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  3. Poetry & Literature

als Aushilfskellner

English translation: my suggestion

10:21 Dec 22, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literary
German term or phrase: als Aushilfskellner
Alltäglichkeiten färben sich mitreissend wie Strudel – von der verführerischen bis zur selbstbewussten Frau,von Männergesprächen, dynamisch wie Moto-Cross-Rennen oder sensibel wie Philharmoniker als Aushilfskellner.
Poornima Iyengar
Local time: 17:00
English translation:my suggestion
Explanation:
This is a tricky one, and I really think you need to get behind the image to find out what they’re trying to say.

Men’s conversations can either be

dynamisch wie Moto-Cross-Rennen:
fast and furious, twisting and turning, extremely competitive, loud and animated
I would perhaps use 'full of fast-paced competitiveness' here

or

sensibel wie Philharmoniker als Aushilfskellner
image of an accomplished but poorly paid musician who grudgingly takes on menial jobs (part-time waiter) to top up his income
emotional, artistic temperament, touchy, caring/sharing type conversation
‘highly-strung emotional outbursts' should cover it.

hope it helps
Selected response from:

Nicole Tata
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:30
Grading comment
Thanks for bringing it out so well.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6part-time waiter
Agnieszka Hayward (X)
4 +1my suggestion
Nicole Tata
4relief barmen
Stefan Wollinger (X)
4working as waiters in their spare time
Armorel Young
3jobbing waiters
jerrie


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
part-time waiter


Explanation:
as opposite to full-time professional waiter.
Aushilfe is someone usually hired additionally for high season in business, generally it means 'temporary worker', but depending on context I would consider the 'part-time' version.
HTH

Agnieszka Hayward (X)
Poland
Local time: 13:30
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wolf Brosius (X): so ist es.
22 mins
  -> danke
agree  Stefanie Sendelbach
1 hr
agree  Marshall Waddell
4 hrs
agree  jccantrell: This is how we would phrase it in the USA.
5 hrs
agree  Ellen Zittinger
7 hrs
agree  cologne
9 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
relief barmen


Explanation:
or temporary waiter


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-12-22 10:30:50 (GMT)
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but I think in this context you can translate more \"freely\"


Stefan Wollinger (X)
Local time: 13:30
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
working as waiters in their spare time


Explanation:
might be what you want in this context - reflecting the fact that being a musician is their "main" job

Armorel Young
Local time: 12:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 72
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
jobbing waiters


Explanation:
fill-in waiters

'jobbing' is used quite often to describe additional/add-on/extra work...

actors/musicians etc tend to fill-in as waiters/bar staff during lulls!

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
my suggestion


Explanation:
This is a tricky one, and I really think you need to get behind the image to find out what they’re trying to say.

Men’s conversations can either be

dynamisch wie Moto-Cross-Rennen:
fast and furious, twisting and turning, extremely competitive, loud and animated
I would perhaps use 'full of fast-paced competitiveness' here

or

sensibel wie Philharmoniker als Aushilfskellner
image of an accomplished but poorly paid musician who grudgingly takes on menial jobs (part-time waiter) to top up his income
emotional, artistic temperament, touchy, caring/sharing type conversation
‘highly-strung emotional outbursts' should cover it.

hope it helps

Nicole Tata
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Thanks for bringing it out so well.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Agnieszka Hayward (X): I like the 'sensibel' bit of your explanation. just as I thought, but it's you who put it very nicely. :o)
8 hrs
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