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"Knecht Ruprecht" here.

English translation: (ignore it...!)


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20:51 Jan 25, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Marketing / Market Research
German term or phrase: "Knecht Ruprecht" here.
One last question. Ideas on how to deal with "Knecht Ruprecht" here.

Die Angst, der gute Ruf sei zerbrechlich wie die Christbaumkugeln im TCM-Set "Knecht Ruprecht", sitzt tief. Kürzlich zerrten die Hausjuristen einen kleinen Berliner Unternehmer wegen "phonetischen Gleichklangs" vor Gericht, weil er sein Restaurant "Cibo Matto" (übersetzt: verrücktes Essen) genannt hatte
Lorna O'Donoghue
Local time: 16:08
English translation:(ignore it...!)
Explanation:
As a purely translation question, I would ignore this, since at best it adds nothing to the sense for an English-language reader, and at worst sounds contrived and might confuse... I'd say simply 'as fragile as the decorations on a Christmas tree' (or similar). That would make the writer's point clearly enough. 'Knecht', by the way, in the medieval sense, is a squire ('trainee' knight), I think.
Selected response from:

Alison Gaunt
Local time: 16:08
Grading comment
Many thanks to all
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5Knecht Ruprecht
Melanie Nassar
4(ignore it...!)Alison Gaunt
1 -1Knight RupertMerry Foxworth


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Knecht Ruprecht


Explanation:
It's a product name, and as such it doesn't really matter whether it is understood by the English-speaking reader or not.
The alternative would be to call it Santa's Helper or some other nonsense, as there is no real equivalent to Knecht Ruprecht in English (at least the American variety)

Melanie Nassar
Palestine
Local time: 18:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Frosty
18 mins
agree  Robert Kleemaier: though I hasten to add that he is also known as 'St. Rupert', as Johanna has pointed out. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht
31 mins
agree  mstkwasa
2 hrs
agree  xxxsonja29
4 hrs
neutral  Bjørn Anthun: I also found St. Rupert as a term -- see http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13229a.htm
6 hrs
agree  Angelika Joast
11 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Knight Rupert


Explanation:
This is also the title of a Schumann piano piece and I think this is how it is in the English translation in the music books.

Merry Foxworth
Local time: 10:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  mstkwasa: I would rather keep the German name, but I wasn't aware that "Knecht" enjoyed such a high social status as a knight.
1 hr
disagree  Kathleen: Knecht does not mean knight! It means knave or manservant!! According to legend, Knecht Ruprecht accompanies St. Nicholas on 6.Dez. to dole out either treats (for good children) or ashes, twigs and coal (for naughty children)
9 hrs
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Knecht Ruprecht
(ignore it...!)


Explanation:
As a purely translation question, I would ignore this, since at best it adds nothing to the sense for an English-language reader, and at worst sounds contrived and might confuse... I'd say simply 'as fragile as the decorations on a Christmas tree' (or similar). That would make the writer's point clearly enough. 'Knecht', by the way, in the medieval sense, is a squire ('trainee' knight), I think.

Alison Gaunt
Local time: 16:08
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks to all
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




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