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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

jammern auf hohem Niveau

English translation:

perfectionist quibbles; a bit excessive to find fault at this level of near perfection; just nitpicking

Added to glossary by Paul Cohen
Oct 30, 2009 22:12
14 yrs ago
7 viewers *
German term

jammern auf hohem Niveau

German to English Marketing Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Gelegentliches leichtes Ruckeln erinnert daran, dass es noch etwas Optimierungspotenzial am Hybrid-System des S 400 gibt - hier wird aber auf sehr hohem Niveau gejammert
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 perfectionist quibbles
4 +4 but this is admittedly just nitpicking
3 +4 (isn't that what you call) first-class whining?
4 +2 It's almost a bit excessive to find fault at this level of near-perfection
4 high-level griping
3 being too picky
2 to complain about the price of champagne
Change log

Oct 31, 2009 07:14: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Marketing" , "Field (specific)" from "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters" to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"

Nov 13, 2009 12:25: Paul Cohen Created KOG entry

Discussion

British Diana Oct 31, 2009:
the real challenge What do we do if there is no such easily-recognisable idiom in the English language? As Edith rightly says, "Jammern auf hohem Niveau " is quite common and immediately brings things like the spoilt banker or some politicians etc. to mind. The challenge is to find an equally common idiom which has the same ironical/cynical connotations - or otherwise to circumscribe the phrase!
Edith Kelly Oct 31, 2009:
Diana the idiom is a general one and does not apply to a particular situation ... jammern auf hohem Niveau ... auf sehr hohem Niveau .. you have simply circumcribed a specific situation, hence my disagree
British Diana Oct 31, 2009:
@Edith - search for an idiom ? Can you come up with a good idiom to fit all these situations, then ?
BTW I'm afraid I can't see where my suggestion is wrong, apart from it not being an idiom...
Edith Kelly Oct 31, 2009:
jammern auf hohem Niveau hat nichts mit Testfahrten hier zu tun. Das ist schon fast ein geflügeltes Wort und trifft auf vieles zu. Der Banker, der zwar seinen Bonus bekommt, aber weniger, und rummeckert, jammert auf hohem Niveau.
Stefan Belger (asker) Oct 30, 2009:
Testfahrer (ADAC)
ArnoTranslat (X) Oct 30, 2009:
wer jammert? Kritiker? Testfahrer? Eigentuemer? Der Hersteller gar?

Proposed translations

+6
1 hr
Selected

perfectionist quibbles

Couldn't resist ... mostly because I like the word "quibble".

But if you're a perfectionist, you could also nitpick or grumble or perhaps even split hairs over this answer. After all, it says "jammern auf sehr hohem Niveau".

Example sentence:

Beyond my perfectionist quibbles, the film has a lot of very appealing elements.

Peer comment(s):
agree Bernhard Sulzer : I guess there is nothing wrong with "ein kleines Ruckeln". As long as we know what's ruckling.:)
3 hrs
b'gosh, you've created a new word, Bernhard.
neutral Edith Kelly : jammern auf hohem Niveau ist mittlerweile ein geflügeltes Wort
7 hrs
I don't mean to quibble but ... what are you trying to say?
agree Ulrike Kraemer : @Edith: so what (are you trying to say)?
10 hrs
My question exactly!
agree mary austria : I like it.
13 hrs
agree mill2
15 hrs
agree ArnoTranslat (X) : It was almost a toss between yours and Bernhard's 'first-class whining', but I found your answer a bit more snidey.
23 hrs
agree Cilian O'Tuama : a luxury problem/complaint
1 day 2 hrs
absolutely
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
8 hrs

It's almost a bit excessive to find fault at this level of near-perfection

Trying to get it all in...
Peer comment(s):
disagree Edith Kelly : does not convey the same meaning as in German. An idiomatic expression is wanted here and not an explanation.
38 mins
see my discussion entries !
agree Paul Cohen : If the translator is being paid by the line or by the word in the target text, this would be by far the most lucrative possibility. So why quibble?
4 hrs
Thanks, Paul, but I must admit this advantage hadn't occurred to me. Offensichtlich sind unsere Überlegungen eben "auf sehr hohem Niveau" angesiedelt.
agree Cilian O'Tuama : that's the gist alright IMO, or even "to attempt to find fault..."
19 hrs
Thanks, Cilian. I like your addition, too, although this would make it even longer....
agree TonyTK : Yes, this is the right register and sounds natural - which none of the others do, in my opinion.
1 day 1 hr
thanks for your support, Tony ! The "quibblers" seem to be in the majority
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11 hrs

high-level griping

Angesichts der Armut in der Welt sei das "Jammern auf hohem Niveau".
He said that in the face of the poverty in other parts of the world such complaints were nothing but 'high-level griping'.
http://www.linguee.de/uebersetzung/englisch/auf hohem niveau...
Peer comment(s):
neutral sylvie malich (X) : "high-level"?
24 days
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11 hrs

being too picky

Thus "hier wird aber auf sehr hohem Niveau gejammert" becomes "but that's being just a bit too picky".
Peer comment(s):
neutral Cilian O'Tuama : but one can also be too picky auf niedrigem Niveau
17 hrs
Something went wrong...
+4
11 hrs

but this is admittedly just nitpicking

It works.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2009-10-31 10:28:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

(Sorry Paul, I just spotted this in your answer)
Peer comment(s):
agree Jo Bennett : Good one!
32 mins
agree gangels (X) : definitely best fitting the context! Could also say "but this is mere quibbling"
4 hrs
agree Kerstin Green : best in this context
8 hrs
agree Nicole Backhaus
1 day 12 hrs
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12 hrs

to complain about the price of champagne

If an idiomatic expression is what is called for, then this might (perhaps) work..
Peer comment(s):
neutral mary austria : This is a great idiom, but I think I would prefer it in a different context.
2 hrs
You confirm my suspicions, Mary. I also wasn’t sure, hence my low confidence level. Thanks for commenting.
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+4
5 hrs

(isn't that what you call) first-class whining?

trying to emulate the cynicism

aren't we indulging in first-class whining
when whining becomes an absolute luxury






--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day4 mins (2009-10-31 22:17:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

might want to substitute high class for first class

if anything that kind of high-class nitpicking/whining certainly fits the advanced technology
oder so
Peer comment(s):
agree Edith Kelly
4 hrs
thanks, Edith!
agree Ulrike Kraemer : indulge in perfectionist whining (borrowing from Paul), maybe?
6 hrs
danke! for this context, it would work.
agree Monika Elisabeth Sieger
7 hrs
danke, sivara!
agree gangels (X)
10 hrs
danke, gangels!
neutral ArnoTranslat (X) : Is this an idiomatic expression? If so, I'd agree with that one. Otherwise, I'd prefer perfectionist quibbles.//Thanks, Bernhard. In this case, I'll give 'perfectionist quibble' my vote. I found that a bit more snidey.
16 hrs
I wasn't trying for a widely used or very idiomatic expression, just for a more cynical English equivalent for this context which I believe it is. You don't hear perfectionist quibbles every day but it's also perfect English.
neutral Cilian O'Tuama : but it's not the whining that's first class
23 hrs
the meaning is whining in/ in accordance with the "first-class/top of its class/highest class/on the highest level of this car breed", and my use is tongue-in-cheek. See also my add-on and my "luxury" suggestion.
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