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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

British Humor

German translation: Yes!

17:51 Apr 28, 2005
English to German translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: British Humor
I must now do something my German Teacher has told me the British do all too often – no not queue; apologise.

I don't understand what is meant by queue here? Are teh british known to stand in line? Can anyone help me out?
Britta Schellenberg
Local time: 22:30
German translation:Yes!
Explanation:
The British are legendary for their habit it of queueing - people of other nationalities find it incomprehensible that we stand in line at bus stops and get on the bus in the order in which we arrived at the bus stop. Seems eminently sensible to me, but then I'm British :-)
Selected response from:

Armorel Young
Local time: 03:30
Grading comment
very amusing.... danke! und ich werde mich jetzt nicht mehr im shopping center and der kasse vordraengeln... :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +15Yes!
Armorel Young
4 +1Schlangestehen
Ingo Dierkschnieder


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +15
british humor
Yes!


Explanation:
The British are legendary for their habit it of queueing - people of other nationalities find it incomprehensible that we stand in line at bus stops and get on the bus in the order in which we arrived at the bus stop. Seems eminently sensible to me, but then I'm British :-)

Armorel Young
Local time: 03:30
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
very amusing.... danke! und ich werde mich jetzt nicht mehr im shopping center and der kasse vordraengeln... :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  klausie-hamburg
1 min
agree  Ferguson (X): true
3 mins
agree  Ingo Dierkschnieder: Actually, it does happen less and less at bus stops, maybe they learned from the foreigners there, but at other places, it is unchanged.
4 mins
agree  Katrin Lueke
15 mins
agree  msherms: I was shocked when I first came to Germany (I'm American though) about how people butt in line and don't even let you get off the bus while they're trying to get in : )
24 mins
agree  Petra51: Incomprehensible? Sensible! ;-) And msherms: Although I am German and live in Germany, I agree with you, too! ;-)
33 mins
agree  Derek Gill Franßen: I too was surprised at the "butting-in-line-thing," but Germans love to queue up in traffic too - I want to park, look back and already 5 cars are behind me, just waiting. And Americans just keep waiting (in vain) that somebody will open another lane. ;-)
48 mins
agree  VerenaH (X): msherms - yes, quite an experience...
1 hr
agree  silfilla: ahem: you forgot to give Britta the term: Schlangestehen :-) (New Yorkers stand in line too, everywhere! -- and hate Germans who butt in, but we try to be polite anyway :-)
2 hrs
agree  Caro Maucher: Hab ich vor Jahren in London sogar bei einem Stray Cats Konzert erlebt: lauter schwere Jungs, die draußen gesittet angestanden sind, bevor sie drinnen die Sau rausgelassen haben!
3 hrs
agree  Gabriele Eiber (Kaessler)
4 hrs
agree  Harry Bornemann: I remember a Briton asking me: "How in the world do you manage to get into the bus??" I answered: "Just try not to touch the others." :-))
4 hrs
agree  M TRANSLATIO (X): I think ist nothing left to say, though. ;-))
10 hrs
agree  MMUlr: yes, Silfilla: I (German) was surprised by the very polite manners of New Yorkers, standing in line, always saying "sorry" in case they touched you inadvertently in the streets or in the subway :-))
13 hrs
agree  David Moore (X)
16 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
british humor
Schlangestehen


Explanation:
Es sieht wirklich so aus, als würden die Briten stets Schlangestehen, zumindest sagt man das landläufig so. Kommt wohl daher, dass die Briten allgemein als reserviert angesehen werden, und ein gepflegtes Einordnen in die Schlange normal ist und nicht etwa, wie in anderen Ländern, einfach mehrere Schlange gebildet werden oder sich die Leute schlicht nach vorne vordrängeln. Verblüffend z.B. dass die Schlangen bestehen bleiben, wenn die Veranstaltung bereits angefangen hat (habe ich so bei zahlreichen Fußballspielen gesehen), was in Deutschland z.B. einfach nicht möglich wäre, weil jeder versucht, schnell reinzukommen, auch wenn er dabei über Leichen gehen muss.

Ingo Dierkschnieder
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:30
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  silfilla: :-)
2 hrs
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