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I learned it at his knee

German translation: das hat mein Großvater mir von klein auf beigebracht

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:I learned it at his knee
German translation:das hat mein Großvater mir von klein auf beigebracht
Entered by: Johanna Timm, PhD

14:27 Sep 9, 2001
English to German translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: I learned it at his knee
There is no particular context. It is a saying meaning something like "(my grandfather) passed this knowledge down to me."

Thank you!
EJBaumann
das hat mein Großvater mir von klein auf beigebracht
Explanation:
von Kindesbeinen an ist aber auch gut, vielleicht ginge auch "das hat mein Großvater mir von Kindesbeinen an beigebracht"
Selected response from:

Annegret Robinson
Local time: 01:00
Grading comment
Many thanks to all contributors. I found each answer good and useful, depending on the context. And they even inspired some new ideas. The one I chose served my purpose the best.
Gratefully, Edith
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2ich habe es in die Wiege gelegt bekommen
Katrin Zinsmeister
5das hat mein Großvater mir von klein auf beigebracht
Annegret Robinson
5 -1Ich habe es auf seinem Schoß gelernt
Mats Wiman
4das hab' ich von Kindesbeinen an gelernt
Johanna Timm, PhD


  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Ich habe es auf seinem Schoß gelernt


Explanation:
i.e. sitting on his knee

Schoß = Schoss


    Norstedts+MW
Mats Wiman
Sweden
Local time: 01:00
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
2 hrs
disagree  babbelfish (X): Schoß wird auch in der neuen Rechtschreibung mit ß geschrieben (langer Vokal>ß)
8 hrs
  -> Danke! Ich habe wie FAZ es nicht gekauft, so ich beherrsche es nicht ganz.
disagree  martina schneider: you wouldn´t really say that in german
10 hrs
  -> Wouldn't I? My very good Norstedts says you can but...
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ich habe es in die Wiege gelegt bekommen


Explanation:
If the important thing for you is to have a saying, this would be one - Mats´ proposal is a literal translation buy no saying in German - that expresses the meaning you describe.
Hope this helps you, good luck!


Katrin Zinsmeister
Local time: 20:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X): not bad, but your phrase may refer to an earlier point in time (a priori - a posteriori).
47 mins
  -> That´s right, but I don´t know another SAYING that expresses intergenerational transmission of knownledges like this one
agree  Kim Metzger: Don't know what references G2E (aka NO ONE) has in mind, but Duden says jmdm. v. Geburt an gegeben sein.
1 hr
  -> This "von Geburt an" involves also familiar tradition because "gelegt bekommen"=active voice! Subject? My (grand)parents
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
das hab' ich von Kindesbeinen an gelernt


Explanation:
(obwohl das den *Lehrenden* ausklammert*, oder einfach:
das hab ich schon als kleines Kind gelernt

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 16:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 86
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
das hat mein Großvater mir von klein auf beigebracht


Explanation:
von Kindesbeinen an ist aber auch gut, vielleicht ginge auch "das hat mein Großvater mir von Kindesbeinen an beigebracht"

Annegret Robinson
Local time: 01:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Many thanks to all contributors. I found each answer good and useful, depending on the context. And they even inspired some new ideas. The one I chose served my purpose the best.
Gratefully, Edith
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