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German to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - History / 19th century Berlin
German term or phrase:öffentliches Mädchen
I get the general idea here, but am struggling to find an English euphemism that catches the same tone.
Any thoughts?
It relates to Fontane's "Von Zwanzig bis Dreißig":
Dazu Alma, »eine kleine, sehr wohlgenährte Person mit roten Backen und großen schwarzen Augen, die mit seltner Stupidität in die Welt blickten. Ihre Hauptschönheit und zugleich auch das Zeichen ihres Berufes war eine mit minutiöser Sorgfalt gepflegte Sechse, die sie glatt angeklebt zwischen Ohr und Schläfe trug.« Vater Fontäne, als er seinen Sohn besuchte, erkannte sachverständig sofort Alma als **öffentliches Mädchen**. Solche täuschten gern mit dem Familienstand »Witwe« die Sittenpolizei.
Explanation: I believe this would be the right register and tone. Can't help thinking of the phrase: 'she was no better than she ought to be.' (which would not be.) I'm not sure there is too much approbation in the German term, almost just a question of her status. There was great anxiety in many European countries at the time about women appearing in the public sphere and not be easily distinguishable from 'honest women.' I presume such tiny markers of difference like the kiss curl were heavily laden for viewers/men on the street and may have saved a few blushes.
thankx for the background, and your posting may have crossed with my private mail. As I value your knowledge of period and culture, I can only nod. Tip to the hat.
The problem with both of your terms (the latter sounds a bit late, 1920s springs to mind, though that is just a gut feeling) is that they could be applied to any woman with slightly less than 'respectable' behaviour. They go far beyond prostitution and would have included flirting, being seen in public unchaperoned, etc. Women could lose their reputations for the slightest of reasons. The GER term is far more direct.
if you look down at my first comment you will find two phrases (hussy and fast girl) which are indeed recorded in my period dics of the late 19th and early 20th century); perhaps they have been overlooked as I do not enter terms as answers any more. Regards.
I've tried thesaureses obviously, but couldn't find anything that quite caught the tone. I thought perhaps somebody here might know a suitable period phrase that was escaping me.
checking with the OED (except 4. Supplement), SOED, Websters up to 2003 and online, American Heritage, and latest Collins the term "working girl" in this sense is not on record for any period prior to the 1980. Therefore is is not suitable for the feel of a turn-of-the-century text. Besides, IMO "öffentliches Mädchen" is not as innocent as it sounds, rather one might call it euphemistic or even putting a gloss on the truth, beschönigen. Its meaning and function would have been quite clear to the man on the street in the 1910s.
is the absolute vagueness - a perfect euphemism! Anything indicating reputation or even hinting at it is a dilution. Whatever you choose, it must be - in my opinion of course - quite harmless in itself. "Working girl" is my favourite.
I'm torn between the 'working girl' (nice to hang on to the 'Mädchen/girl') and the girl/woman of ill repute. It really depends on the register of the text as such.
This is not really a translation question, because you and we know exactly what it means. We could post any number of answers, but the choice is ultimately down to you. Why don't you try thesaurus.com?
The translation workplace 
