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my two cents

German translation: meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:my two cents
German translation:meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach
Entered by: Christine Lam

17:46 May 23, 2005
English to German translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: my two cents
How is the expression *my two cents* best rendered into German?

An American peer explained to me a few days ago that it is apparently derived from "put my 2 bits in" and refers to the ante in poker.

No specific context here ... people use it in conversations, e-mails and on this site too; a German friend asked me and I don't know the answer. ;-)

Many thanks in advance!
silfilla
Local time: 06:54
meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach
Explanation:
I would compare it to IMHO = in my humble opinion
Selected response from:

Christine Lam
Local time: 06:54
Grading comment
My friend thought that this suggestion best reflected the humble contribution that two cents represent. ;-)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +14mein Senf dazu
Oliver Giesser
3 +9seinen Senf dazu geben
ENGSOL
4 +3meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach
Christine Lam
4 +2(ist) meine Meinung dazu
David Hollywood
3sein Scherflein beitragen
------ (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +14
mein Senf dazu


Explanation:
HTH

Oliver Giesser
United States
Local time: 06:54
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Derek Gill Franßen
1 min
  -> Thanks Derek!
agree  Anne-Carine Zimmer: daran hatte ich gerade auch zuerst gedacht ;-)
1 min
  -> Danke Karin!
agree  Petra51
3 mins
  -> Danke Petra!
agree  Klaus Herrmann
4 mins
  -> Danke Klaus!
agree  David Hollywood: on the button :)
7 mins
  -> Thanks David!
agree  ahartje
9 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  silvia glatzhofer
38 mins
  -> Danke Silvia!
agree  dorisinlondon
51 mins
  -> Danke Doris!
agree  Melanie Nassar: wenn ich auch meinen dazu geben darf
1 hr
  -> Danke!
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
1 hr
  -> Danke Johanna!
agree  Edith Kelly
3 hrs
  -> Danke Edith!
agree  Francis Lee (X): Your thanks bring me such a thrill, But your thanks won't pay my bills ...
13 hrs
  -> Thanks Francis! ... I want money that's what I want!
agree  Maria Ferstl
23 hrs
  -> Danke Maria!
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
22 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach


Explanation:
I would compare it to IMHO = in my humble opinion

Christine Lam
Local time: 06:54
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
My friend thought that this suggestion best reflected the humble contribution that two cents represent. ;-)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Harry Bornemann: "seinen Senf dazugeben" klingt mir etwas zu negativ
22 mins
agree  ENGSOL: Hey, where's the teddy gone? :-) I agree that the *Senf* option sounds a little more 'reckless' than 'my two cents..' It is used quite a lot though. I suppose it really depends on the context...
30 mins
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
22 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
(ist) meine Meinung dazu


Explanation:
one option

David Hollywood
Local time: 07:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trans-Marie: Habe noch nie jemanden bei proz eine Antwort/Kommentar posten sehen und dann dahinter: Mein Senf dazu. Dafuer gibt es wohl einen Grund: Es passt nicht (irgendwie unserioes). "My two cents" wird staendig benutzt.
12 hrs
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
22 days
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
sein Scherflein beitragen


Explanation:
So kann man es wohl ausdrücken.

------ (X)
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in SpanishSpanish
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +9
seinen Senf dazu geben


Explanation:
... ;-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2005-05-23 18:04:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Not a particularly enlightening etymological explanation but here it is anyway...

for two cents

For nothing; for a petty sum. For example, For two cents I\'d quit the club entirely. Similarly, like two cents, means \"of little or no value or importance, worthless,\" as in She made me feel like two cents. The use of two cents in this sense is thought to be derived from a similar British use of twopence or tuppence, which dates from about 1600. The American coin was substituted in the 1800s, along with two bits, slang for 25 cents and also meaning \"a petty sum.\" Similarly, put in one\'s two cents or two cents\' worth, meaning \"to express one\'s unsolicited opinion for whatever it is worth,\" dates from the late 1800s.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=for two cents


Now I wonder where the Senf comes from! ;-)

ENGSOL
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Derek Gill Franßen
1 min
  -> Thanks, two much Senf here today ;-)
agree  Petra51
3 mins
agree  Klaus Herrmann
4 mins
agree  David Hollywood: ditto :)
7 mins
agree  silvia glatzhofer
38 mins
  -> Danke für die Info! :-)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: "Den Senf dazu geben" wurde zunächst in der Bedeutung gebraucht: "Durch Witze und Derbheiten ein Gespräch würzen", dann "das schärfste Wort dazu sagen"; schließlich erhielt es einen verächtlichen Beigeschmack. (H. Raab: Dt. Redewendungen Wien 1981)
45 mins
  -> Danke auch dir für die Info! :-)
agree  dorisinlondon
51 mins
agree  Melanie Nassar
58 mins
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
22 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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