Sep 8, 2008 23:36
15 yrs ago
German term
die ewig Heutigen
German to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Here is the complete context: "Gen-Technik, Medizin und plastische Chirurgie arbeiten daran, der Menschheit die Stachel von Verfall und Sterblichkeit zu ziehen. Doch kaum jemand weiß ein Mittel gegen die Langeweile, die die ewig Heutigen bei sich und den anderen auslösen."
It's late and I've tried so many different ways of translating this phrase that sound natural - any suggestions would be very welcome!
It's late and I've tried so many different ways of translating this phrase that sound natural - any suggestions would be very welcome!
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Sep 9, 2008 07:32: Steffen Walter changed "Field (specific)" from "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters" to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"
Proposed translations
+1
6 hrs
Caspar Zoeftig
Native in English
Award-winning DE to EN translator
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
3
Selected
those forever bound by the trappings of the present
The "by" could also be changed to "to".
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Although longer, I've used this suggestion as it fitted best with the rest of the text, which is talking about fashion victims and designers. All suggestions were very useful, however, in particular the note about it being a play on "Ewigegestriger". Unfortunately, as the official translation for that seems to be "(diehard) reactionary", it didn't help directly in this case but was a useful pointer. Thanks to everyone!"
+1
11 mins
those eternally stuck in the present moment
just an idea
So wie die ewig Gestrigen in der Vergangenheit festsitzen, sitzen die ewig Heutigen im Jetzt fest.
Make sense?
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Note added at 13 mins (2008-09-08 23:49:43 GMT)
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or perpetually, instead of eternally
So wie die ewig Gestrigen in der Vergangenheit festsitzen, sitzen die ewig Heutigen im Jetzt fest.
Make sense?
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Note added at 13 mins (2008-09-08 23:49:43 GMT)
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or perpetually, instead of eternally
Note from asker:
| Good suggestion - and I also like the comment about "present tensers" - sounds good! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
casper (X)
: Yep, it does make sense, Melanie. Interestingly, I stumbled upon a strange collocation used in a blog: "the present tensers".
6 hrs
|
|
Thanks Chetan
|
+1
6 mins
Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Arts/Academic translator - Art historian
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
74
the eternal present
One way of putting it.
"Does God, existing in an eternal present, create chronological time for the benefit of our human minds?"
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/148/story_14839_1.html
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Note added at 16 mins (2008-09-08 23:53:26 GMT)
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"When Abigail Thomas’s husband, Rich, was hit by a car, his brain shattered. Subject to rages, terrors, and hallucinations, he must live the rest of his life in an instituion. He has no memory of what he did the hour, the day, the year before. This tragedy is the ground on which Abigail had to build a new life. How she built that life is a story of great courage and great change, of moving to a small country town, of a new family composed of three dogs, knitting, and friendship, of facing down guilt and discovering gratitude. It is also about her relationship with Rich, a man who lives in the eternal present, and the eerie poetry of his often uncanny perceptions."
https://www.lrsssl.com/biaa/bookstore.asp
"Does God, existing in an eternal present, create chronological time for the benefit of our human minds?"
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/148/story_14839_1.html
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Note added at 16 mins (2008-09-08 23:53:26 GMT)
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"When Abigail Thomas’s husband, Rich, was hit by a car, his brain shattered. Subject to rages, terrors, and hallucinations, he must live the rest of his life in an instituion. He has no memory of what he did the hour, the day, the year before. This tragedy is the ground on which Abigail had to build a new life. How she built that life is a story of great courage and great change, of moving to a small country town, of a new family composed of three dogs, knitting, and friendship, of facing down guilt and discovering gratitude. It is also about her relationship with Rich, a man who lives in the eternal present, and the eerie poetry of his often uncanny perceptions."
https://www.lrsssl.com/biaa/bookstore.asp
Note from asker:
| Thanks for your suggestion, Helen. Much appreciated! |
+2
35 mins
the eternal trendsetters
The term gets a whole 48 hits on Google - but everything in German, nothing in English. However, all of the entries seem to be in this tenor:
Da können die Ewig-Heutigen noch so spotten über die Ewig-Gestrigen. Wartet nur, balde erinnert ihr euch auch an die besseren Zeiten von damals und erntet ..
It would appear that "ewig-Heutigen" are the folks that have nothing better to do than chase the latest trend and/or fashion - they have no time at all for what was yesterday or might be rooted in tradition!
Da können die Ewig-Heutigen noch so spotten über die Ewig-Gestrigen. Wartet nur, balde erinnert ihr euch auch an die besseren Zeiten von damals und erntet ..
It would appear that "ewig-Heutigen" are the folks that have nothing better to do than chase the latest trend and/or fashion - they have no time at all for what was yesterday or might be rooted in tradition!
Note from asker:
| A good suggestion tho', like David, I'm not sure here that they actual set trends or just follow them. Thanks for your help! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Inge Meinzer
: I like it. What about *trendies*? This would include those who are not actually setting the trends.
41 mins
|
| agree |
Friderike Butler
: nice
2 hrs
|
| neutral |
David Hollywood
: not so sure in this context ...
3 hrs
|
+1
2 hrs
valhalla55
fast and reliable
Native in: Romanian 
Works in: Japanese to Norwegian, Japanese to German, Norwegian to Japanese, and 5 more.
trend slaves
kind of harsh...
Note from asker:
| I agree with Jo but my only doubt was that the article is about a fashion designer, so I was reluctant to be quite so harsh. Pity, though - it's what I would say personally! Thanks. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jo Bennett
: Hey - I really like this one - it's snappy and conveys the meaning admirably.
7 hrs
|
|
Thank you!
|
3 hrs
David Hollywood
Native in English
Works in field
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
47
people stuck in the present/the clingers to today
couple of ideas :)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:24:59 GMT)
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how about "the never-say-dies/diers"?
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:26:48 GMT)
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figuratively of course :)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:27:47 GMT)
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or: "eternal youth-seekers"
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:24:59 GMT)
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how about "the never-say-dies/diers"?
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:26:48 GMT)
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figuratively of course :)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-09-09 03:27:47 GMT)
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or: "eternal youth-seekers"
Note from asker:
| I particularly like the idea of clinging to the present - nicely negative without being too harsh. Thanks a lot! |
+2
8 hrs
Michele Johnson
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
American engineer, Dip. Trans IOL, BDÜ
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
tiresome hipsters
I find a lot of the suggestions here a bit literal. It does depend on the rest of your text, but tiresome/relentless hipsters might work.
"No one has found an antidote yet for the crushing boredom triggered by tiresome hipsters - in themselves and others."
From the Urban Dictionary:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster
\hip-stur\n. One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term "cool"; a Hipster would instead say "deck.") The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat.
-The Hipster Handbook, Robert Lanham
Typically a Hipster can be identified by vintage or thrift-store bougt clothing, a taste for obscure or underground music, a penchant for irony and an elitist attitude.
"No one has found an antidote yet for the crushing boredom triggered by tiresome hipsters - in themselves and others."
From the Urban Dictionary:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster
\hip-stur\n. One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term "cool"; a Hipster would instead say "deck.") The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat.
-The Hipster Handbook, Robert Lanham
Typically a Hipster can be identified by vintage or thrift-store bougt clothing, a taste for obscure or underground music, a penchant for irony and an elitist attitude.
Note from asker:
| "Relentless hipsters" is a very good suggestion though I finally chose a longer (but not so snappy) solution as I didn't like to go too far from the original text. Great suggestion, though. Thanks. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
hazmatgerman (X)
: I know its too late but I really think this captured mood and subtext, transplating fashion style to skin enhancement.
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: very good. They are laughable, aren't they?
2 hrs
|
1 hr
Bernhard Sulzer
United States
United States
Native in German
Works in field
United States
High quality at a reasonable price
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English, German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
36
never-changing faces
well, one day they'll have to face the music too.
same-face-as-yesterday people
same-face-everyday people
perpetual mayflies
stuck-on-today people
one-face-forever people
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 00:53:25 GMT)
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here-today, here-tomorrow people
ever-so-present crowd
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 01:09:55 GMT)
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youth-obsessed people
age-defying.....
never-a-day-older looking ....
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 01:10:27 GMT)
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for the body context/niche
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Note added at 10 hrs (2008-09-09 10:10:30 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks for your comment, Tracy! Much appreciated.
same-face-as-yesterday people
same-face-everyday people
perpetual mayflies
stuck-on-today people
one-face-forever people
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 00:53:25 GMT)
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here-today, here-tomorrow people
ever-so-present crowd
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 01:09:55 GMT)
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youth-obsessed people
age-defying.....
never-a-day-older looking ....
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-09 01:10:27 GMT)
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for the body context/niche
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Note added at 10 hrs (2008-09-09 10:10:30 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks for your comment, Tracy! Much appreciated.
Note from asker:
| Your suggestions are certainly along the right lines as the sentence before talks about cosmetic surgery, etc. And I particularly like the idea of the mayflies! Thanks a lot. |
Reference comments
50 mins
Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Canada
Native in German
Canada
Friendly, fast & certified!
Native in: German (Variants: Austrian, Germany, Swiss, Platt / Nieder (Low German))
Works in: English to German, German to English, German
Related KudoZ points
:
90
Reference:
Linguistisch ein polemischer Gegenentwurf zu den “Ewig Gestrigen”, die (so Schiller, Wallenstein) zu traditionsverhaftet sind und den Fortschritt behindern
Also sind das Leute, die extrem in der Gegenwart verankert und traditionsfeindlich sind
z.B.:
"…sind die Ewig-Heutigen, die alles Neue immer schon begrüßen, bevor es da ist…"
http://www.deutsches-kabarett-lexikon.de/index.php?title=Sch...
Also sind das Leute, die extrem in der Gegenwart verankert und traditionsfeindlich sind
z.B.:
"…sind die Ewig-Heutigen, die alles Neue immer schon begrüßen, bevor es da ist…"
http://www.deutsches-kabarett-lexikon.de/index.php?title=Sch...
Note from asker:
| Thanks a lot for the reference - it was very useful, even though not directly for the translation. It always helps to grasp the whole context of a phrase and, in this case, it definitely seems like they are playing with the more usual term of Ewig Gestrigen. Thanks a lot. |
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