Arme-Sünder-Briefe

English translation: repentant-sinner letters

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Arme-Sünder-Briefe
English translation:repentant-sinner letters
Entered by: Kevin Pfeiffer (X)

15:02 Aug 3, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Other / Idioms
German term or phrase: Arme-Sünder-Briefe
[Auch wenn ich es tun soll,] "...mag ich doch keine Arme-Sünder-Briefe schreiben, zur Entschuldigung!"

Do we have an English expression for this? In this case it concerns someone who is apologizing in a letter for not having gone too long without writing.
Kevin Pfeiffer (X)
Germany
Local time: 15:38
repentent sinner
Explanation:
repentent sinner letter

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Note added at 17 mins (2004-08-03 15:20:09 GMT)
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armer Suender usually means \"poor devil or wretch,\" but I don\'t believe this translation works here.
What the guy is saying is that he hates the idea of apologizing, but he knows that he must at least mention that he has been remiss.
Selected response from:

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 08:38
Grading comment
Thanks, Doc! Ian's answer was quite good, but yours had a certain lightheartedness that works well in this case. Thanks also to Marcus for keeping us on our toes.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3grovelling letters of apology
IanW (X)
4 +2repentent sinner
Dr. Fred Thomson
1I'm not going to plead for clemency
Jonathan MacKerron


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Arme-Sünder-Briefe
grovelling letters of apology


Explanation:
Or "letters grovelling for forgiveness", something along those lines ...

IanW (X)
Local time: 15:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 47

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters
24 mins

agree  Annika Neudecker: Nice :-)
1 hr

agree  Renate FitzRoy
1 hr
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Arme-Sünder-Briefe
repentent sinner


Explanation:
repentent sinner letter

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2004-08-03 15:20:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

armer Suender usually means \"poor devil or wretch,\" but I don\'t believe this translation works here.
What the guy is saying is that he hates the idea of apologizing, but he knows that he must at least mention that he has been remiss.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 08:38
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 67
Grading comment
Thanks, Doc! Ian's answer was quite good, but yours had a certain lightheartedness that works well in this case. Thanks also to Marcus for keeping us on our toes.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Susan Keller: Yes, I personally prefer repentent to grovelling
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Susan

agree  babbelbekkie: Yes, especially as this guy is definitively not repentent
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Annelie

neutral  Marcus Malabad: Fred and everybody, it's repent*a*nt
16 hrs
  -> Thanks, Marcus.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
Arme-Sünder-Briefe
I'm not going to plead for clemency


Explanation:
another approach

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 45
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