ProZ.com translation contests »
Mini-contest 2012: "Yogi Berra Quotes" » English to Dutch

Competition in this pair is now closed, and the winning entry has been announced.

Discussion and feedback about the competition in this language pair may now be provided by visiting the "Discussion & feedback" page for this pair. Entries may also be individually discussed by clicking the "Discuss" link next to any listed entry.

Source text in English

There were 15 entries submitted in this pair during the submission phase.

Entries submitted in this pair were rated on a per-segment basis. Listed below are all submitted translations of each individual source text segment.


Submitted segment translations

Translations submitted for each source text segment are listed below. Segments have had surrounding punctuation stripped, and the resulting identical segments have been grouped together, so each listed translation should differ, but the difference may be subtle (eg. internal punctuation or diacritics).

Viewing segment # out of 14

Source text segment #2

- "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."
Rank by:
+61 | -5
This has nothing to do with cutlery. The phrase is paradoxical because as a noun, a fork (in the road) is a singular entity, but it presents two options, right or left, one of which must be taken. The fork itself cannot be taken.
+27 | -4
There is actually a solid truth behind that puzzling piece of wisdom from
old Yogi. When we come to a fork in the road of life, we have to go one
way or the other. We can't just stand there scratching our heads forever,
turn back and pretend the choice
+21 | -3
Berra insists that this is part of some driving directions to his house. In his hometown of Montclair, New Jersey, there is a fork in the road and either way you take, you will get to his house. Some people find this to be a very poignant quote, thinking
+14 | -5
One interpretation is that one should not hesitate (too much?) before making a decision.
+23 | -16
1) When you find a fork (for eating) in the road, take it (pick it up).
The second meaning has extra ambiguity because it's a non-sequitur:
A fork in the road is when you have two or more possible routes to take. "take it" is ambiguous - take which route?
+11 | -6
One interpretation is that one should not be afraid to meet challenges. A fork in the road is a challenge that one has to solve, and to "take it" means to deal with it without (too much) hesitation.
+10 | -6
Finding a "fork" in the road has double meaning - a fork for eating and splitting of the road into two or more different directions. You can take both - an ambiguity of the two meanings makes it funny.
+7 | -5
I agree it has nothing to do with cutlery. The point is though that as a standalone statement, it CAN i.e. it's one possible interpretation. Especially when the confusion of the non-sequitur forces you to question whether or not the unlikely interpretatio
+1
Finding a fork on the road is similar to coming to a cross road, you have to decide which turn to take.
+1
This quote could rate as some kind of a condensed Zen koan. It has nothing to do with choice, it's just about embracing the paradox itself. Come to a fork? Nevermind, just go on, wherever you may end up. I don't think the double meaning can be translated.

Translations of this segment (15 total; 15 unique)

Als je bij een zijweg komt, neem die dan
Neem een besluit op het juiste moment
Wanneer je bij een splitsing komt, neem je die
Als je bij een T-splitsing komt, pak die dan
'Als je voor een belangrijk kruispunt in je leven staat, neem dan de juiste beslissing
Als je bij een splitsing komt dan moet je die nemen
Als je bij een splitsing komt op de weg, volg ze dan
Aan de lichten rechtsaf, en dan bij de splitsing gewoon rechtdoor
Als de weg in een splitsing overgaat, moet u de weg volgen
Wanneer je bij een splitsing in de weg komt: neem hem
Als je voor een tweesprong staat, ga je daarin
Als je bij een vork in de weg komt, pak je hem op
Wanneer je bij de takken in de weg komt, neem ze
Kom je bij een splitsing in de weg, sla 'm dan in
Wanneer je op de weg bij de vork uitkomt, sla in

Viewing segment # out of 14