Norwegian: Spoken Language-Gjør'n vel?

D

Dla Czego

New Member
Hebrew
Hello,

Two uneducated and quite evil characters want to steal something. The hero of the story says it's a toy, but they know it's not true.
"it doesn't look like a toy", say A. He turns to his evil companion and says "Gjør'n vel?"


What does it mean?

Thank you
 
    • Dla Czego said:
    Hello,

    Two uneducated and quite evil characters want to steal something. The hero of the story says it's a toy, but they know it's not true.
    "it doesn't look like a toy", say A. He turns to his evil companion and says "Gjør'n vel?"


    What does it mean?

    Thank you
    Click to expand...
    This is a contracted, colloquial (not uneducated) form of "Gjør den vel?", which means "It does, doesn't it?"
     
    But in this context, to make sense, the full translation to English must be "It doesn't look like a toy" (turns) "Does it?" I think that English conveys the expectation carried by "vel" in Norwegian.

    In fact, I am struggling to think how "Gjør den vel?" could be used differently, but that is probably due to my ignorance.
     
    You are right, Winenous. "Gjør'n vel" is a tag question to the first sentence, so the two sentences must be read together. "Gjør den?" means "Does it?", and "vel" doesn't really add any meaning. It is sometimes difficult for Norwegians to find the right English translation of a tag question, but anyway, the point is that A first says that the thing doesn't look like a toy, and he then wants his companion to confirm it.
     
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