https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/tourism-travel/6607591-g%C3%A4gchen-spiel.html

Gägchen-Spiel

English translation: kicking a ball about

08:38 Dec 31, 2018
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Tourism & Travel / Historical name for a game
German term or phrase: Gägchen-Spiel
"...erholen sich die beiden
Knaben vom anstrengenden »Gägchen-Spiel«.
From a brochure of a city tour of the city Rotenburg an der Fulda. I am proofreading this text, and the translator could not find a reference (and neither could I!) Any ideas appreciated.
Heidi Newby-Rose
South Africa
Local time: 06:32
English translation:kicking a ball about
Explanation:
... erholen sich die beiden Knaben vom anstrengenden »Gägchen-Spiel«.
... the two boys take a break from kicking a ball about [in the street]
... the two boys catch their breath after kicking a ball about [in the street]
https://www.google.com/search?q="kicking a ball about"&oq="k...

As the other contributors have already surmised, this is about the narrow streets on either side of the Fulda. I used to take school exchange parties to ROF. It cannot by any stretch of the imagination be described as a 'city', unless the website is aimed at readers in the USA.

I think it sounds more natural in EN to stress the activity (Spiel) rather than the location (Gässchen). The ball is certainly big enough to kick about, though I am mystified by the makeshift hockey stick (?) seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123406046@N03/16974819303/in/p...

Selected response from:

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:32
Grading comment
Thanks very much for the interesting input
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4kicking a ball about
Lancashireman
4alley games
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Gässchen-Spiel
kicking a ball about


Explanation:
... erholen sich die beiden Knaben vom anstrengenden »Gägchen-Spiel«.
... the two boys take a break from kicking a ball about [in the street]
... the two boys catch their breath after kicking a ball about [in the street]
https://www.google.com/search?q="kicking a ball about"&oq="k...

As the other contributors have already surmised, this is about the narrow streets on either side of the Fulda. I used to take school exchange parties to ROF. It cannot by any stretch of the imagination be described as a 'city', unless the website is aimed at readers in the USA.

I think it sounds more natural in EN to stress the activity (Spiel) rather than the location (Gässchen). The ball is certainly big enough to kick about, though I am mystified by the makeshift hockey stick (?) seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123406046@N03/16974819303/in/p...



Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 134
Grading comment
Thanks very much for the interesting input

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  British Diana: This must be it! "Gäggchen" doesn't sound like Franconian dialect
57 mins

agree  Wendy Streitparth: Seems more than likely.
2 hrs

agree  Thomas Pfann: Very likely. And very embarrassing for whoever didn't recognize this OCR error and just put the unknown word in quotation marks.
3 hrs
  -> Thanks. German copywriters really go to town (city?) on »quotation marks«.

agree  Chase Faucheux: Just wondering, why would "city" be correct for a text aimed at Americans? I'd never describe a place with a population of less than 15K as anything other than a "town".
108 days
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7 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
alley games


Explanation:
I overlooked this query.. Two boys taking a break from their alley games

I disagree with Lancashireman's suggestion that the 'location' is unimportant. Gässchen often conjures up some kind of homely, intimate atmosphere. Without interest in creating a similar effect, the author would've had no incentive for this choice of wording.

Compare with this:
"On a recent trip to Morocco I noted that the children had nothing to play with and used pebbles in their alley games." https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/16/travel/l-morocco-470689.h...


Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 00:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 46
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