Es kann sich nur jemand auf den Schlips getreten fühlen, der einen umhat

English translation: One can only get hot under the collar if there's a tie wrapped around it

07:53 Jul 4, 2001
German to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: Es kann sich nur jemand auf den Schlips getreten fühlen, der einen umhat
Same context as above (clothes at work). I think it's supposed to be a joke (I won't make any comment about German humour here!), but I suppose it's just nonsense really. The best thing I can come up with is "you're only going to worry about someone standing on your toes if you've got smart shoes on", but I'm not really sure about that. (The other problem is that there's a picture of a tie next to the paragraph, so it'd be good to try and get ties in there somewhere!) Anyone got any ideas?!
SEH
Local time: 22:44
English translation:One can only get hot under the collar if there's a tie wrapped around it
Explanation:
- or something along those lines.
I didn't know the expression myself, but my Slang Thesaurus lists "to get hot under the collar" as a slang expression for being angry or annoyed.
Maybe it's a bit constructed, but so is the German phrase, and at least you've got annoyance and ties tied together in a vaguely colloquial way.

Have fun with the rest of your text!
Selected response from:

beermatt
Local time: 22:44
Grading comment
Really good idea - solves my problem with the picture of the tie too. Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +2One can only get hot under the collar if there's a tie wrapped around it
beermatt
naYou can only offend somebody by stepping on his tie if he is wearing one.
Sauerkraut
naNobody can step on your tie unless you drag it on the floor
Muhammad Riedinger
naOnly a person who wears a tie gets tongue-tied!
lone (X)
na<<If the shoe fits, wear it.>> ... but...
Tom Funke
naun-tied you can't get hot under the collar.
Uschi (Ursula) Walke


  

Answers


48 mins
You can only offend somebody by stepping on his tie if he is wearing one.


Explanation:
This is what I can come up with:
You can only offend somebody by stepping on his tie if he is wearing one.


    Native German
Sauerkraut
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59 mins
Nobody can step on your tie unless you drag it on the floor


Explanation:
It's quite a tough one. You are pretty close in your reading, except it is perhaps more like "....if you parade them in smart shoes." Since the metaphor does not exist in English, you basically have two choices. Either you edit the picture of the tie out and replace it with a clip of some smart, shiny shoes, or someone showing them off, or you go for a more or less literal translation like: "Nobody can step on your tie unless you drag it on the floor" or "Nobody can pull your tie unless you let it hang out" or something of the sort.
I hope that helps.


    1000 spoilt ties
Muhammad Riedinger
Pakistan
Local time: 01:44
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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1 hr
Only a person who wears a tie gets tongue-tied!


Explanation:
This is not an esy one...

My translation may not convey the exact German meaning, but at least you got the message "tied together".

Good luck!


    professional experience
lone (X)
Canada
Local time: 16:44
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in category: 8
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3 hrs peer agreement (net): +2
One can only get hot under the collar if there's a tie wrapped around it


Explanation:
- or something along those lines.
I didn't know the expression myself, but my Slang Thesaurus lists "to get hot under the collar" as a slang expression for being angry or annoyed.
Maybe it's a bit constructed, but so is the German phrase, and at least you've got annoyance and ties tied together in a vaguely colloquial way.

Have fun with the rest of your text!


    Penguin Slang Thesaurus
beermatt
Local time: 22:44
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Really good idea - solves my problem with the picture of the tie too. Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sonia Rowland: Inspired!!
2 hrs

agree  Uschi (Ursula) Walke: great idea!
3 hrs
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4 hrs
<<If the shoe fits, wear it.>> ... but...


Explanation:
>>If the shoe fits, wear it<< is a common saying here that obviously doesn;t fit your literal context (Schlips) but strikes me as having a similar situational application (no need to feel/act insulted unless the critique hits home).

I didn't see your other context so I'm not sure what your passage specifically alludes to.

In some situations, German proverbs, sayings and idiomatic allusions can be transposed into similar English versions. Example (headline of article testing new SUV under arctic conditions -- idiomatic allusion to the German equivalent of 'Some Like It Hot':
>>Manche mögen's Eis<<

>>Some Like It Nice, Some Like the Ice".

But sometimes you just have to create new English copy to approximate or replace the German source passage. Example (Headline about testing and tuning suspensions for new model of high-end sports car on the Nürburg Ring:)

>>Der Härtefall<<

>>Hardcore Suspension Tuning<<

This might well be such a situation where you have to create a bit of new copy.

HTH ... a little Tom






    see above
Tom Funke
Local time: 16:44
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
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7 hrs
un-tied you can't get hot under the collar.


Explanation:
I like beermatt's idea best. this is just a variation on the theme.

Good Luck!

Forget the toes, if anyone wanted to tread on mine, I'd rather wear shoes!

Uschi (Ursula) Walke
Local time: 06:44
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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