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Skötare i psykiatrisk vård
journalant

Glossary entry

Swedish term or phrase:

avdankad

English translation:

has-been

Added to glossary by Thomas Johansson
Aug 19, 2009 05:07
14 yrs ago
Swedish term

avdankad

Swedish to English Other Other
"Ytterligare ett motiv hos Modiano är ungdomen som tillstånd, begärligt eftertraktat och alltid utsatt för exploatering. Romanerna vimlar av AVDANKADE filmskådespelare, halvkändisar som ingen längre kommer ihåg, folk som i kraft av ungdomlig utstrålning haft sina femton minuter i rampljuset. Och alla är de på väg någonstans, en ny karriärmöjlighet kanske just öppnat sig i Buenos Aires …"
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 has-been
4 superannuated
4 superannuated
4 discarded
4 rejected
4 over the hill (actors)
3 washed-up
3 passé
3 discharged
1 burnt-out

Discussion

Thomas Johansson (asker) Aug 20, 2009:
Thank you for all the suggestions. I will select Viachaslau's "has-been", but I think "over the hill", "superannuated", "passe" and "faded" also might have worked fine in this particular context.

Proposed translations

+1
4 hrs
Selected

has-been

according to the dic entry it can only be noun, but google doesn't think so
Reference:

http://www.rockypatterson.com/DUMBING/Top100HasBeenActors.htm

http://collegecandy.com/2007/08/19/gawker-proves-has-been-actors-are-creepy/

Peer comment(s):
agree Martin Lilja : From what is said further on in the sentence this is what is meant. Also captures the spirit. However, perhaps it needs to be changed to "have - been" ?? in plural.
5 hrs
thanks, if used as an attribute than it should be kept unchanged - > has-been actors
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Tack!"
59 mins

burnt-out

my suggestion
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1 hr

superannuated

superannuated movie stars/actors

Example sentence:

"in the classic /.../Sunset Boulevard—the older woman, a superannuated movie star /.../ is less clearly a victim than her successors."

"Some might argue that it is equally surprising that a superannuated actor should have served two terms as US president"

Reference:

https://journals.ku.edu/index.php/amerstud/article/viewFile/2849/2808

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/jan/07/russia.comment

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1 hr

superannuated

either in the sense of "retired with a pension" or "old, and almost no longer suitable for work or use"

my suggestion

other alternatives:
retired, worn out

Ref. Cambridge and Oxford English Dictionaries, Norstedts
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2 hrs

discarded

This is just an alternative to Anna Herbst's "superannuated", which may or may not be more appropriate for the text's register. The difference, I suppose, is that a "discarded" actor implies rejected, while a superannuated actor suggests elderly, or past their prime. Both are more or less interchangeable, but on googling the term "discarded actors" vs "superannuated actors", the former was the more prevalent. It is also easier on the tongue. My point is: I would use "superannuated" in a formal, academic setting, and "discarded" in a text whose main concern is readability for the general reader.
Example sentence:

He spent the day in sonorous complaints against destiny and like all discarded actors was full of an offensive and useless egoism.

This I must say seems to be some kind of quality of Tarantino, to get discarded actors and actresses and give them an opportunity to shine once again.

Reference:

http://www.archive.org/stream/greatstoriesabou013545mbp/greatstoriesabou013545mbp_djvu.txt

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3 hrs

washed-up

seems to fit the context
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3 hrs

passé

Another option
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3 hrs

rejected

Is one suitable term.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2009-08-19 16:49:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Perhaps 'faded' is suitable in the context.
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14 hrs

over the hill (actors)

I only came up with 50k google hits for "over the hill actors"
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17 hrs

discharged

Skådisar som ingen längre vill ha och får foten, avsett vilket skådisjobb de söker. Ingen rolig situation, men är man på dekis är detta vad som väntar... (kan även hända för oss översättare om vi inte sköter oss ;-)
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