https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/government-politics/781318-politikerkopf.html
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. German to English
  3. Government / Politics

Politikerkopf

English translation: close-up of a politician's face

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Politikernkopf
English translation:close-up of a politician's face
Entered by: Oliver Walter

20:07 Aug 7, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / perhaps non-technical
German term or phrase: Politikerkopf
"Auf den meisten Plakaten wird eine Personifizierung von Politik durch Abbildung von bekannten Politikern oder Politikerköpfen vorgenommen."
Literally "politicians's heads" or perhaps "politicians' faces", but that doesn't sound right after "politicians" in English. What is the distinction between (Abbildung von) Politiker and Politikerköpfe to a German?
(This is an article about a German publicity campaign with posters.)
Oliver Walter
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:09
depiction/presentation of well-known politicians or just close-ups of their faces
Explanation:
In second thoughts, I prefer it this way

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 33 mins (2004-08-07 21:40:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Full-length portraits of politicians or just close-ups of their faces

Selected response from:

mckinnc
Local time: 11:09
Grading comment
"close-ups of their faces" is closest to what I finally used (and I ignored the distinction in one of the occurrences in the text). My original question should have said "Politikernkopf", not "Politikerkopf"
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4does the distinction matter?
Armorel Young
4 +1images of well known politicians or merely their heads
Dr. Fred Thomson
5depiction/presentation of well-known politicians or just close-ups of their faces
mckinnc
4political (expert/specialist/guru)
Roddy Stegemann
3"the depiction of the heads and faces of well-known politicians"
Kevin Pfeiffer (X)


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"the depiction of the heads and faces of well-known politicians"


Explanation:
my shot

Kevin Pfeiffer (X)
Germany
Local time: 11:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Trudy Peters: what happened to the rest of the body?
16 mins
  -> "Off with their heads!" :-) Was a looser attempt meant to preserve the flow. But I like the Doc's better.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
images of well known politicians or merely their heads


Explanation:
Or: images of well known politicians or merely the heads of such politicians

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2004-08-07 20:36:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On most of the signs a personification of politics is attempted (or: is achieved) by depicting (or showing) well known politicians or merely their heads (or: the heads thereof).

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 03:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kevin Pfeiffer (X): Sounds good and close to original!
20 mins
  -> Thank you, Kevin.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
does the distinction matter?


Explanation:
At the risk of being accused of being too free, I'd be inclined to omit the distinction. In English usage, a picture of XXX can equally well be a full-length picture or a face-only one, so just to say "pictures/illustrations of politicians" covers both options quite satisfactorily. For the same reason, the oder/or distinction is shaky either in German or English, because the two things aren't discrete - pictures of politicians' faces are a subset of pictures of politicians, not an entirely separate category.

Armorel Young
Local time: 10:09
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 34

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters
9 mins
agree  Meturgan
1 hr
agree  Christine Lam
2 hrs
agree  Ingrid Blank
8 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
depiction/presentation of well-known politicians or just close-ups of their faces


Explanation:
In second thoughts, I prefer it this way

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 33 mins (2004-08-07 21:40:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Full-length portraits of politicians or just close-ups of their faces



mckinnc
Local time: 11:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
"close-ups of their faces" is closest to what I finally used (and I ignored the distinction in one of the occurrences in the text). My original question should have said "Politikernkopf", not "Politikerkopf"
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
political (expert/specialist/guru)


Explanation:
Is this not an anglicism taken from the US colloquial expression "talking heads" -- people who have a good notion of a thing or matter and are well-known voices on their subject. In this sense a politician and a political expert are two very different kinds of people.

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 02:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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