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eben noch

English translation: here ... but

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:eben noch
English translation:here ... but
Entered by: Kim Metzger

21:32 Jul 24, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / sentence construction/grammar
German term or phrase: eben noch
Hi all,
I'm having trouble with my tenses in this sentence - it's the "war...eben noch" that's throwing me off. I think it's more of an "even though" (see my attempt below).

"War die Straße eben noch voller Kaufleute und Fuhrmänner, lauern schon hinter der nächsten Kurve übelste Wegelagerer, die jeden meucheln, der ihnen in die Finger gerät."

"Even though the streets are full of businesspeople and carters, fearsome bandits are lying in wait around every corner, ready to attack anyone who crosses their path."

Or is that a past tense?

Thanks very much for any help with this!
Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
Local time: 05:09
One moment
Explanation:
One moment the streets are full of merchants and carters, and down the road fearsome bandits are lying in wait around every corner, ready to attack anyone who crosses their path.

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Note added at 42 mins (2005-07-24 22:14:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or how about this:
Here the street is full of merchants and carters, but around the next bend fearsome bandits are lying in wait, ready to ...
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 04:09
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5One moment
Kim Metzger
4 +3a moment before
Parzival
4Sequence of tenses
Lancashireman


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
One moment


Explanation:
One moment the streets are full of merchants and carters, and down the road fearsome bandits are lying in wait around every corner, ready to attack anyone who crosses their path.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 42 mins (2005-07-24 22:14:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or how about this:
Here the street is full of merchants and carters, but around the next bend fearsome bandits are lying in wait, ready to ...

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 04:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 100
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters
4 hrs
agree  Francis Lee (X): While that part of the street is bustling ..., around the next corner ...
9 hrs
agree  Steffen Walter: with your second suggestion
10 hrs
agree  silfilla: your second suggestion accurately conveys that the street's character changes; has nothing to do with tenses ... also with Francis
15 hrs
agree  Mario Marcolin: w Francis and silfilla
20 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a moment before


Explanation:
"Where a moment before the streets had been full of businesspeople and carters,now fearsome bandits lie in wait around every corner, ready to attack anyone who crosses their path."


Parzival
South Africa
Local time: 12:09
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ulrike Kraemer
17 mins
agree  AWa (X): and with LittleBalu's suggestion
28 mins
agree  Maria Ferstl
5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Sequence of tenses


Explanation:
Sequence of tenses
Should be past + past or dramatic pres. + dramatic pres. Tidy it up if you like or render it into equally sloppy English


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Note added at 27 mins (2005-07-24 22:00:04 GMT)
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Agree with Muttersprachler whose interpretation makes sense if the writer is being scrupulous about observing the \'sequence of tenses\'. Sorry if I was unfair on the author :-(

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Note added at 17 hrs 3 mins (2005-07-25 14:36:11 GMT)
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Food for thought: according to silfilla this question has nothing to do with tenses...

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 143
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