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Erwünscht. Statt verwünscht

English translation: Direct dialogue with xxxx - conducive instead of intrusive!

13:40 Mar 12, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
German term or phrase: Erwünscht. Statt verwünscht
For my Internet advertising job again. They say "Direkter Dialog durch (product name). Erwünscht. Statt verwünscht."

Any ideas anyone?
Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 22:43
English translation:Direct dialogue with xxxx - conducive instead of intrusive!
Explanation:
It sounds like you're talking about one of those "call me" buttons, which a website visitor clicks if he or she is interested in the presented product and would like to speak directly to a company representative. So, I think the advantage they are trying to promote is this non-intrusive method of putting a sales person in contact with a potential customer.

I would add a caption that that talks about how the product is conducive to turning web-surfers into paying customers.

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-03-12 23:34:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just in case it wasn\'t clear, the way I read it is that they are trying to juxtaposition their product with telemarketing, and thereby pointing out that their product is a more effective, and less aggravating method of opening a dialogue with potential customers.
Selected response from:

msebold
Canada
Local time: 16:43
Grading comment
YES!!! Thanks to all of you for your input. This text has been full of tricky little phrases like this - it's had me pulling my hair out in places, I can tell you. I know this translation isn't literal, but it gets the meaning across.

Alison
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7A blessing, not a curse
Robin Ward
5"WANTED, BUT HAUNTED"!
brute (X)
5Direct dialogue with xxxx - conducive instead of intrusive!
msebold
5wanted, not wanting
Mary Wilburn
4Something you will actually look forward to and not want to cancel
Irene De Han
4"Direct dialogue through (or via)...... welcome rather than loathed (shunned, unwelcome or similar).
Hartwin Busch
4Desired, not required
Jan Liebelt
4made for enjoying, not annoying
Caro Maucher
4more (of) a help than a hindrance
Cilian O'Tuama
4desired instead of required
GBChrista
4Satisfied, not squandered
qiyote
4a possibility
Beth Kantus


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
A blessing, not a curse


Explanation:
One idea that immediately springs to mind, even though it's perhaps not very catchy. I'm afraid I can't come up with anything along the lines of the erwünscht/verwünscht wordplay though!

Robin Ward
Germany
Local time: 22:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 416

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Caro Maucher: my first thought, too
10 mins
agree  Louise Mawbey: sounds good - I don't think there is a chance of keeping the play on words.
10 mins
agree  Barbara Schulten, MSc (OXON), DPSI
13 mins
agree  ingot: wished FOR not wished AWAY ?
32 mins
agree  keystone
42 mins
agree  Elvira Stoianov
50 mins
agree  Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X): That's the best and most idiomatic suggestion.
2 hrs
  -> I know, but it still didn't me get over the 100 Kudoz points mark (I'm stuck on 99)!
agree  Sheila Hardie: sounds good to me:)
2 hrs
disagree  sixxxter1 (X): Sounds good for formal conversation, but not for an advertising job. But maybe I'm wrong. After all, the score's 8:1!
3 hrs
  -> Perhaps it is 8:1, but I still didn't get any points!
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Something you will actually look forward to and not want to cancel


Explanation:
This is a very liberal translation of "erwünscht" and "verwünscht". Hope it helps!

Irene De Han
Local time: 16:43
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 30

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Martin Schmurr: advertising expressions should be somewhat shorter
29 mins
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"Direct dialogue through (or via)...... welcome rather than loathed (shunned, unwelcome or similar).


Explanation:
Hi Alison,
I think this reflects the meaning albeit not the rhyming.

No references, I am afraid.

Hartwin Busch

Hartwin Busch
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:43
PRO pts in pair: 5
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Desired, not required


Explanation:
Or:

An asset rather than a must

Jan Liebelt
France
Local time: 22:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 77

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  wrtransco: would you like to advertise your services like that? :-)
14 hrs
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
made for enjoying, not annoying


Explanation:
or:
communication with a smile - a real one

or:
smiling, not reviling... not sure if reviling can be used without an object, though.

Caro Maucher
Germany
Local time: 22:43
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 111
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
more (of) a help than a hindrance


Explanation:
.

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 22:43
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 7294
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
"WANTED, BUT HAUNTED"!


Explanation:
Alliterate enough, Alison?

brute (X)
PRO pts in pair: 255
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
desired instead of required


Explanation:
I hope this helps

GBChrista
Germany
Local time: 22:43
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 69
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Satisfied, not squandered


Explanation:
"erwunscht" speaks the accomplishment, while "verwunscht" mirrors the opposite.

qiyote
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a possibility


Explanation:
I haven't been following all the inquiries recently, so I'm not sure what the context is in this case.
If it actually refers to a call perhaps something along the lines of "Direct dialogue through XXX .... one call you'll want to take!"

Just a thought.

Beth Kantus
United States
Local time: 16:43
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 924
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Direct dialogue with xxxx - conducive instead of intrusive!


Explanation:
It sounds like you're talking about one of those "call me" buttons, which a website visitor clicks if he or she is interested in the presented product and would like to speak directly to a company representative. So, I think the advantage they are trying to promote is this non-intrusive method of putting a sales person in contact with a potential customer.

I would add a caption that that talks about how the product is conducive to turning web-surfers into paying customers.

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-03-12 23:34:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just in case it wasn\'t clear, the way I read it is that they are trying to juxtaposition their product with telemarketing, and thereby pointing out that their product is a more effective, and less aggravating method of opening a dialogue with potential customers.

msebold
Canada
Local time: 16:43
PRO pts in pair: 283
Grading comment
YES!!! Thanks to all of you for your input. This text has been full of tricky little phrases like this - it's had me pulling my hair out in places, I can tell you. I know this translation isn't literal, but it gets the meaning across.

Alison
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
wanted, not wanting


Explanation:
The repetition of want corresponds to the repitition of "-wuenscht" in the original. Wanting has the double meaning of desiring and lacking. So the satisfied customer not only gets what's desired; that customer is not short-changed in any way.

Mary Wilburn
United States
Local time: 16:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 76
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