Dec 7, 2007 21:31
16 yrs ago
3 viewers *
German term
Barbara
Hahn im Korb
German to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
jemand der sich als einziger mann in gesellschaft meherer frauen findet
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Dec 7, 2007 22:07: Johanna Timm, PhD changed "Term asked" from "hahn im korb" to "Hahn im Korb"
Dec 7, 2007 22:07: Johanna Timm, PhD changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO" , "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"
Proposed translations
+2
26 mins
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
-1
5 mins
Sabine Akabayov, PhD
Israel
Israel
Native in German
Israel
Scientist and Translator
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, Hebrew to German, Latin to German, and 3 more.
to be the only man at a hen party
oder
to be cock of the walk
to be cock of the walk
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Dr. Fred Thomson
: cock of the walk
24 mins
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| disagree |
Beth Jones
: I'm sorry, sibsab, but I have to differ with you. 'Cock of the walk' = hero, winner (http://dict.die.net/cock of the walk/) & hen party is only a bachelorette party in B.E. But "H im K" is more general than that.
24 mins
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you don't have to apologize ;-)
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| disagree |
Lyn Dunk
: definitely not cock of the walk, sorry
1 hr
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but that's what the dictionary says
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| neutral |
Hilary Davies Shelby
: i'm afraid the dictionary is wrong in this context - cock of the walk just means a winner, someone better than the rest
14 hrs
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2 hrs
He was ruling the roost
Depends on the context, I guess. "Spare part" would be a bit of an English take, but I have never been as you say: "einziger mann in gesellschaft meherer frauen", as far as I can remember.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Kcda
: Yes a spare part not happy with lacking attention or a sitting duck who might be hoping he will not be the center of it! Pending context. :)
14 hrs
|
-1
4 hrs
sitting duck
The feeble context allows me to take the freedom of interpreting it as sitting duck. Of course a hahn is not a duck but the links offer interesting insights to what might be meant. Princeton offers a brief explanation of the term. Some males might find a lot of female company intimidating whereas others desirable or even a blessing. God knows if the brief context is trying to imply the idea of being a victim or not.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-12-08 02:27:07 GMT)
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Also another similar way of looking at it all broadly could be the target of female emancipation and criticism (victim=duck)! :)
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-12-08 02:27:07 GMT)
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Also another similar way of looking at it all broadly could be the target of female emancipation and criticism (victim=duck)! :)
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Kim Metzger
: A sitting duck is an easy target or victim, not "jemand der sich als einziger mann in gesellschaft meherer frauen findet"
13 hrs
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Sie müssen es metaphorisch annehmen/ansehen. Ja, Militär technisch heißt es vielleicht “leichte beute” aber sitting duck kan mann auch anders verwenden/bewerten etc. Mann kann auch mit Wörtern schießen! :)
|
+1
9 hrs
Colin Newberry
Native in English
Perfect, price-right, punctual
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, English to German
Related KudoZ points
:
4
cock of the roost
Another one 4U
14 hrs
Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
German and "Geek" to English!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
20
Sultan of the harem
or "like a Sultan in his harem". This would depend very much on the context - if the man is a real flirt, and the women are flirting back, he will LOVE being the centre of attention. This is the type of context where this might work.
If, as others have suggested, he feels out of place, Textklick's "spare part" suggestion would be better!
If, as others have suggested, he feels out of place, Textklick's "spare part" suggestion would be better!
Note from asker:
| I like "Sultan of the harem" but on the other hand, being "Hahn im Korb" is more neutral, although still flattering from a man's point of view, if you know what I mean |
420 days
Fox in a chicken coup
The expression is literally different, but the idea of an animal in an enclosed space potentially up to mischief is well captured by this. Fox in a chicken coup is also a real expression, and helps capture the colloquial nature of hahn in korb by virtue of being a common turn of phrase.
Discussion