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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

macht die Biege

English translation: leaves everything behind

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:macht die Biege
English translation:leaves everything behind
Entered by: Elisa Ryznar (X)

06:32 Apr 1, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Interview
German term or phrase: macht die Biege
Doch dann schleicht sich die Musik durch eine Hintertüre wieder in sein Leben ein. Bei einem Freund entdeckt Jacques ein Tenorsaxophon, probiert es aus und infiziert sich erneut mit dem musikalischen Virus. Drei Jahre lang übt er sich in jeder freien Minute, die ihm seine Arbeit läßt, die Finger und Lippen wund. Dann schmeißt er den sicheren Job hin und ***macht die Biege***, um sich am Berklee College of Music in Boston das Rüstzeug für seine zweite Karriere zu holen.
Yuu Andou
Local time: 20:17
leaves everything behind
Explanation:
as in he escapes/flees his former life to try his luck elsewhere :0)
Selected response from:

Elisa Ryznar (X)
Australia
Local time: 21:17
Grading comment
Danke schoen!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2leaves everything behind
Elisa Ryznar (X)
3 +1quit the scene (as in: leave)
Veronika McLaren
3"sets a new course (for his life)"
Anil Kelkar
3takes the plunge
Trudy Peters


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
leaves everything behind


Explanation:
as in he escapes/flees his former life to try his luck elsewhere :0)

Elisa Ryznar (X)
Australia
Local time: 21:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Danke schoen!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  uli1: this hits the nail on the head!
47 mins
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): or: burns off all the bridges behind him
4 hrs
neutral  Joachim Sieg (X): That sounds too serious to me, "lässt alles zurück". "Die Biege machen" is a slightly funny colloquialism, and I think this tone is intended here (cf first sentence). The guy doesn't emigrate to escape famine, he follows his muses and picks up a saxophone
4 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"sets a new course (for his life)"


Explanation:
Or even "sets off on a new path"

By the way, will you be changing the tense in the translation? It it's a brief biography or similar text, you might want to consider writing it in past tense in English.

Anil Kelkar
Local time: 16:47
Native speaker of: Native in MarathiMarathi, Native in EnglishEnglish
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
quit the scene (as in: leave)


Explanation:
Rather colloquial, but might fit here.

Veronika McLaren
Local time: 07:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rebecca Garber: works in the context of music, esp. a sax.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Rebecca!
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
takes the plunge


Explanation:
another option

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 07:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 27
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