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かさる

English translation: casvenge

10:12 Jan 22, 2013
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Japanese term or phrase: かさる
「クァムラ、さばなら、かさる。探るなら、縛る」
「かさるのはさばだけど、縛れば、クァムラ」

These are lines spoken by a cat named Kawamura in the novel "Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami, which some of you may be familiar with. The character Nakata speaks to cats, but this particular cat talks in a particular way and Nakata can't understand it. That is why the cat's words are supposed to sound incomprehensible, as if taken out of context.
Still, I would appreciate any help in understanding what the word かさる means.
Thank you.
Natasa313
Local time: 08:55
English translation:casvenge
Explanation:
This word is not on a dictionary. This word is probably made by Murakami.

かさる is not a proper word. Murakami is asking you to translate this word into whatever your imagination can create. For me, I would imagine 漁る from this word, かさる. because Kawamura san is not a very good speaker...he can not pronounce it well. Or Nakata san's Cat language interpretation or dictation skill is not well enough to translate it properly.

It's all up to you how you interpret...かさる　かさばる かさむ はさむ かさむ...but in this context, I could only imagine Kawamura san scavenging a piece of mackerel...I would translate it something like... casvenge... not "scavenge"...I know there is no such word. It is only a word play.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day46 mins (2013-01-23 10:59:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

漁る(asaru)　= scavenge
Selected response from:

Kaori Myatt
France
Local time: 08:55
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3casvenge
Kaori Myatt


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 day 44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
casvenge


Explanation:
This word is not on a dictionary. This word is probably made by Murakami.

かさる is not a proper word. Murakami is asking you to translate this word into whatever your imagination can create. For me, I would imagine 漁る from this word, かさる. because Kawamura san is not a very good speaker...he can not pronounce it well. Or Nakata san's Cat language interpretation or dictation skill is not well enough to translate it properly.

It's all up to you how you interpret...かさる　かさばる かさむ はさむ かさむ...but in this context, I could only imagine Kawamura san scavenging a piece of mackerel...I would translate it something like... casvenge... not "scavenge"...I know there is no such word. It is only a word play.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day46 mins (2013-01-23 10:59:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

漁る(asaru)　= scavenge

Kaori Myatt
France
Local time: 08:55
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much for your input, it was really helpful.

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