This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English to German

rocky perches

German translation: rocky perches

12:01 Aug 22, 2002
English to German translations [Non-PRO]
English term or phrase: rocky perches
This is the first sentence of the foreword: "This is a book about edges, margins, and rocky perches."
The book describes the lives of women in psychology, culture and politics; disadvantages they have to face, what can be done to help them etc. "Rocky perches" doesn't make any sense to me.
janka
German translation:rocky perches
Explanation:

I don't know the best way to say this in German - but it caught my eye as I'm doing a (Spanish) translation about the Bearded Vulture and their rocky perches right now! In the case of the birds, it would be a rocky place (cliff face or mountainside generally) on which they perch or rest. They choose safe spots from which they have a good view of the surrounding area and can look out for prey or predators. The figurative use in your title would seem to suggest a (precarious?) place where women seek safety from potential predators. It's hard to tell without more context, but that's what it may be referring to.

I have included the defintions for 'perch' from my Oxford Superlex, but I'm not sure of the best way of expressing my idea in German (felsiger Sitzplatz???). I hope this is of some help nevertheless.

Sheila


perch:
a (horizontal bar) Sitzstange, die; (for hens) Hühnerstange, die;

b (place to sit) Sitzplatz, der;

c (fig.: elevated or secure position) guter Posten; knock sb. off his perch jmdn. von seinem hohen Roß herunterholen; come off one's perch von seinem hohen Roß herunterkommen od. steigen;
Selected response from:

Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 18:04
Grading comment
Thank you for stimulating my imagination!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4perch = Ast, Hühnerstange, Vogelkäfig
pschmitt
3rocky perches
Sheila Hardie


  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
perch = Ast, Hühnerstange, Vogelkäfig


Explanation:
...which obviously doesn't make sense in connection with "rocky".

But how about substituting "rocky" with something along the lines of "instabil", "unsicher", "prekär", "wackelig" or "heikel" - then it might fit your context.

Hope this helps

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-22 13:34:41 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or turn it around: felsige/steinige Höhen/Gipfel, etc., depending on context.

HTH

pschmitt
Local time: 17:04
PRO pts in pair: 309
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
rocky perches


Explanation:

I don't know the best way to say this in German - but it caught my eye as I'm doing a (Spanish) translation about the Bearded Vulture and their rocky perches right now! In the case of the birds, it would be a rocky place (cliff face or mountainside generally) on which they perch or rest. They choose safe spots from which they have a good view of the surrounding area and can look out for prey or predators. The figurative use in your title would seem to suggest a (precarious?) place where women seek safety from potential predators. It's hard to tell without more context, but that's what it may be referring to.

I have included the defintions for 'perch' from my Oxford Superlex, but I'm not sure of the best way of expressing my idea in German (felsiger Sitzplatz???). I hope this is of some help nevertheless.

Sheila


perch:
a (horizontal bar) Sitzstange, die; (for hens) Hühnerstange, die;

b (place to sit) Sitzplatz, der;

c (fig.: elevated or secure position) guter Posten; knock sb. off his perch jmdn. von seinem hohen Roß herunterholen; come off one's perch von seinem hohen Roß herunterkommen od. steigen;

Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 18:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for stimulating my imagination!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search