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unnachsichtig

English translation: probingly

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13:58 Dec 4, 2011

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History / history book

German term or phrase: unnachsichtig

This is still from the section on Krausnickstrasse in a history of Berlin.

This sentence doesn't make sense to me and I'm wondering if there could be a scanning error in the text here:

"Die Straße mußte »zu Ehren des Oberbürgermeisters Krausnick« heißen. Warum nicht? Doch wenn man nachsieht, **unnachsichtig**, siehe da, ein gemeinsames Erlebnis verband diesen König und Krausnick. Beide waren im März 1848 vor dem Berliner Volk getürmt."

Does it actually mean "when you look back, mercilessly", or could it really be "with hindsight"?

Thanks again!

Rachel Ward KudoZ activity Questions: 412 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 67
Local time: 02:09

English translation:probingly

Explanation:
The pun does not work too well in German. "Probe, probingly", "search, searchingly", "inquire, inquisitively". My dictionary shows all of these, but then it's only Laurence Urdang.

Selected response from:

Horst Huber
Local time: 21:09

Grading comment

Will try something along these lines, although I might go with Phil and leave it out!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +2

probingly

Horst Huber

4 +1

without making allowances, sceptically

Trude Stegmann

3 +1

when you look back **digging deeply**

Usch Pilz

adamant

Oliver_F

thoroughly and impartially

casper

uncompromisingly / rigorously / unsparingly

Helen Shiner

soberly/earnestly/ thoughtfully

Ramey Rieger

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

43 mins confidence:

soberly/earnestly/ thoughtfully

Explanation:
It's hard to tell, but this is how I read it.

Ramey Rieger
Local time: 03:09
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

57 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

when you look back **digging deeply**

Explanation:
Could be read as unrelenting digging into the past.

Usch Pilz
Local time: 03:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German

59 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

without making allowances, sceptically

Explanation:
"Nachsicht" has nothing to do with "hindsight" or "looking back". It means "indulgence" or "leniency". "unnachsichtig" refers in this case to the person subjecting the historical circumstances to a strict scrutiny, without falling for the obvious.

Reference: http://dict.leo.org/?lp=ende&from=fx3&search=nachsichtig
Reference: http://dict.leo.org/ende?lp=ende&lang=de&searchLoc=0&cmpType...

Trude Stegmann
Local time: 02:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 12

1 hr confidence:

thoroughly and impartially

Explanation:
This should cover it, IMO

casper
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

4 hrs confidence:

uncompromisingly / rigorously / unsparingly

Explanation:
It all really hangs on how you are going to translate 'nachsehen'. Is it just 'looking back' or is it 'checking something'? Anyway, here are some more suggestions. I think I would probably rewrite the sentence.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 65

4 hrs confidence:

adamant

Explanation:
I think it is a play with words...
nachsehen -> look up (instead of "jemand etwas nachsehen"-> to be lenient on...)
unnachsichtig -> adamant
... that unfortunately doesn't seem to work in English...

Oliver_F
Local time: 03:09
Native speaker of:

German

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

probingly

Explanation:
The pun does not work too well in German. "Probe, probingly", "search, searchingly", "inquire, inquisitively". My dictionary shows all of these, but then it's only Laurence Urdang.

Horst Huber
Local time: 21:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Will try something along these lines, although I might go with Phil and leave it out!

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English translation: probingly

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English translation: probingly

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