Jan 27, 2010 04:24
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
ins Aschengraue gehen
German to English
Social Sciences
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I ran across this idiom in a 1921 letter, which is discussing the high cost of living in Germany at the time: "Dabei ist eine Teuerung, die bald ins Aschengraue geht." Any suggestions how to translate this one? "In addition, there's a high cost of living, which...??????"
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+7
3 hrs
Selected
it will go on, ad nauseam, to infinity / no end in sight
Talking, I suppose, about the hyperinflation that plagued the Weimar Republic.
bis ins Aschgraue (ugs.; unendlich lange, bis zum Überdruss so weiter).
© Duden - Deutsches Universalwörterbuch, 6. Aufl. Mannheim 2006 [CD-ROM].
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Note added at 4 Stunden (2010-01-27 08:54:35 GMT)
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Another thought: 'ad infinitum, ad nauseam' although that is probably too pretentious for the above context.
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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2010-01-28 07:34:41 GMT)
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Found an example of the phrase that does indeed hint at 'endlessness' or 'infinity':
'Er merkt, dass Zahlen bis ins Aschgrau (eine bestechende Idee der Illustratorin) führen und im großen Zahlendreieck (Pascalsches Dreieck) nicht nur normale Zahlen, sondern auch dreieckige und gehopste vorkommen und man damit fast so gut wie mit einem Computer rechnen kann.' LEANDERS LESELISTE
http://www.libri.de/shop/action/productDetails/1298087/hans_...
bis ins Aschgraue (ugs.; unendlich lange, bis zum Überdruss so weiter).
© Duden - Deutsches Universalwörterbuch, 6. Aufl. Mannheim 2006 [CD-ROM].
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Note added at 4 Stunden (2010-01-27 08:54:35 GMT)
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Another thought: 'ad infinitum, ad nauseam' although that is probably too pretentious for the above context.
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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2010-01-28 07:34:41 GMT)
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Found an example of the phrase that does indeed hint at 'endlessness' or 'infinity':
'Er merkt, dass Zahlen bis ins Aschgrau (eine bestechende Idee der Illustratorin) führen und im großen Zahlendreieck (Pascalsches Dreieck) nicht nur normale Zahlen, sondern auch dreieckige und gehopste vorkommen und man damit fast so gut wie mit einem Computer rechnen kann.' LEANDERS LESELISTE
http://www.libri.de/shop/action/productDetails/1298087/hans_...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Melanie Nassar
: I was not aware of this idiom, but it makes sense here. "with no end in sight" would be appropriate for the context.
1 hr
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Thank you, Melanie.
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| agree |
Kim Metzger
7 hrs
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Thank you, Kim.
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| agree |
British Diana
: see my Discussion entry..
7 hrs
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Thanks, Diana. Actually, my Duden is digital&has a very convenient search function (no leafing through tomes). 'Aschgrau' also describes dull, grey skies and I imagine that the noun refers to that vanishing point on the horizon where visibility ends.
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| agree |
Rolf Keiser
: with Melanie
8 hrs
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Thank you, Goldcoaster.
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| agree |
Rebecca Garber
9 hrs
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Thank you, Rebecca.
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| agree |
Lancashireman
: ... with Duden
10 hrs
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Thank you, Andrew. :-)
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| agree |
Johanna Timm, PhD
: a perfect fit
10 hrs
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Thanks, Johanna. :-)
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| neutral |
Jim Tucker (X)
: OK, but "to infinity" is not really used; "ad infinitum" is -- but would not use it together with "ad nauseam", which has connotations of disgust rather than bleakness.
18 hrs
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You're right, 'infinity' is overstating 'unendlich lang', but the German 'bis zum Überdruss' does have connotations of disgust. 'No end in sight' is a more neutral suggestion (maybe someone can improve it). Thanks, Jim.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you, Annett, for the definitive answer to my question!"
+2
14 mins
Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Japan
Japan
Scientia est potentia
Native in: Japanese 
Works in: English to Japanese, German to Japanese, Italian to Japanese, and 3 more.
heading towards a life without hope
ins Graue means a situation where there is no hope. Therefore, ins Aschengraue gehen means people's prospects of life in the future is heading towards a life without hope, due to the high cost of living in Germany and even if people work very hard, it is difficult for them to have some fun or enjoy their life since it's they're earning barely enough to make a living.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
BrigitteHilgner
: Good interpretation.
2 hrs
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Thank you Brigitte
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| agree |
Melanie Nassar
: bleak or gloomy come to mind
2 hrs
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Thank you Melanie
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| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: yes, well explained, I agree w/ Melanie's added suggestion as well
7 hrs
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Thank you Ingeborg
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| disagree |
Kim Metzger
: with no end in sight, ad nauseam
10 hrs
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| neutral |
Lancashireman
: Imaginative, but a guess all the same.
13 hrs
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Based on reality and facts. Not a guess at all
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-1
13 mins
Nicole Backhaus
Native in German
Works in field
Native German - Fast and affordable
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English
tend toward ashgrey
es scheint mir, dass aschengraue hier die Farbe beschreibt. eine Farbe, die mit Trübsinn assoziiert ist
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Note added at 14 mins (2010-01-27 04:39:24 GMT)
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asche als etwas verbranntes...
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Note added at 14 mins (2010-01-27 04:39:24 GMT)
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asche als etwas verbranntes...
Example sentence:
Man muß sico fest einschließen in vier aschengraue Atelierwände, vor großen Leinewänden herumturner,, einsam schimpfen, wütend sein und eine Donner-Wetter-Palette in der Faust habe
Dies wird durch ihre graugekleidete Gestalt, ihre aschengrauen Gesichter und ihre aschenfarbenen Stimmen gekennzeichnet. Sie wirken fahl, farblos und sind nicht voneinander zu unterscheiden. Die getrockneten Stundenblumen drehen sie zu Zigarren, die sie r
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
BrigitteHilgner
: I doubt that a person with mother tongue English will understand what this is meant to say.
2 hrs
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| disagree |
Jim Tucker (X)
: Literal translation, but not clearly comprehensible. In cases like this, the links you give should be English ones to support that your answer is established in EN.
22 hrs
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3 hrs
British Diana
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Works in field
Germany
enthusiast
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, English to German, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
19
(The rising cost of living) drains us pallid, bloodless creatures
If we think of "aschengrau" as "aschgrau" or "aschfahl", the intended meaning goes in the direction of anaemic, both in the physical sense, emanating from poverty and malnutrition and in the sense of hopelessless (as Yasutomo says), lack of mental energy.
My suggestion attempts to pick up this connexion.
"Pallid" could be replaced by "ashen" but it is then less clear that one is referring to the people's complexions.
My suggestion attempts to pick up this connexion.
"Pallid" could be replaced by "ashen" but it is then less clear that one is referring to the people's complexions.
5 hrs
is soon to lead to gloomy hopelessness.
Another option.
Discussion