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18:05 Mar 26, 2011
German to English translations [PRO] Government / Politics / business
German term or phrase:Badeschlappen-Politik
Occurs in the quotation"Ökologie ist nicht als Badeschlappen-Politik zu verstehen, sondern als wirtschaftliche Chance"
attributed to Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.
At the moment I've got "Ecology is not to be seen as the province of the beard and sandals brigade but as a business opportunity" just wondering if there's something better... or whether I have got the wrong end of the stick... I await your comments with interest. This is from a job about things you can do to increase business in the hotel trade.
I think "bears and sandal" brigade works well. I also like woolly-minded and tree-hugging, but less so.
In my experience among environmentalists, they do not wear "tie-die shirts" much these days. It is all about the dreadlocks and natural cotton and hemp shirts.
I'm with Andrew and the original poster on the beard-and-sandals brigade. I think tree-hugging works nicely, too, but I associate that - rightly or perhaps wrongly - with more active forms of activism than wearing sandals, eating musli and reading the Guardian - and hence would apply it to a smaller number of people.
"Maybe next time, when the question asked concerns UK politics instead of German news. :-)"
Perhaps you might like to revisit your comment below which appears to concern American politics: "No!! Badeschlappen-Politik can not be mixed up with "flip-flopping", a term attributed to D-John Kerry by the R-opposition during the presidential campaign 2004."
Understanding the source text is only a job half done. Turning it into something intelligible to the reader is the other 50 percent.
"However, I wouldn’t wish to bore you with the ins and outs of UK politics over the last four decades or so."
Thanks in advance! Maybe next time, when the question asked concerns UK politics instead of German news. :-)
I agree that being of one nationality or another (preferably two) can be an immense help in our trade. As a native speaker of the target language, I can assure you that no British reader would associate the ‘beard and sandals’ image with Jesus. However, I wouldn’t wish to bore you with the ins and outs of UK politics over the last four decades or so.
My husband and I were celebrating his/our combined 112th birthday. In regard to understanding German politics: Being a German helps a lot. However, you do realize that Karl Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg (his full name) has to take serious flak these days, so does his perception of green economics. Using the mockery of Jesus-like beard and sandals-attire in journalism might backfire.
Welcome back to the internet and hope your weekend was good. Thanks for the link to the co.uk website and the pictures of ‘incense man’ himself standing in front of his garden shed wearing a range of gaily coloured shirts. What do you deduce about his politics from these pictures? I think he might have more success selling his collection if he posed by the beach, possibly wearing flip-flops.
In reply to your comment: "Hi Nicole. No response to my query, so I am changing 'neutral' to 'disagree'."
Yesterday was Sunday, did you happen to notice? Sorry that I spent my weekend away from my computer and apparently made you feel neglected. :-)
may have been coined in another context, but the image of irresponsible, unreliable or "airy-fairy" economics is still valid in this context. I offered "hippy politics", bit withdrew it in the face of "flip-flop policy" as I consider this to be right on the money.
Mit „Badeschlappen“ hat sich Karl-Theo meiner Ansicht nach übrigens etwas vertan. Was er meint, wären eher „Ökolatschen“, „Birkenstock“ (die hatte er möglicherweise im Sinn, wollte aber auf die Nennung des Markennamens verzichten) oder eben einfach „Sandalen“. „Badeschlappen“ passen hier m.E. überhaupt nicht ins gewünschte Bild - dabei stelle ich mir nämlich (typischerweise blaue) Plastikschlappen vor und die passen eigentlich nicht so recht zum stereotypischen „Öko-Futzi“ mit Vollbart, Wollpulli und Sandalen.
obviously a typo; maybe your approach is fine; I guess it indicates the non-commital attitude towards ecology and waste management etc. maybe: the bathrobe/slippers attitude or some such thing
it was quoted as "Badeschtlappenpolitik" just an error?
Ökologie
„"Ökologie ist nicht als Badeschtlappen-Politik zu verstehen,sondern als wirtschaftliche Chance."“
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, (*1971), Bundesverteidigungsminister, Quelle: FOCUS
Querverweise: Nachhaltigkeit
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Answers
3 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): -1
sauna-slipper policy
Explanation: Why not just grace the jargon with a new concoction?
Horst Huber Local time: 21:07 Native speaker of: German
Explanation: Flip Flop Policy
The term 'Flip Flop' is normally used to denote frequent changes which take place with regard to a position one normally takes, especially in making policy pronouncements and it reflects the fickle mindedness of the authority. http://abdulhalimshah.blogspot.com/2010/06/flip-flop-policy....
casper Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 17
The translation workplace 
