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RAP
Anbietpflicht
Jul 23, 2015 15:22
9 yrs ago
3 viewers *
German term

Sitzenbleiben

German to English Other Education / Pedagogy Humor
Hi folks.

Yes, I know what this means, but I need help on this. I am translating a company newsletter. This item reports on some STEM projects from middle school students. Science fair kind of stuff.

This one contribution had to do with benches made of wood and concrete. The title of the project was 'Sitzenbleiben' and the customer wanted some sort of play on words that combined the meanings of 'Take a seat' with 'Failed to move on to the next grade.'

I am at a complete loss here (hey, I am an engineer, OK, so give me a break!).

Can anybody suggest a witty saying that might fit in?

Thanks.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 benched, behind on the bench
3 +1 A seat to repeat
4 stay stuck
3 +1 Left back on the bench
2 +2 seat retention/hold your seat
3 Remain seated
3 Take a break -- but don't get left behind!
3 Keeping one’s seat
3 Stayed sitting
3 Stay (seated) right where you are!
3 Backbenchers
3 Grabbing some bench
2 Stayput/stay behind or hang onto your seat and have a look at this
2 stay (sitting) down
2 Retake a seat?
References
s

Discussion

jccantrell (asker) Jul 29, 2015:
@Michael M. "Benched" does have that flavor of two meanings in this context, or at least I see it that way. That is why I chose that answer.
I realize that wordplay is very difficult to translate (at least it is for *ME*) so that is why I turned to the Proz community for help.
Michael Martin, MA Jul 29, 2015:
What about play on words, jccantrell? Wasn't that the whole point of you query?
Ramey Rieger (X) Jul 27, 2015:
@Elli Yes, this is my third attempt to get this ball rolling, but there doesn't seem to be any takers. I'll post it on my suggestion anyway....
Eleanore Strauss Jul 27, 2015:
@Ramey I've thought that from the outset. This seat is taken is not that far from my thought. On that note... this seat is reserved or reserved seating - or even long-term reserve seating...:)
Ramey Rieger (X) Jul 27, 2015:
Good morning! Sitzenbleiben cannot be successfully tranlated into English without going over like a lead balloon. Somehow that tickles me pink. So the quest is for alternative, captivating, witty suggestions. I humbly provide the first of the day:
NO SITTING BULL HERE (forgive me)
or simply,
THIS SEAT IS TAKEN



ntwilley Jul 27, 2015:
Sit back down Perhaps sit back down! or Take a seat!
Ramey Rieger (X) Jul 24, 2015:
Constructing a bench with concrete and wood entails a certain amount of puzzling over joining, slot and key, dowels, shaping the concrete - by hand or using molds - and so on. One could do some playing with judging/judge's bench/banc, taking the pun to a wholly different, English-appropriate area.
oa_xxx (X) Jul 24, 2015:
A bench doesnt sound like much of a science project, I guess it depends on the age but surely it has to be more than a totally normal bench?! Or it's about construction or sth? can the client at least give you a bit more information on what the project was about? Could help, or maybe it wouldn't - it's a pretty difficult one! Don't like the client's suggestion either but some short explanation is probably the only way to go, and there's a few ideas here that could maybe be used for that (rather than as a title).
Ramey Rieger (X) Jul 24, 2015:
Joint suggestion: Sit on your benchmark or
hold on to your benchmark
Grab a bench (mark)
Mark your bench(mark)
Eleanore Strauss Jul 23, 2015:
just a thought Take a seat and stay a while... or take a seat and stay put.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jul 23, 2015:
Keeping the bench warm So we'll have to come up with a witty 'benchmark' in another direction, that's all.
Susan Welsh Jul 23, 2015:
I don't think there's anything missing. It's a middle schooler's idea of a joke. The problem is, it's (I guess) a knee-slappingly funny pun in German but doesn't mean a damn thing in English.
philgoddard Jul 23, 2015:
I think you should ask them why it has a double connotation. There's something that they're not telling you here. Why is the project called Sitzenbleiben? And is it just a picture of a bench with this word underneath?
I'm surprised that so many people are willing to hazard translations when half of the context is missing.
jccantrell (asker) Jul 23, 2015:
@ phil and Susan There was no context, it was a picture of the science fair project with a bench and the caption gave the title of the project. My translation did not have anything to do with the failing a grade. The customer's comment was: "wir müssen hierfür eine englische Erklärung geben, den “Sitzenbleiben” hat hier eine doppelte Konnotation … vielleicht so ???..with the topic “Sitzenbleiben” (a witty pun by the way, as the expression translates both into “have a seat” and “repeating a schoolyear”)"

So, you have what I have.
Susan Welsh Jul 23, 2015:
To amplify what Phil asked: Is it supposed to be funny? Insulting to students who are left behind?
philgoddard Jul 23, 2015:
Could you explain the context, please? Why does the customer want this double meaning? Do you have a few sentences of text?
freekfluweel Jul 23, 2015:
Stay seated Don't get up

Proposed translations

+1
1 hr
Selected

benched, behind on the bench

At least in the sports world, this means you are not in active play. And the double entendre could be the word “behind”.
Peer comment(s):
agree oa_xxx (X) : I like benched... on the bench, bench warmer...
18 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "First of all, a big thanks to everyone who contributed. This was just the response I was looking for. It is also one of those where I really want to award points to several people, but I have to choose one. I went with this one because of the sports connotation of not being good enough and the bench reference. It took some explaining, but I was able to get the thought across to the customer (whether it will be used is another matter entirely). I also liked Susan W's answer and several others. However, I had to choose only one, so thanks Darrel, and again to everyone else."
12 mins

Remain seated

just an idea
Something went wrong...
+1
18 mins

A seat to repeat

Doesn't quite match the meaning of the original but rhymes nicely.
Peer comment(s):
agree Eleanore Strauss : Given that the pun doesn't really work in German, this is a nice interpretation
4 hrs
neutral Michael Martin, MA : I disagree that the pun doesn't work. Not a masterpiece but no worse than many advertising slogans I see on the subway every day
5 days
Something went wrong...
35 mins

Take a break -- but don't get left behind!

I'm assuming this is to be viewed by people at a science fair or something, so I think the imperative mood works.
Something went wrong...
6 mins

Keeping one’s seat

Not exactly the same as having to repeat a school year, but the closest match I could think of.

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-23 16:37:18 GMT)
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I have a better suggestion in another entry: “benched, behind on the bench"
Something went wrong...
1 hr

Stayput/stay behind or hang onto your seat and have a look at this

I too can take shots in the dark. And that's all this is
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

stay stuck

I would suggest

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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-07-23 17:54:57 GMT)
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plays on a few levels

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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-07-23 17:59:39 GMT)
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you're behind and in a sticky spot as you can't move on

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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-07-23 18:05:20 GMT)
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but doesn't rule out the possibility of getting ahead .. it actually encourages it

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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-07-23 18:06:39 GMT)
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sort of challenges you to get going

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Note added at 3 hrs (2015-07-23 18:33:20 GMT)
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so might be ok here
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

Left back on the bench

"left back" was what we called remaining in the same grade in New York (and probably still do)

bench... well.. because you need it.

"Left back and benched" - would be fairly radical and funny, but seems to go a little far.
Peer comment(s):
agree Susan Welsh : Might work, although a viewer of this bench who is not "in the loop" really won't get what this is all about.
31 mins
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

stay (sitting) down

For what its worth - this is hard!
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Retake a seat?

In for a penny...

With or without a question mark, with or without a hyphen (re-take), with or without brackets around Re

I was trying to come up with something with "resit" ...
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Stayed sitting

Think that works or: stay sitting
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

Stay (seated) right where you are!

The closest thing I can think of that combines the two meanings
Something went wrong...
1 day 1 hr

Backbenchers

I know this is my third suggestion, but I think I’ve got another double entendre that would work just fine. In politics, backbenchers are legislators with no leadership responsibilities. Check out my example sentences below.
Example sentence:

Backbenching it one way of getting through school.

Backbenchers busy building benches

Peer comment(s):
neutral Susan Welsh : See Kudoz rule 3.3 on not giving more than one answer.
2 mins
Sorry, won’t happen again.
neutral Cilian O'Tuama : It's OK to give more than one answer occasionally
7 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
19 mins

seat retention/hold your seat

Actually 'grade retention' is sitzenbleiben, but maybe this works.
I also like hold your seat (hold your horses)
or 'the same old seat' (stuck in one place)

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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2015-07-27 15:06:40 GMT)
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As I suggested in the discussion box, the only possibility I can see is to offer something equally witty that actually works in English.
I have two suggestions for this alternative:
NO SITTING BULL HERE
THIS SEAT/BENCHMARK IS TAKEN
Peer comment(s):
agree franglish : 'sit on your benchmark', thinking of hanging on to the financial investment made by STEM as well as time and study invested by the students. Of course you gave me the clue. Or, 'hang on to the benchmark'.
16 hrs
Ooooh, nice!// Yup, just posted it in the discussion box - otherwise the danger of being overseen is great!
agree Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
4 days
Hi Harald, are you enjoying the rollercoaster summer? (I'm tempted to light the wood stove today)
Something went wrong...
5 days

Grabbing some bench

Considering we still have a word play that fits the context, I think that’s pretty funny… The meaning has changed slightly, but then again, you can’t have it all…

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/grab “The coach told Freddy to go grab some bench.”
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

1 hr
Reference:

s

The STEM Projects Toolkit provides resources to help teachers to carry out enquiry-based project work with their students. The resource pack was developed in order to give students hands-on experiences of science and engineering. It is hoped that using scientific methods, the design processes in engineering, and being given the freedom to choose topics, questions or briefs would encourage students to consider careers in STEM subjects.
http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/collection/167...



http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PS14Kt&PMDbSi...



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Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-23 16:35:28 GMT)
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title was supposed to be STEM. it self-launched prematurely

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-23 16:36:50 GMT)
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Today's STEM Realities

The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) will grow 17 percent by 2018—nearly double the growth for non-STEM fields. By 2018, the U.S. will have more than 1.2 million unfilled STEM jobs because there will not be enough qualified workers to fill them. STEM is where jobs are today and where the job growth will be in the future.
https://www.pltw.org/about-pltw
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree philgoddard : Thanks. It's not common knowledge in my house :-)
5 mins
or mine. I had no idea what it was.
agree Ramey Rieger (X) : Excellent!
11 mins
neutral Susan Welsh : I think the poster knew what STEM means, since it is common knowledge in the US.
1 hr
I didn't post this for the Asker. It's for others who may not know what it is.
Something went wrong...
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