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gegen den Strich (Kontext)

English translation: The classics - an alternate reading

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German term or phrase:	gegen den Strich (Kontext)
English translation:	The classics - an alternate reading
Entered by:	conny

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10:35 Nov 2, 2009

German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy / Thema einer Vorlesung

German term or phrase: gegen den Strich (Kontext)

"Klassiker - gegen den Strich gelesen"

ist der Titel einer Lehrveranstaltung in einem Lehrplan

Bitte um geistreiche Ideen...

conny KudoZ activity Questions: 742 (1 open) (13 without valid answers) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 408 Germany
Local time: 10:55

The classics - an alternate reading

Explanation:
Might be a very simple way of saying it

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Note added at 9 mins (2009-11-02 10:44:36 GMT)
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Bloom and Molly "Carried Westward": An Alternate Reading
Benjamin W. Griffith
James Joyce Quarterly, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Fall, 1971), p. 122
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25486950

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Note added at 6 days (2009-11-09 09:21:56 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks, conny

Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:55

Grading comment

Herzlichen Dank für die vielen Vorschläge. Es gibt keinen "besten". Es gibt mehrere. Aber nur einer kann Punkte bekommen. Schade!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +6

The classics - an alternate reading

Helen Shiner

3 +3

The classics - a non-classical approach

Jeux_de_Mots

3 +3

from a different angle

Paul Skidmore

a less conventional view of ..../an alternative view of ...

kwatkins

against the tide

sue best

a novel approach (to the classics)

British Diana

a reinterpretation

Annett Kottek

The Classics - a counter-cultural read

Clive Phillips

against the grain

Suzanne Thygesen

against the grain

Armin Prediger

against the grain

jtgaoler

Discussion entries: 5

Answers

5 mins confidence:

against the grain

Explanation:
"The classics - reading against the grain"

Or alternatively: "The classics - reading between the lines and beyond"

Armin Prediger
Ireland
Local time: 09:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in category: 4

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

from a different angle

Explanation:
To get the ball rolling:

Classic novels/plays - "read from a different angle" or "read in a different light"

Paul Skidmore
Germany
Local time: 10:55
Native speaker of:

English

8 mins confidence:

against the grain

Explanation:
You may want to translate it as "Classics - read against the grain". I.e., the people reading them were in some way unwilling to do so.

Example sentence(s):

Das geht mir gegen den Strich.
It goes against the grain (for me).

jtgaoler
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:55
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

13 mins confidence:

against the grain

Explanation:
“Against the grain” as in “reading against the grain” might be a good translation. Reading against the grain could mean reading against the intentions of the author, while reading with the grain would mean reading according to the authorial intentions, just as one speaks of a “radical, new reading of James Joyce.”

Reference: http://www.csupomona.edu/~lrc/crsp/handouts/read_grain.html

Suzanne Thygesen
Germany
Local time: 10:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

25 mins confidence:

against the tide

Explanation:
Just a suggested alternative.
Otherwise I wonder whether, given the context, you might be able to work in 'not going by the book'.

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Note added at 26 mins (2009-11-02 11:01:50 GMT)
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The German does literally mean 'against the grain' but that does not appear to really work here.

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Note added at 27 mins (2009-11-02 11:02:47 GMT)
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Or 'against the flow'.

sue best
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

37 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

The classics - a non-classical approach

Explanation:
Another suggestion that may be appropriate, depending on the context.

Jeux_de_Mots
Germany
Local time: 10:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

1 hr confidence:

The Classics - a counter-cultural read

Explanation:
Like Sue, I feel the implication behind the title may be that in our present times it's not deemed "cool" to read the classics, or that the classics are not a popular read.

Clive Phillips
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

2 hrs confidence:

a novel approach (to the classics)

Explanation:
My attempt at donnish humour

Example sentence(s):

Prof. XXX's novel approach to "Buddenbrooks" had us all sitting up and taking notice

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 10:55
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

23 hrs confidence:

a reinterpretation

Explanation:
Maybe Reinterpreting the Classics? David has already pointed out that 'gegen den Strich' suggests something that gets people's backsides up. To reinterpret is to challenge the traditional readings of the texts of the literary canon. I'm also wondering if that course might not refer to a wilful misreading of the classics, which is popular with some literary critics, most famously, I think, Harold Bloom. But without more context, I think reinterpretation would be the safer bet.

'Bloom's theory of poetic influence regards the development of Western literature as a process of borrowing and misreading. Writers find their creative inspiration in previous writers and begin by imitating those writers; in order to develop a poetic voice of their own, however, they must make their own work different from that of their precursors. As a result, Bloom argues, authors of real power must inevitably 'misread' their precursors' works in order to make room for fresh imaginings.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Bloom

'Fascinating misreading of the classics, December 4, 1997 By "wessels"
There are a lot of things to like about Harold Bloom's book The Wesern Canon, and quite a bit to dislike. What is really good about his approach to literature is his passion about the classics of the Western tradition, and the his fierce recrimination of contemporary literary criticism and its "school of resentment." Whatever else you can say, it is clear that Bloom cares deeply about his subject and as a lover of books, you can't help but to be caught up in that enthusiasm as a reader. That being said, I still found many, many things that are deeply wrong with the way in which he approaches literature; he gives what I regard as horrible misreadings of some of the classics that he is championing.'
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3LRTLB5IUSA8M

Annett Kottek
United Kingdom
Native speaker of:

German

3 days6 hrs confidence:

a less conventional view of ..../an alternative view of ...

Explanation:
Think I prefer the 2nd of these on reflection ..
Feel that 'against the grain' sounds a bit negative.

kwatkins
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 3