gammpojkar

English translation: embittered/confirmed bachelor

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:gammpojkar
English translation:embittered/confirmed bachelor
Entered by: David Rumsey

21:30 May 3, 2013
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Poetry & Literature
Swedish term or phrase: gammpojkar
Ungefär på samma sätt som de duktiga flickorna i glesbygd lämnar byn för att studera och aldrig återkomma. De mer eller mindre misslyckade pojkarna stannar kvar och blir ”gammpojkar”.

The only word I can come up with is "losers"...but that seems a little too negative. Any suggestions?
David Rumsey
Canada
Local time: 21:57
+ bachelor
Explanation:
Based on these -- presume you found them
http://st.nu/kultur/1.707830-gammpojkarna-och-karleken?m=pri...
http://www.nissepedia.com/index.php/Gammpojkar

A suggestion ... spin on the bachelor idea, since these references indicate that these are not necessarily losers... I found 'hardened', 'embittered', attached to bachelor -- even 'rural bachelor', tho this seems Aus and NZ usage- There are certainly other possibilities...

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Note added at 10 hrs (2013-05-04 08:13:35 GMT)
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Yes Mats, the '+' was my attempt at a space filler for any of the possible adjectives Dave could use in front of bachelor -- senior works, too. Tho I got the impression this term could apply to younger men who were simply not in 'prime' marrying age. Hard to tell from the reading...
Selected response from:

Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Local time: 05:57
Grading comment
I'm going to go with "embittered batchelors" in this case. It's about the future of kids that drop out of school.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1confirmed bachelors
Lisa Del Pap (X)
4senior bachelor
Mats Wiman
4old men left on the shelf
Anna Herbst
3+ bachelor
Deane Goltermann
3compulsory bachelors
George Hopkins


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
senior bachelor


Explanation:
+ bachelor would do, I guess although the '+ ' portion is new to me ia context like this.
To counteract the interpretation of a loser I' d prefer 'senior bachelor'

Mats Wiman
Sweden
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
old men left on the shelf


Explanation:
As the Swedish expression has an air of failure, my suggestion would be to say old men left on the shelf or something similar.

Anna Herbst
Australia
Local time: 15:57
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 10

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Mats Wiman: Isn't this too pejorative?
1 day 6 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
+ bachelor


Explanation:
Based on these -- presume you found them
http://st.nu/kultur/1.707830-gammpojkarna-och-karleken?m=pri...
http://www.nissepedia.com/index.php/Gammpojkar

A suggestion ... spin on the bachelor idea, since these references indicate that these are not necessarily losers... I found 'hardened', 'embittered', attached to bachelor -- even 'rural bachelor', tho this seems Aus and NZ usage- There are certainly other possibilities...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2013-05-04 08:13:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes Mats, the '+' was my attempt at a space filler for any of the possible adjectives Dave could use in front of bachelor -- senior works, too. Tho I got the impression this term could apply to younger men who were simply not in 'prime' marrying age. Hard to tell from the reading...

Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
I'm going to go with "embittered batchelors" in this case. It's about the future of kids that drop out of school.
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
compulsory bachelors


Explanation:
Not to be confused with university bachelors...

George Hopkins
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Mats Wiman: If fate decides, there is no compulsion
22 hrs
  -> Perhaps it might be better with 'habitual bachelors'.
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1 day 15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
confirmed bachelors


Explanation:
I think the common phrase "confirmed bachelors" fits the context very well, and is not so pejorative. See, for example, some New York Times articles containing the term (http://query.nytimes.com/search/sitesearch/#/"confirmed bach... or definitions from Wikipedia or the Internet in general.

Example sentence(s):
  • "He is portly, fond of good food, middle-aged and a confirmed bachelor with a deep if wandering interest in pretty women as playthings."
Lisa Del Pap (X)
Sweden
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Mats Wiman: "Confirmed" indicates IMHO a conscious self-choice, which is not the case with 'gammpojkar'.
20 mins
  -> O.K. Perhaps you could say that they remain eternal bachelors.

agree  SafeTex: This is the one I'd go with in the circumstances
6 hrs
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