This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
Auftragsrecht (Schweiz)
sonst haben sie hier nichts verloren
Jan 21, 2010 03:12
14 yrs ago
German term

noch bei der Hand sein

German to English Social Sciences General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I have an old German letter, dated 1884, in which the writer states: "Wir sind zwar anfangs alt, aber noch bei der Hand." I'm guessing it means something like: "Granted, we're beginning to get old, but we're still on hand (i.e. alive)," but I'm really not sure about that. Any suggestions?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 still going strong / in good shape
4 +2 but we're still fit
3 +1 still here
3 able or capable
3 to still be at hand [to help]
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (1): Tom Feise

When entering new questions, KudoZ askers are given an opportunity* to classify the difficulty of their questions as 'easy' or 'pro'. If you feel a question marked 'easy' should actually be marked 'pro', and if you have earned more than 20 KudoZ points, you can click the "Vote PRO" button to recommend that change.

How to tell the difference between "easy" and "pro" questions:

An easy question is one that any bilingual person would be able to answer correctly. (Or in the case of monolingual questions, an easy question is one that any native speaker of the language would be able to answer correctly.)

A pro question is anything else... in other words, any question that requires knowledge or skills that are specialized (even slightly).

Another way to think of the difficulty levels is this: an easy question is one that deals with everyday conversation. A pro question is anything else.

When deciding between easy and pro, err on the side of pro. Most questions will be pro.

* Note: non-member askers are not given the option of entering 'pro' questions; the only way for their questions to be classified as 'pro' is for a ProZ.com member or members to re-classify it.

Discussion

Timoshka (asker) Jan 21, 2010:
More Context Here's a little more context, for those who asked. This line comes from the beginning of a letter, written in 1884, from a grandfather in Germany to his grandson in the U.S. "Lieber Fritz! Deinen Brief habe ich erhalten, und darin gesehen, daß Du noch gesund und munder bist, wie wier ebenfals auch noch gesund sind, wier sind zwar anfangs ald aber noch bei der hand. Die Grosmutter ist bis ersten Dezember 68 Jahr ald und ich bin bis ersten Mai 63 J. ald..."
Rosa Foyle Jan 21, 2010:
I like the sound of franglish's suggestion, too. It basically is just another way of saying "we're still fit".
franglish Jan 21, 2010:
guesswork without more context, but active, i.e. we're still active, might be a rendering.
casper (X) Jan 21, 2010:
Context ? Knowing a few sentences before and after could help us see the phrase in better light. TIA.

Proposed translations

+3
6 hrs
Selected

still going strong / in good shape

In the sense of "noch gut im Schuss". This is something I can imagine my older relatives writing: Starting to get old but we're still going strong. Fit strikes me as non-colloquial English in this case; still in good shape would be more typical.
Peer comment(s):
agree Edith Kelly : going strong
29 mins
agree British Diana : going strong
3 hrs
agree rogerbaker : going stron
23 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Vielen Dank!"
1 hr

able or capable

I only know this saying in the sense of "rasch/schnell bei der Hand sein" meaning "to be ready with/for something". I would guess that here they are trying to say "... but we are still able/capable ..."
Something went wrong...
+2
4 hrs

but we're still fit

We might be getting old but we are still pretty fit. Reinhold's suggestion of "capable" could also work, although I don't think "able" in this particular sentence works well.
Peer comment(s):
agree Rolf Keiser : "fit" sounds good
1 hr
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : with the added context, this would be the rendering imho
4 hrs
neutral British Diana : Not sure about using the word "fit" in 1884
5 hrs
Diana has a good point. "going strong" might be more appropriate in this context.
Something went wrong...
+1
6 hrs

still here

I think the asker's original idea was right - it just means they're still "on hand".
Peer comment(s):
agree Thayenga : Yes, "still here" is what it means. :)
15 hrs
That's what I think.
neutral Annett Kottek (X) : Additional context suggests a bit more than 'getting on but still around'. Grandpa has already mentioned that they’re healthy; a repetition of ‘still here’ would make the phrase sound a tad glib, imo.
22 hrs
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

to still be at hand [to help]

My suggestion is similar to Reinhold's 'able' or 'capable' but I am shifting the emphasis from 'being able' to 'being able to help'. Although the grandparents are getting on, they are still well enough to help out ['bei der Hand sein'] in the household, the farm, or whatever may be the case. The implication is that they're still in good shape [Michele's suggestion], but it also draws attention to the fact that they make themselves useful and are prepared to do their share of the work. I don't know if the family was poor; in any case, there was a stronger work ethic in those days; partly due, no doubt, because there was much more work to be done because families did not have the technology that is available to us today.


bei der Hand sein ‘to be quick to help help/provide’
http://books.google.com/books?id=K8vfPe7x9PUC&pg=PA373&lpg=P...


Compare also the use of the phrase in this context, which has also been translated into English:
‘Ihre rechte Tochter, die häßlich war wie die Nacht und nur ein Auge hatte, die machte ihr Vorwürfe und sprach: “Eine Königin zu werden, das Glück hätte mir gebührt.” - “Sei nur still,” sagte die Alte und sprach sie zufrieden, “wenn’s Zeit ist, will ich schon bei der Hand sein.”’

TRANSLATION: “Never mind,” said the old woman, to satisfy her;” when the time comes, I shall be at hand."
http://www.grimmstories.com/language.php?grimm=011&l=de&r=en
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search