Bubbly & Bogus

Okay, I am in need of the Wisdom of the Crowd.

The translator who’s turning the Uglies series into complex Chinese wrote me to ask for a little help with the terms “bubbly” and “bogus.”

As she puts it, “When these terms show up in different places, according to the context, the meanings are not exactly the same, which means when I translate them into Chinese, they might have several versions for the same English words or terms. I hope I can stick with the same expression when it comes to the same English word, so hopefully I can create the Chinese terms that will meet all your definitions.”

Reading that, I realize once more how tough a translator’s job is. And word-inventing writers like me are probably a thousand times more crazy-making than normal. So us native English speakers should help her out.

What do the words “bubbly” and “bogus” mean to you? And how do their various meanings all relate to each other?

113 thoughts on “Bubbly & Bogus

  1. I guess I agree with the rest, that bubbly is an adrenaline rush. I can only say in terms of my stories it’s when it’s three AM and I’m extremely sugarhigh but I’m writing because suddenly it makes sense, because the extreme clarity – literally that is – is something unfamiliar to us as we is quite myopic.

    ~Cat-kha and her evil twin (that is when she’s not being the evil twin, like the fates in the Chronicles of Prydain) Cat-sha.

  2. bubbly: exciting, fun…

    Bogus: crazy talk, …

    yeah, all that comes to mind… but hey, we have mass band 2moro!!! woohoo!!!!! go
    DEER PARK!!! i can’t wait till extras!!! woohoo!!!!!

  3. to me, bubbly means something that’s totally fun, and makes your heart beat faster. Bogus means dumb,boring, makes you want to go to sleep. Can’t wait until Tuesday!

  4. omg tuesday is almost here! Bubbly means something that gets your adrenaline going, and your heartbeat going way faster than normal.
    Bogus means something that’s stupid, sucks, or is really boring.

  5. well i think its pointless for me 2 write anything now because i totally agree with all of u
    luv specials

    Peace

  6. well

    Bougus is kinda a word that means.. Gay, Retarted like Bad

    Like Totally Bogus, Bogus rain.

    Bubbly Would be Like Good minded. Like Ugly Again. Thinking Clearly

  7. bubbly means exciting, thrilling and if it’s past tense then it’s rememberable

    bogus means pointless and senseless, silly and kinda stupid

    I hope i helped!!!!!

    and by the way i LOVE the cover to the complex Chinese version!!!!

  8. Bubbly: amazing, awesome, sweet, something that makes you want to see your friends and have a good laugh
    Bogus: boring, dull, something so stupid you don’t even want to think about it

  9. Scott Sensei~
    I might be able to fly to brooklyn new york for your appreences I really hope I can I wish you would come to utah it would make me sooooo happy!

    Ashley-wa
    p.s. PLEASE e-mail me! pepper1228@hotmail.com

  10. Scott-La~
    I am your number one fan and all I want you to do Is come to utah!!!!!

    I love your books so much I have about 50 more pages of the extras please scott or Mr.Westerfeld please please please come to utah or e-mail me at pepper1228@hotmail.com !!!

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