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Viel hilft viel

English translation: more is more

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23:55 Mar 24, 2009

German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

German term or phrase: Viel hilft viel

Does anybody know how this "expression" translates? I'm afraid I have no supporting text but would be grateful all the same for suggestions.

TIA, Caitriona

caitriona KudoZ activity Questions: 913 (7 open) (7 without valid answers) Answers: 5
Local time: 14:13

English translation:more is more

Explanation:
I understand this to mean that a greater quantity of something will do a better job (e.g. two Aspirins will work better than one).

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Note added at 4 hrs (2009-03-25 04:13:33 GMT)
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or: a lot helps a lot

Selected response from:

ntext
United States
Local time: 08:13

Grading comment

Thanks ntext. Your suggestion was taken on board by my client. Many thanks, Caitriona
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +6

more is more

ntext

3 +4

the more the merrier

Allesklar

4 +2

If a little is good then more is better

Anne-Marie Grant

3 +1

A lot goes a long way!

galinacollet

The more you give, the more you get

Helga Lemiere

Many hands make light work.

Susan Welsh

Discussion entries: 6

Answers

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

the more the merrier

Explanation:
one option, depending on context

Allesklar
Australia
Local time: 23:43
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

yyyzzz: I would feel slightly more confident about endorsing this if others had already done so. After all, “there’s safety in numbers”.

1 hr

-> Viel zuviel Wert auf die Meinung anderer zu legen ist ein allgemein herrschender Irrwahn. (A. Schopenhauer) ... in diesem Sinne vielen Dank :)

agree

Helen Shiner: This sounds more natural to me - and if it makes Andrew feel better, Schopenhauer notwithstanding.....

9 hrs

agree

David Moore: And to me...

9 hrs

agree

hazmatgerman: Yes, but note the juxtaposed variant "Nach fest kommt ab" referring to overdoing things. It generally refers to adjustable doses, not abstracta. Plus its definitely not confined to the northern approaches but common in most of D.

10 hrs

neutral

Armorel Young: works if the reference is to people, but not if it is to things (such as aspirins, as Ntext suggests) - which is why the asker needs to give us more guidance on context

17 hrs

20 mins confidence:

Many hands make light work.

Explanation:
Makes sense to me (since an explanation is required!)

Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 09:13
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

more is more

ntext
United States
Local time: 08:13
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in category: 71

Grading comment

Thanks ntext. Your suggestion was taken on board by my client. Many thanks, Caitriona

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Jutta Wappel: I like both possibilities: "More is more" as opposed to "less is more", but depending on context, "a lot helps a lot" may be clearer.

5 hrs

agree

inkweaver

7 hrs

agree

Ingrun Wenge

7 hrs

agree

Helen Shiner: more is more works only if one already has the less is more thing in mind, so may just confuse, but if the context permits ....

8 hrs

agree

David Moore: This doesn't sound natural English to me - OK, so maybe it IS an adman's invention - that doesn't mean I like it any more...

8 hrs

neutral

hazmatgerman: As nonnative I'm surprised this is seen as a "natural" expression.

9 hrs

agree

sylvie malich

9 hrs

neutral

yyyzzz: With David Moore (who appears to have clicked on the 'agree' button by mistake)

12 hrs

neutral

Anne-Marie Grant: This means nothing to me.

16 hrs

6 hrs confidence:

The more you give, the more you get

Explanation:
könnte hier passen!

Helga Lemiere
France
Local time: 15:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German,

French

10 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

A lot goes a long way!

Explanation:
Just another idea

galinacollet
Austria
Local time: 15:13
Native speaker of:

English

17 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

If a little is good then more is better

Explanation:
1) Jutta has confirmed that this is what the saying means
2) It gets lots of google hits
3) 'More is more' means nothing to me
4) Even though I'm a hundred years too late to this thread, I'm putting this answer in anyway!

Anne-Marie Grant
Local time: 14:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

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English translation: more is more

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