Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
wohin ich nicht schon komme!
English translation:
not that I get round much any more these days !
Added to glossary by
Timoshka
Dec 12, 2023 20:50
10 mos ago
42 viewers *
German term
wohin ich nicht schon komme!
German to English
Social Sciences
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
This comes from a letter written in Vienna in 1940 by a Jewish woman, concerning a vest she had just finished making:
Diese Woche ist endlich das Westerl fertig geworden, das ich im Frühjahr begonnen habe (die Knötchenwolle, die ich von Ditta hatte) und zu dem ich gar keine Lust hatte. Es sieht aus wie Persianer u. es ist viel besser geworden, als ich gedacht habe. Übrigens ist das das einzige Wolljackerl, das ich besitze, wenn ich von dem Trachtenjäckchen absehe, das ich doch nicht überall tragen kann (wohin ich nicht schon komme!).
It's all quite clear except for the last parenthetical phrase. This is how I originally translated the passage:
This week, I finally finished the vest that I started in the spring (with the knotted yarn I had from Ditta) and had no desire to do. It looks like Persian lamb and turned out much better than I expected. By the way, it’s the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I can’t really wear everywhere (where I can't even go!).
I assumed she was referring to her restricted movement in Vienna due to the fact she was Jewish. A friend, who is a native German speaker, however, seems to think it is quite the opposite. He writes: "Also ich denke, sie will eher das Gegenteil behaupten. So etwa wie 'und Du kannst es kaum glauben, wo ich bereits war / wo ich mich herumtreibe' – ansonsten hätte sie statt 'nicht schon' 'nicht mehr' benutzt. Du hast schon Recht, man kann wegen der Beschränkungen, die Juden unterworfen waren glatt das Gegenteil vermuten.Ich persönlich denke, sie will sagen, dass sie wirklich viel herumkommt - und in Situationen, wo ein Trachtenjackerl nicht angebracht wäre."
Diese Woche ist endlich das Westerl fertig geworden, das ich im Frühjahr begonnen habe (die Knötchenwolle, die ich von Ditta hatte) und zu dem ich gar keine Lust hatte. Es sieht aus wie Persianer u. es ist viel besser geworden, als ich gedacht habe. Übrigens ist das das einzige Wolljackerl, das ich besitze, wenn ich von dem Trachtenjäckchen absehe, das ich doch nicht überall tragen kann (wohin ich nicht schon komme!).
It's all quite clear except for the last parenthetical phrase. This is how I originally translated the passage:
This week, I finally finished the vest that I started in the spring (with the knotted yarn I had from Ditta) and had no desire to do. It looks like Persian lamb and turned out much better than I expected. By the way, it’s the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I can’t really wear everywhere (where I can't even go!).
I assumed she was referring to her restricted movement in Vienna due to the fact she was Jewish. A friend, who is a native German speaker, however, seems to think it is quite the opposite. He writes: "Also ich denke, sie will eher das Gegenteil behaupten. So etwa wie 'und Du kannst es kaum glauben, wo ich bereits war / wo ich mich herumtreibe' – ansonsten hätte sie statt 'nicht schon' 'nicht mehr' benutzt. Du hast schon Recht, man kann wegen der Beschränkungen, die Juden unterworfen waren glatt das Gegenteil vermuten.Ich persönlich denke, sie will sagen, dass sie wirklich viel herumkommt - und in Situationen, wo ein Trachtenjackerl nicht angebracht wäre."
Proposed translations
(English)
3 +3 | not that I get round much any more these days ! | Adrian MM. |
3 +1 | not in the places I usually go to | Michael Martin, MA |
Proposed translations
+3
13 hrs
Selected
not that I get round much any more these days !
Meant sardonically or sarcastically and reminds me of the Duike Ellington / Ella Fitzgerald jazz song.
Would - I believe - still be understood that way.
Would - I believe - still be understood that way.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Birgit Gläser
: sounds less stilted to me
1 hr
|
Vielen Dank, Birgit, and thanks !
|
|
agree |
seehand
2 hrs
|
Vielen Dank, seehand, and thanks!
|
|
agree |
British Diana
3 hrs
|
Thanks, Diana, und danke schön!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Vielen Dank!"
+1
5 hrs
not in the places I usually go to
I am picking up on Johanna's idea, just from a different angle.
"By the way, that's the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I cannot wear anywhere (not in the places I usually go to)."
"By the way, that's the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I cannot wear anywhere (not in the places I usually go to)."
Peer comment(s):
agree |
writeaway
: Yes, and it's also fair that you give Johanna some credit
9 hrs
|
neutral |
Birgit Gläser
: jacket that I cannot wear everywhere (at least not in the places I usually go)... -> not anywhere wäre "nirgends"
10 hrs
|
Discussion
https://www.diepresse.com/490765/schauspielerin-katharina-st...
I think I know what she's talking about, but it's hard to explain right now. Don't know whether Johanna has a good idea; I'm not a clothing expert, but switching from vest to jacket a sentence apart seems a bit confusing; I mean jackets have sleeves, vests don't?
Best