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General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Idiom | | German term or phrase: Bugwelle | | Eine Bugwelle (von xx Stunden) haben...on a schedule, e.g. teaching. |
| | | English translation:be swamped with work/a backlog | Explanation:
I read and hear "I'm swamped with work" or "Company x is swamped with a backlog (usually of orders)". This captures the "being wet" metaphor. |
| Selected response from:
 Darrel Knutson
Germany
Local time: 03:03
| Grading comment This seems a good option since I had never heard either the Bugwelle or the bow wave metaphor before.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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Automatic update in 00:
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1 hr confidence:  
1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +1 bow wave
Explanation:
Might fit depending on the larger context which I do not have. Often used to describe a backlog of work, hours, tasks, payments etc. that have been deferred or have built up over time.
"...The command is already sitting on a bow wave of potential retirements. Robins alone has more than 2,000 retirement-eligible workers with more joining the roster every month."
http://warnerrobinspatriot.com/view/full_story/14896192/arti...
"This is the so-called ‘bow wave’ effect when an organisation first wakes up to its backlog of deferred corrective maintenance. Remember, corrective maintenance can only be deferred, never avoided!"
http://www.shiresystems.co.uk/downloads/whitepapers/inspecti...
| | | Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks - it makes sense, but I am not sure how common the metaphor is.
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The translation workplace 
