Oct 24, 2005 12:06
18 yrs ago
German term
United Kingdom
eine „Steife Brise“ über Reinbek wehte
German to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Dieses Vorhaben (lowering some equipment into the factory by crane) erforderte große Konzentration und Präzision aller Mitwirkenden, weil wieder einmal, wie wir Norddeutschen zu sagen pflegen, eine „Steife Brise“ über Reinbek wehte.
Can anyone think of a colloquial English equivalent to convey this, please? All I can think of is "it's an ill wind that blows no good", but that's not really what this means. Grateful, as ever, for your thoughts!
Can anyone think of a colloquial English equivalent to convey this, please? All I can think of is "it's an ill wind that blows no good", but that's not really what this means. Grateful, as ever, for your thoughts!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 2 +10 | stiff breeze |
James Johnson
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| 3 +1 | there was a 'stiff breeze'' blowing in Reinbek |
Ken Cox
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| 3 | big wind |
ghostwriter
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| 2 | "brisk wind" |
lucasm (X)
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| 4 -2 | It was all hands to the deck in Reinbek. |
muitoprazer (X)
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Proposed translations
+10
10 mins
German term (edited):
Steife Brise
Selected
stiff breeze
Can't you just use "stiff breeze" here?
Certainly a phrase i have heard before in england.
Or am i missing to point completely?
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Note added at 12 mins (2005-10-24 12:18:05 GMT)
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*the* point even :/
Certainly a phrase i have heard before in england.
Or am i missing to point completely?
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Note added at 12 mins (2005-10-24 12:18:05 GMT)
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*the* point even :/
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for all your contributions everyone. I didn't realise the Hamburgers were into understatement. Handy to know!"
+1
27 mins
German term (edited):
eine �Steife Brise� �ber Reinbek wehte
there was a 'stiff breeze'' blowing in Reinbek
IMO you need a local to sort this out, but assuming that 'eine steife Brise weht über Reinbek' isn't a common expression in North Germany, I'd understand it literally, with the connotation that 'stiff breeze' is an understatement (what they call a stiff breeze is what someone used to a milder climate might call a gale).
31 mins
German term (edited):
eine �Steife Brise� �ber Reinbek wehte
big wind
How about "a big (or bitter) wind is blowing"
28 mins
German term (edited):
eine �Steife Brise� �ber Reinbek wehte
"brisk wind"
I can't say for certain, but a "steife Brise" in Hamburg, as far as I know, is just an understatement for a storm condition. It may well be that there is some deeper meaning, but I'm not aware of it and can't seem to find it. Someone will come along and confirm this or blow me over, I'm sure.
I would just say
There was once again a "brisk wind" blowing through Reinbek.
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Note added at 32 mins (2005-10-24 12:38:41 GMT)
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http://www.janmaat.de/seeman_s.htm#S
http://segeln.nullzeit.at/Content.Node/grundlagen/glossare/g...
I would just say
There was once again a "brisk wind" blowing through Reinbek.
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Note added at 32 mins (2005-10-24 12:38:41 GMT)
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http://www.janmaat.de/seeman_s.htm#S
http://segeln.nullzeit.at/Content.Node/grundlagen/glossare/g...
-2
5 mins
German term (edited):
eine �Steife Brise� �ber Reinbek wehte
It was all hands to the deck in Reinbek.
to ensure the operation was carried out successfully.Forget the ill wind,that is completely wrong here!
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Note added at 2 hrs 36 mins (2005-10-24 14:42:25 GMT)
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many hands were needed to steady the crane load in windy conditions,so it was all hands to the pump,or all hands ON deck.,to successfully complete the exercise."Stiff breeze" is an inadequate translation as not even the whole sentence is translated literally,and surely this calls for a figurative expression anyway?
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Note added at 2 hrs 36 mins (2005-10-24 14:42:25 GMT)
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many hands were needed to steady the crane load in windy conditions,so it was all hands to the pump,or all hands ON deck.,to successfully complete the exercise."Stiff breeze" is an inadequate translation as not even the whole sentence is translated literally,and surely this calls for a figurative expression anyway?
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
lucasm (X)
: Agree with not using ill wind, but I'd like to hear a bit of support as to why you think this refers to cooperation.
24 mins
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see above
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| neutral |
James Johnson
: I fail to see where this answer might help, but if it does, isn't it "all hands ON deck"?
36 mins
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yes,better on deck and to the pump.
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| neutral |
BrigitteHilgner
: I don't really see any link to the "steife Brise".
43 mins
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that's right,there isn't any!
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| neutral |
tectranslate ITS GmbH
: You're trying to say the *working climate* was rough as usual? I've heard "der Wind weht einem ins Gesicht" for this kind of situations, but that's speculative here, and context (Northern Germany) indicates that this is just about wind, nothing else.
1 hr
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no,just that many hands were needed to successfully complete task in difficult weather conditions.
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| disagree |
Ulrike Kraemer
: Sorry, but I have to disagree with your answer. "Steife Brise" is an expression frequently used in Northern Germany, and it means what it says: it's very windy (see tectranslate's explanation above). This has nothing whatsoever to do with cooperation.
3 hrs
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| disagree |
Stephen Roche
: with all above
22 hrs
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