GR translation: ducking everybody else

[Mike Jing]

I did see that particular meaning, but I didn't know it was common practice
in such situations.


On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 4:51 PM Roy Cross <roycross at gmail.com> wrote:

> From the Cambridge English dictionary:
>
> to push <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/push>
>  someone underwater
> <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/underwater> for a
> short <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/short>time
> <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/time>:
>
> *The boys
> <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/boy> were splashing
> <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/splash> around and
> ducking each other in the pool
> <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pool>.*
>
>
> Sent from my mobile phone
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Pynchon-l <pynchon-l-bounces at waste.org> on behalf of Mark Kohut <
> mark.kohut at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, August 11, 2025 8:00:33 PM
> *To:* Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> *Cc:* Pynchon Mailing List <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> *Subject:* Re: GR translation: ducking everybody else
>
> I think it is one of the few typos. Should be “dunking”
>
> On Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > V569.11-15, P579.4-9   Wobbling, grinning hugely, Slothrop hollers his
> > line: “I am the wrath of Donar—and this day you shall be my anvil!” Away
> > they all go in a good roaring chase through the streets, in a shower of
> > white blossoms, little kids squealing, down to the water, where everybody
> > starts splashing and ducking everybody else.
> >
> > Does "duck" mean "evade" here? The published translation interpreted it
> as
> > "to thrust (someone or something) underwater", which doesn't seem right
> to
> > me.
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> >
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