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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Wie die Maden im Speck

English translation:

Happy as a pig in s**t

Sep 5, 2005 09:05
19 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

Wie die Maden im Speck

German to English Marketing General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"Wie die Maden im Speck" Can anyone think of a common English equivalent? It should convey that the people being reffered to are making themselves comfortable and taking advantage of a situation with a definate negative connotation (so "snug as a bug" for example wouldn't work). I feel like there is a similar English phrase out there, I'm just not thinking of it. I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve maggots though...

any suggestions appreciated, thanks!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 Happy as a pig in s**t
2 +3 feathering their nests
3 +2 like pigs in clover
4 Like parasites
3 +1 like hogs at the trough
4 they are sitting pretty, like...
3 to have it made
3 leading a life of plenty
3 freeloading?
3 have it good
3 live in (the lap of) luxury, lead/live the life of Riley, line one's own pockets
3 sitting cosy at others' expense

Discussion

BrigitteHilgner Sep 5, 2005:
As usual, context helps - "they are ripping people off" is what the good man tries to say. (And he, i.e. the government of Lower Austria) would dearly like to participate in the takings ...
georg schreiner (asker) Sep 5, 2005:
more info... The context is the battle in Lower Austria over the introduction of a "mobile phone antenna tax," in the course of which there has been some serious name calling! The Maden im Speck was used to paraphrase the Governor of Lower Austria's opinion of the mobile phone companies. 'Pigs in s**t' probably come closest to the tone of this argument, but I don't think I can use it myself! Thanks for all your suggestions so far!
Caro Maucher Sep 5, 2005:
Langenscheidt meint: to be (od. live) in clover. Nie geh�rt.
IanW (X) Sep 5, 2005:
Could we have some more info, please Georg - what kind of situation is being taken advantage of?
Stephen Sadie Sep 5, 2005:
maybe somethinh to do with ants and anthills?

Proposed translations

+3
1 hr
Selected

Happy as a pig in s**t

There is a good colloquial answer 'happy as a pig in s*!t' but maybe a little bit too informal for your needs! Maybe 'happy as a pig in dung' would be ok
Peer comment(s):
agree Sarah Downing : My first thought too - When I was growing up you used to hear the term "like a pig in muck" a lot
15 mins
agree Stephen Sadie : with sarah here, it is salonfähig!
1 hr
agree Brie Vernier : this is what I first thought of ... perhaps "happy as pigs in mud"?
1 hr
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I am choosing this one because, although it may be a bit off for what I need, it seems the most honest. Anyone else who looks up this phrase in the future can substitute whatever substance they like at the end, even clover would work there! Thanks again."
+3
11 mins

feathering their nests

Not an exact equivalent, but if this is talking about financial advancement, you could say that the people were "feathering their nests", which means to take advantage of a situation/position to make money for themselves.
Peer comment(s):
agree IanW (X) : My first thought as well, but it depends on the context (feel free to build on your 'great minds' theory, by the way)
7 mins
Thanks! ;-) Yes, this will only really work if it's a financial situation where someone is abusing their position to get rich
agree Alexandra Cox (X)
1 hr
agree Teresa Reinhardt : This conveys the connotation of "taking advantage" very nicely
9 hrs
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12 mins

to have it made

fällt mir dazu noch ein
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9 mins

leading a life of plenty

Not as negative as the German expression ...

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Note added at 13 mins (2005-09-05 09:18:25 GMT)
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like a pig in clover
Peer comment(s):
neutral Sarah Downing : I did care to google already. My point was simply that I don't think it's quite as common as other expressions perhaps are. I didn't want to disagree (thus the neutral), but wanted to point out that this is perhaps not negative enough.
1 hr
As you may see from one other entry "pig in clover" is not just my idea; if you care to google, you find plenty of entries for this. (Admittedly it's more positive than "Maden im Speck".)
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22 mins

freeloading?

I agree - context is needed here!
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53 mins

Like parasites

seems to be used al lot

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Note added at 56 mins (2005-09-05 10:01:24 GMT)
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... The phrase of the locals is "they're like parasites!" usually refering to the ManyMany parasite. ...

... In my opinion, it merely makes them look like parasites. ...

A blog on the imminent downfall of the power cliques. Add new comment. The right to protest is being gradually erroded. ... In my opinion, it merely makes them look like parasites. ...

... Bankers live off this interest like parasites. The parasites are now killing their host ...www.islamic.org.uk/Comment/20020201_1_February_2002.htm - 4k - Cached - More pages from this site - Save - Block
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+2
12 mins

like pigs in clover

maybe ...

or
feathering their nest

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Note added at 1 hr 24 mins (2005-09-05 10:30:05 GMT)
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in clover

Prosperous, living well. For example, After we make our first million, we'll be in clover. This expression alludes to cattle happily feeding on clover. Slightly different versions are like pigs in clover and rolling in clover. [c. 1700]
Reference:

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=1jnkrr7bas5t5?tname=like-pigs-in-clover&curtab=5_1&hl=come&hl=over

Peer comment(s):
agree Sarah Downing : Well, we'd better beef it up then, hadn't we?;-)
1 hr
Hi Sarah - might not be meaty enough for context ... thanks!
neutral Caro Maucher : Klingt aber eher positiv, insbesondere im gegebenen Beispiel. So gesehen ist es wohl eine gute Entsprechung für die made im Speck, bringt aber die in der Frage erwähnte negative Konnotation nicht rüber.
1 hr
neutral BrigitteHilgner : May I point out discreetly that I already mentioned this? :-)
1 hr
agree Maureen Millington-Brodie : this came to my mind too
9 hrs
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+1
2 hrs

like hogs at the trough

in keeping with the hogs/pigs theme (Teutons do love their swine!) Still might not be quite as negative as the source term, though.
Peer comment(s):
agree Kevin Fulton : This captures the sense
4 hrs
Thanks.
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2 hrs

have it good

or have it too good.

Comparing someone to 'Maden im Speck' isn't necessarily an insult in German, although in this context the governor may have enjoyed the comparison with parasites
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3 hrs

live in (the lap of) luxury, lead/live the life of Riley, line one's own pockets

A few more suggestions:

Collins German Dictionary:
"Live in (the lap of) luxury"

Spears/American Idioms:
"to lead the life of Riley".
Spears comments: "Informal. No one knows who Riley is. Example: If I had a million dollars, I could live the life of Riley. The treasurer took our money to Mexico where he lived the life of Riley until the police caught him."

"to line one's own pockets"
"To make money for oneself in a greedy or dishonest fashion. Example: If you line your pockets while in public office, you'll get in serious trouble."
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3 hrs

sitting cosy at others' expense

Not as graphic as the original, but about the same meaning IMO.

Incidentally, IMHO 'like a pig in shit' or 'like pigs in clover' is not at all derogatory, it simply means 'wonderfully happy' (pigs do indeed love to eat shit).
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6 hrs

they are sitting pretty, like...

weevils in flour
pigs in clover
pigs in a muckheap
roosters on dungheaps
crows in a cornfield, and so on...

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Note added at 6 hrs 47 mins (2005-09-05 15:52:48 GMT)
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flies in a pigsty


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Note added at 6 hrs 50 mins (2005-09-05 15:55:17 GMT)
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Good old Austrian politics - got to have some barnyard humor, see the link

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Note added at 6 hrs 51 mins (2005-09-05 15:57:01 GMT)
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fat cats in the cream bowl

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Note added at 6 hrs 53 mins (2005-09-05 15:58:49 GMT)
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... dipping their paws and licking their whiskers
Reference:

http://www.freecannon.com/PigsInAPoke.htm

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