Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Poor John!
Indonesian translation:
kasihan, John! or John (yang) malang!
Added to glossary by
SeiTT
Apr 5, 2021 09:22
3 yrs ago
16 viewers *
English term
Poor John!
English to Indonesian
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Idioms
Hi
How can I translate "poor" in "Poor John" etc. It has nothing to do with not having enough money/wealth, but rather means he is to be pitied.
https://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-P/Poor-John.htm
Best
Simon
How can I translate "poor" in "Poor John" etc. It has nothing to do with not having enough money/wealth, but rather means he is to be pitied.
https://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-P/Poor-John.htm
Best
Simon
Proposed translations
(Indonesian)
| 4 +2 | kasihan, John! or John (yang) malang! |
fird_77
|
| 5 +1 | John yang malang! |
Regi2006
|
| 5 | John yang malang! |
Merry Salaa
|
| 5 -1 | ngenasnya kamu john! |
ErichEko ⟹⭐
|
Proposed translations
+2
5 mins
Selected
kasihan, John! or John (yang) malang!
It can be translated both ways according to context!
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Note added at 12 hrs (2021-04-05 22:18:14 GMT)
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To Bung Erich Eko, I am very sorry that my words provide unintended consequences. That wasn't what I intended. I personally have been benefitting much from your detailed, accurate and well-researched answers. Good kudoz for that. I see Proz as a place for healthy and fruitful discussion, with agreements and disagreements as something natural and not personal. However, please refrain from using 'typical warga +62' as this can be interpreted as labelling our entire en-id community of translators/interpreters, you and me included. For any inconveniences caused, I do apologize!
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Note added at 12 hrs (2021-04-05 22:18:14 GMT)
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To Bung Erich Eko, I am very sorry that my words provide unintended consequences. That wasn't what I intended. I personally have been benefitting much from your detailed, accurate and well-researched answers. Good kudoz for that. I see Proz as a place for healthy and fruitful discussion, with agreements and disagreements as something natural and not personal. However, please refrain from using 'typical warga +62' as this can be interpreted as labelling our entire en-id community of translators/interpreters, you and me included. For any inconveniences caused, I do apologize!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "many thanks, excellent"
+1
4 mins
John yang malang!
Semoga membantu!
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Note added at 5 mins (2021-04-05 09:27:59 GMT)
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a terletak melintang: sehabis badai itu batang dan dahan kayu -- melintang di jalan
a bernasib buruk; celaka; sial: ia menerima nasibnya yang -- itu dengan penuh kesabaran
https://kbbi.kemdikbud.go.id/entri/malang
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Note added at 6 mins (2021-04-05 09:28:46 GMT)
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Malang means unlucky or ill-fated
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Note added at 5 mins (2021-04-05 09:27:59 GMT)
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a terletak melintang: sehabis badai itu batang dan dahan kayu -- melintang di jalan
a bernasib buruk; celaka; sial: ia menerima nasibnya yang -- itu dengan penuh kesabaran
https://kbbi.kemdikbud.go.id/entri/malang
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Note added at 6 mins (2021-04-05 09:28:46 GMT)
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Malang means unlucky or ill-fated
8 mins
Merry Salaa
Indonesia
Indonesia
Native in Indonesian
Indonesia
Experienced in all translation methods
Native in: Indonesian 
Works in: English to Indonesian, Indonesian to English
John yang malang!
"malang" is to be pitied on ones being indeed and doesn't necessarily mean lack of money/wealth
-1
1 hr
ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Indonesia
Native in Indonesian
Indonesia
Legal, Marketing, Biz, Software, Games
Native in: Indonesian (Variant: Standard-Indonesia) 
Works in: English to Indonesian, Indonesian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
54
ngenasnya kamu john!
Lalu, dia menggelengkan kepala, menatapku, dan berkata
Ngenasnya kamu John! Ngenasnya!...
Please translate it back first!
The underlined phrase has this expansive translation: How pitiable you are, John! and this simple one: Poor John!. It is also common in Indonesian to repeat just the most important word (in this casse, ngenasnya, so you'll get back your song from the above lines:
Then she shook her head, looked at me and said
'Poor John, Poor John.'
Please argue it secondly!
For someone so close (in this case a mother and a son), ngenasnya expresses a deeper affection and concern, yet with a touch of ironic self-resignation.
Please provide some refs lastly!
https://www.liputan6.com/tag/jomblo-ngenes
5 Potret Ngenesnya Jomblo Ini, Bikin Geleng-geleng Kepala.
EN: 5 pics (showing) how poor/pitiable this unmarried guy is, make [us] shake [our] heads.
Note: ngenesnya is a colloquial spelling of ngenasnya.
https://kzpost.info/ex/j5eombiFpmeggd0/ost-crayon-shinchan-v...
Oh ngenesnya aku, ngenes sekali
Kalau begini aku jadi sibuk
Berusaha mengejar-ngejar dia...
EN: Oh, poor me, very poor me. If this is the way things go, I'll be busy chasing after her...
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
fird_77
: It seems to me that John is absent! Whom di the mother talk to? Fiancee of John, not John himself. No? Did the Mother murmur? I don't think so either. The mother felt pity for her absent son and she was not murmuring.
2 hrs
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It's a pity to allege that this answer talks about someone murmuring or not present while nothing is said to that effect. More time was spent on criticizing this answer (43 words) than making a good argument in own box (8 words). Typical "warga +62". :(
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