Akadékoskodik

[LeBro]

Jó napot kívánok!

I would like to ask what akadékoskodott means in the following sentence?

E némajátékkal kölcsönösen elmondtuk egymásnak, hogy az ügyletet nyélbe ütöttük, most már csak a forma kedvéért akadékoskodott a szenes.

Can it be "to object to" (ellenkezik, ellenez vmit)? (as in the sense that they had already come to an agreement/managed to convey what they wanted (without even speaking) but now only the szenes objects to the agreement (for whatever reason, maybe in order to force the man into a bargain because the context is the man wants to buy something illegally by bribing the other man with a bottle of rum)

Or can it be something like "to whine" (nyafog?, jajong?) (as in the sense of trying to show his/its dissatisfaction with the situation/agreement)

Original from I. Örkény, Néhány Perc Külpolitika.

Köszönöm szépen a válaszókat!

 

[Zsanna]

Hello LeBro,

It is again a verb that can be used in various shades of meaning, including those you mention above.
To add some 'shading', here you go:
- to object: yes, and your interpretation sounds practically right but you'd need more for the translation itself.
Also make/raise difficulties or fuss about (for more or less valid reasons or just for finding excuses not to agree properly and/or immediately for whatever reasons: strategic/gaining time or just because the person is "difficult"/unable to decide).
Typically, you would say: X nehéz ember. Állandóan akadékoskodik. (X is a difficult man who is always finding faults/fusses about things.)
- to whine: not immediately, but you feel it right that there is an emotional plus (on both parties' sides). It often expresses the speaker's annoyance/perplexity about the other's behaviour because he (= the other person) either doesn't seem to have a valid reason (to bring up such arguments) or is willy-nilly to come to a decision (so 'dealing' with him goes with a lot of time wasting).
Also he may have some (inexplicable) negative feelings towards you and you are unarmed against such a thing. (When somebody is undecisive, it is often difficult to know why.)

Here, you are helped in the interpreting by the "csak a forma kedvéért" - just for the sake of being ceremonial - which indicates that the szenes (= the coal seller) did not have any valid reasons for being difficult this way. It may also be translated as nit-picking.

 

[francisgranada]

Agreeing with Zsanna, I'd say in a very simplified way that akadékoskodni means something like "to make obstacles or to contradict", even if not necessary or not objective or not well-founded ...

 

[LeBro]

@Zsanna, @francisgranada,

Thank you very much for clarifying its meaning

Here, you are helped in the interpreting by the "csak a forma kedvéért" - just for the sake of being ceremonial - which indicates that the szenes (= the coal seller) did not have any valid reasons for being difficult this way. It may also be translated as nit-picking.

Attól félek, hogy ennek is lehet "background"-ja, de béken hagyom az ügyet itt

 

[Zsanna]

Mindennek lehet "background"-ja , so it is really not worth trying to dig too deep in general. It is just difficult to know when it is worth it.