Please help – I need a Danish title for my book
I’m busy reviewing the Danish translation of my book. It’s a bit of a chore but the nice thing about it is that I get to read my own book in my native language for the first time – a nice if somewhat surreal experience.
I wrote the book in English in 2006 and it’s now been translated into Danish and will be published here in Denmark in April.
So now I need a Danish title for the book because the “Happy Hour” metaphor does not really fly in Danish.
Apparently, my brain lacks the particular area responsible for coming up with names for stuff, and you guys came through beautifully for me when I needed a title for my book in English, so please, let me hear any idea you may have!
I need a title and a subtitle for the book, and I’d like a title that grabs people’s attention and creates an immediate mental image or connection. Bob Sutton has a post on Sticky Book titles, including The 4-hour Workweek, Orbiting the Giant Hairball, Guns, Germs and Steel and of course his own excellent, excellent book The No Asshole Rule.
Those titles all do just that. So… any ideas for me?
Kenneth Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Arbejdstid er Gladtid :)
Alexander Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
That one had me smiling :o)
Ask M Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
What about “arbeitsgjlade” – sorry I’ve no Danish and I can’t spell the word for “happiness at work”!
Or something like “we have a word for happiness at work”!
M
Alexander Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
Yeah – right now I’m leaning towards calling it “arbejdsglæde nu!”, meaning simply “happiness at work now!”
Kenneth Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
“Arbejdsglæde er et fuldtidsjob”
Meaning “happiness at work is a full time job” for those not fluent in Danish :)
“Arbejde og kunsten at være glad”
Meaning “Work and the Art of Happiness” – stealing a leaf from “zen and the art of …” :D
Using exclamation marks seems a bit bossy for something that is about happiness doesn’t it?
PJ Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
I don’t know Danish, but how about something like ‘vacationing at work’ ? or ‘get paid to be happy’ ? or ‘enjoying your job’ ? Don’t get too hung up on ‘happy’ – there’s lots of synonyms for it.
Gareth Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
how about
Arbejdsglæde – Det er (også) dit ansvar …..Happiness at work -It’s (also) your responsibility
Arbejdsglæde – Det er op til dig………It’s up to you.
Alexander Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
Kenneth: I like the “full time” in your suggestion. And you may be right about the exclamation point :o) Dammit!
PJ: Get paid to be happy – there’s definitely something there. “Get happy and get paid”?
Gareth: Yes! I like bringing “Your reponsibility” in there!
Anne Hodal Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
I’m crazy about the first one “Arbejdstid er Gladtid”. It’s excately one that makes you smile! :-)
I do have a few other suggestions, though:
“Arbejdsglæde er hverdagsglæde” (“Happiness at work is happiness everyday” – it just sounds better in Danish)
or just plain: “Arbejdsglæde” (“Happiness at Work”) as Ask also suggests – it says it all… eventually provided a subtitle like “- kunsten at gå glad ud af døren hver dag” (“- the art of walking out of your door being happy every day”) or something like that.
I think a more direct translation of the English title could be “Gør arbejdstiden til en fest” – but it’s not quite fluent, I think…
Tina Thomsen Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
How about!
Arbejdsglæde er en fest
or
Arbejdsglæde er livsglæde
or
Livet er arbejdsglæde
or
Arbejdsglæde – når der skal kulør på tilværelsen
Tina Thomsen Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
Just one more:
Arbejdsglæde sjov skal det være!
DS Said,
January 29, 2008 @ 11:15 pm
When in spnish >:(
Find Jensen Said,
January 30, 2008 @ 10:11 am
Fuldtidsglæde – En optur fra 9-5.. Arbedjsglæde seems a bit old fashioned to me, something the ol’ worker at the assemblyline would preach about returning from a union workers course :-)
Guilla Said,
January 31, 2008 @ 4:10 am
Perhaps something about allowing yourself and those around you to be happy at work…
Would you please translate the one that actually makes you smile? I would definitely love to read that one and actually understand it! LOL
Oh, and BTW, Alex I quit my job! and now I am officially a Life Planner! Cool Huh? And that is my job title too, not only what I do!
Anne Said,
February 2, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
I absolutely LOVE Arbejdstid er Gladtid!!! (possible translation: Worktime is Happytime). I was about to suggest a few other titles, but they all kind of crumble and fall apart compared to that one.