German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature | | German term or phrase: die Todesnähe in Szene setzen | This is an extract from a 1950's novel. I am not translating for publication, just to get the sense across. The words are not difficult but the sense is not very obvious [to me].
In the preceding paragraph, the author describes a picture which depicts a battle field with slaughtered soliders. He then goes on to describe:
Es mag noch hingehen, dass ein Mensch die Todesnaehe fuer sich selbst in Szene setzt, doch auch meine Mutter war betroffen, freilich unter
gleichsam mildernden Umstanden: ueber ihrem Bett hing lange das Blind von de Vinci.
monumentales Gemalde ,,Tod und Lebencc |
| xxxSimonFJohnsoKudoZ activityQuestions: 782 (none open) ( 21 closed without grading) Answers: 311
United Kingdom
| Local time: 15:17
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| | to stage-manage one's own final moments | Explanation:
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages his own final moments on earth
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages the manner of his dying
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages his death throes
i.e. there remains an element of choice and self-determination even in death
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| Selected response from:
Andrew Swift
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:17
| Grading comment Thanks - this wasn't an easy one - next time I'll perhaps quote more.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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Automatic update in 00:
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38 mins confidence:   peer agreement (net): +1 to stage-manage one's own final moments
Explanation:
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages his own final moments on earth
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages the manner of his dying
It may be the case that every human being (to some extent) stage-manages his death throes
i.e. there remains an element of choice and self-determination even in death
| Andrew Swift
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 101
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| | Grading comment | Thanks - this wasn't an easy one - next time I'll perhaps quote more. |
| Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks so much for your conribution.
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1 hr confidence: acts out their final moments on earth in their head
Explanation:
...that everybody acts out their final moments on earth in their head, but my...
"etwas in Szene setzen" means "inszenieren, aufführen", but the Leo translation "stage manage" is not really appropriate for literature. "to stage" alone or "produce" or "perform" would all be acceptible literal options, as would less literal ones like imagines, pictures, orchestrates, etc. The idea is not that he arranges the events in a certain way, but that he conceives of them in his mind, he creates a picture of them, i.e. in Szene setzen (create the scene).
Todesnähe is the "approach to death" or the last minutes before death. I would highly recommend looking a Prince Andrey's death in War and Peace and the death of a protagonist in Sevastopol Stories for literary, albeit translated descriptions of the last minutes before death.
Obviously the options are endless and you will probably be able to come up with a better sentence in the context.
|   Henry Schroeder
United States
Local time: 08:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 88
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| | Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks so much for your conribution.
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| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
1 hr confidence: envisions approaching death in their own way
Explanation:
...another variation on the theme
| Lori Dendy-Molz
Germany
Local time: 14:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 22
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| | Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks so much for your conribution.
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| | Login to enter a peer comment (or grade) |
2 hrs confidence:
1 day4 hrs confidence:
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| Changes made by editors |
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| Oct 9, 2006 - Changes made by Steffen Walter: | | Term asked | ...die Todesnaehe in Szene setzen => die Todesnähe in Szene setzen |
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