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razor sharp wit

German translation: schlagfertiger Esprit

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:razor sharp wit
German translation:schlagfertiger Esprit
Entered by: Vampyre

16:54 Apr 10, 2005
English to German translations [PRO]
Poetry & Literature / Biographie
English term or phrase: razor sharp wit
"Dorothy's ***razor sharp wit*** made her a woman not to be messed with."
Vampyre
Schlagfertigkeit
Explanation:
Passt am besten, denn dies Schlagfertigkeit umfasst noch die Eigenschaften 'Witz' und "no nonsense"
Selected response from:

Dr.G.MD (X)
Local time: 05:57
Grading comment
Thanks, I like "ihr schlagfertiger Esprit" :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +10messerscharfer Verstand
Klaus Herrmann
4 +2Schlagfertigkeit
Dr.G.MD (X)
4 +2messerscharfer Verstand
------ (X)
4 +1ihr ausgesprochen scharfsinniger Geist
------ (X)
2(haar-)scharfe/spitze Zunge
Francis Lee (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Schlagfertigkeit


Explanation:
Passt am besten, denn dies Schlagfertigkeit umfasst noch die Eigenschaften 'Witz' und "no nonsense"

Dr.G.MD (X)
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks, I like "ihr schlagfertiger Esprit" :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ------ (X): Letztendlich ist diese Lösung besser. Ein noch so scharfer Verstand ist keine so gute Waffe wie Schlagfertigkeit. Was hälst du von "ihr schlagfertiger Esprit"?
37 mins
  -> Esprit...find ich gut. Vielen Dank
agree  Dana Goodier
8 hrs
  -> Danke
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ihr ausgesprochen scharfsinniger Geist


Explanation:
ETA Hoffmann, Das Fräulein von Scuderi
... „Euer scharfsinniger Geist, hochgeehrte Dame, hat uns, die wir an der Schwäche
und Feigheit das Recht des Stärkern üben und uns Schätze zueignen, ...
www.romantik.litera-tor.com/texte/hoff_scuderi02.html - 53k - En caché - Páginas similares

ihr scharfer Esprit...

------ (X)
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bjørn Anthun: finde 'scharfsinniger Geist' passend
5 mins
  -> Danke sehr!
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
messerscharfer Verstand


Explanation:
Gefährlich, wenn mit Haaren auf der Zunge gepaart.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2005-04-10 17:16:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Nach einer kleinen Umschau stimme von der Tendenz Steffen zu, allerdings würde ich nicht Humor wählen, sonder Witz: beissender Witz nimmt das verletzende Element von razor mit, dass der unten vorgeschlagenen Schlagfertigkeit fehlt.

For example, one of Parker\'s favorite rhetorical structures is that of the catalogue. Some of her most famous verses, like the \"Resum�\" (which, given what is now known of her occasional suicide attempts, seems one kind of Galgenhumor rather than another), build through a brief list through a minor joke or two (here, the acutely irrelevant illegality of firearms) to the punch line: \"Razors pain you; / Rivers are damp; / Acids stain you; / And drugs cause cramp. / Guns aren\'t lawful; / Nooses give; / Gas smells awful; / You might as well live.\" (Rather more lengthy is her \"Symptom Recital.\")

Das verletzende Element von razor würde ich auf jeden Fall versuchen, zu retten.

Klaus Herrmann
Germany
Local time: 05:57
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 14

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ------ (X)
0 min
agree  Kathi Stock: ja, stimmt, die Lösung ist besser
4 mins
  -> Danke, ich wollte gerade noch brilliant bei dir nachtragen - da hast du das klare und besondere in einem Bild...
agree  silfilla
5 mins
agree  Steffen Walter: Wobei auch noch (mit etwas geringerer Wahrscheinlichkeit) ein messerscharfer/sarkastischer Humor gemeint sein könnte.
5 mins
  -> Je nach Kontext, ja. Sarkastisch soll angeblich negativ sein (eine Meinung, die ich nicht teile).
agree  writeaway: Steffen has it right imho.she's known for her sharp sarcastic humour. http://humor.catweasel.org/Site1/Digests/H0406300.php - 16k
11 mins
  -> Yes. I did some quick reading on Dorothy Parker, but I don't think you can use the German „Humor“.
agree  Siegfried Armbruster
30 mins
agree  Trans-Marie
35 mins
agree  Peter Gennet
2 hrs
agree  Harry Bornemann: rasiermesserscharfer Verstand - wenn es richtig fetzen soll :-)
3 hrs
agree  nettranslatorde
14 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
messerscharfer Verstand


Explanation:
:)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 55 mins (2005-04-10 17:49:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Wenn man das \"razor sharp\" erhalten will, dann ist natürlich auf den ersten Blick diese Version naheliegend. Bei genauerem Hinsehen gefällt sie mir nicht mehr besonders.

------ (X)
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trans-Marie
34 mins
  -> Danke!
agree  Dana Goodier
7 hrs
  -> Danke!
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
(haar-)scharfe/spitze Zunge


Explanation:
m.E geht's an sich nicht um ihren "Verstand", sondern darum, wie sie sich geäussert hat.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs 10 mins (2005-04-11 12:05:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

- beissende/scharfzüngige Ironie
I really don\'t think you need translate \"razor-sharp\" so literally; it\'s a far more common phrase than \"messerscharf\" in German - oddah?

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 05:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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