Anna Augustin: I agree with Phil, it's a bit too literal.
47 mins
  -> See above.
agree  Helen Shiner: Considering the meditative context, I think this would work, too.
2 days 2 hrs
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
immerse oneself in


Explanation:
Seems like the expression is akin or at least similar to the idea of authors immersing themselves in their subjects.

My working translation:
As animal, in which the poet has spiritually immersed herself, she joins man and nature, and as "blackbird", she embodies its counterpart, black "bard".

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 17:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Anne Schulz
16 hrs
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to identify with


Explanation:
His consciousness never sicklied over the scene of decision and action ; it completely and inwardly identified itself with it.
https://brocku.ca/MeadProject/Dewey/Dewey_1931.html

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 23:42
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Wendy. As so often in English, there are many possible translations for this phrase. Each with a slightly different shade of meaning. I usually want to use them all!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lirka: I find this one most suitable
1 day 15 hrs
  -> Many thanks, lirka!
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
to lose oneself in contemplation of


Explanation:
One suggestion with meditative intent

A guiding ideal of the haiku poet is selflessness: to lose oneself in contemplation of the object. https://www.thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/f134...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 3 hrs (2019-01-25 20:57:29 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

They do. It seems it is integral to the haiku, as well.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 139
Grading comment
Thanks Helen. Poets definitely lose themselves in the objects they are contemplating. The ones I am writing about did anyway.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: http://en.pons.com/translate/german-english/versenken
28 mins
  -> Thanks, Phil
agree  Melanie Meyer
34 mins
  -> Thanks, Melanie
agree  Anna Augustin
52 mins
  -> Thank you, Anna
neutral  Michael Martin, MA: Sounds more like an explanation rather than a translation. How would you fit that into the sentence?//Normal English isn't the issue, sentence structure is. Show me how that sentence would accommodate your lengthy phrase and I'll withdraw my objection.
17 hrs
  -> It's normal English, Michael. I'll leave that to the Asker, as ever.
agree  Darin Fitzpatrick
21 hrs
  -> Thanks, Darin
neutral  Lirka: It sounds very nice, but I agree with Michael.
2 days 3 hrs
  -> Thanks for your comment. It is appropriate to the meditative context, whereas the other suggestions are not.
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
become absorbed in


Explanation:
something takes up all your attention

Jane Ninsiima
Uganda
Local time: 00:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in LugandaLuganda, Native in EnglishEnglish
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Reference comments


19 hrs
Reference: Your previous query

Reference information:
I think your previous query is relevant for the interpretation and translation of this one, and would therefore like to include it by reference for future readers of this post.

"Den Objektbezug Stevens' bildet das kigo "Drossel", welche als schwarzer Punkt die einzelnen Bilder zu einem "Haiku-Satz" an-einanderreiht und mit dem Autor identisch ist."


    https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/poetry-literature/6616582-objektbezug.html
Anne Schulz
Germany
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks, Anne, That quotation did not come up when I searched Proz.com/judoz for "Objektbezug,"

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