Friday, May 21, 2010

OD --- from, or since, or something else

“OD” with a date is simply translated as “Since”. “Od 1989 jest nagroda jego imienia.” — “Since 1989 there has been an award in his name”. However, “since” applies then the action is continued to the present. A paraphrase is necessary the action has been terminated in the past. “Od 1812 Beethoven by’ głuchy” — “In 1812 Beethoven became deaf”.

3 comments:

Triduana said...

Though you could just write "Beethoven was deaf from 1812"...

hyoomik said...

"from 1812" sounds strange to me, although it is literal here. The problem is that "from" is such a multipurpose word, and it could mean a cause. For example, "Od wojny w 1812 Beethoven byl gluchy" -- From the war in 1812 he was deaf -- maybe all the cannons and noise caused him to be deaf, and his deafness might have come much later.

Triduana said...

"from 1812 onward(s)"?

I suppose it sounds odd with "was deaf", but in other cases, oh, "struggled with the gerund", it might work.

But you have a point.