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Metallbauer - Konstruktionstechnik

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

spröde

English translation:

self-contained

Added to glossary by British Diana
May 4, 2010 07:13
14 yrs ago
German term

spröde

German to English Art/Literary Human Resources description of character
Dear Colleagues,
This question may not seem very important, but I have been puzzling over it for days. Recently I met a fellow English teacher in a professional context whom I described to myself as "spröde". When trying to tell someone in English about her I was stumped for the right words. Standoffish was too strong and reserved too kind of quiet. What else is there? Please can you think of somebody of your acquaintance and suggest a suitable epithet. You are all so creative with language, I'm sure you will come up with something...
TIA Diana
Proposed translations (English)
2 +1 self-contained
4 +1 aloof, distant, unapproachable
3 +1 reserved
4 abrasive
3 prudish
3 a lukewarm personality
3 self-controlled
2 lame

Discussion

British Diana (asker) May 5, 2010:
So many choices! Well, KudoZ colleagues, you have really done me proud and this is a marvellous selection of possible renderings of a deceptively straightforward term. I have mentally sorted the suggestions into those which are etymologically/metaphorically the nearest to "spröde" (brittle, abrasive, spiky), those which might refer more to a type of negative behaviour than to a character trait (aloof, touchy, uptight, lukewarm, lame) those which seem to work best using not or a negative prefix (unapproachable, unforthcoming, not outgoing, introverted, un (or not) expansive, imperturbable), and those which I cannot categorise further (about another dozen).
As Ingeborg says (thank you for being the only voter to date, Ingeborg!) this word has so many facets, it is well-nigh impoossible to find a one-term rendering. So, for choosing the answer which is of the most help to me, I can only decide on which word best sums up the "spröde" person I met who sparked this all off. Thus my decision is unashamedly subjective this time!

Proposed translations

+1
40 mins
Selected

self-contained

is what comes to mind when looking for a word in the direction of "standoffish" but without so many negative overtones.
Note from asker:
Thanks, I think you are on the right lines here.
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : yes, that is definitely part of it, but it seems many adjectives together are contained in "spröde", a little bit unappoachable, a little bit stand-off ish (wrong spelling) and a little bit abrasive, ' an interesting word in German with many facets
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "As I say in my Discussion entry, I am choosing "self-contained" simply because it fits the person I have in mind the best. Thank you very much, Armorel, and thanks to all the other Answerers as well!"
18 mins

prudish

Could this person be considered prudish? (overly proper or modest in speech, conduct or dress - definition from the Webster Dictionary).
Note from asker:
Thanks, however there are overtones I do not really mean (in respect of a moral stance)
Something went wrong...
+1
47 mins

reserved

That was my spontaneous idea; I also like "aloof" as suggested by polyglot45: In my opinion, "prudish" is something different.
Note from asker:
Thanks, you are also on the right lines..
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : see my comments to Amorel, definitely part of it, but in German it seems to have so many different aspects, eh?/ greetings from a sunny Canada
4 hrs
Thank you, Inge. Yes, there is also the "spröde Jungfrau" (demure, prudish) but I have the impression that this is not quite what Diana has in mind. And we are definitely not talking "brittle hair" ... Best wishes from warm & overcast Vienna. ;-)
Something went wrong...
1 hr

a lukewarm personality

perhaps?
Note from asker:
Thanks, another good suggestion, if slightly on the negative side
Something went wrong...
+1
7 mins

aloof, distant, unapproachable

unless she was brittle, touchy, cold, unforthcoming

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-04 08:46:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

maybe even "introvert(ed)" ? or "quiet"? or "unexpansive" ? Of course, I know I'm thinking of someone in particualr....
Note from asker:
Thanks, polyglott45, I am looking for a character trait so it should not be toooo negative
// Your later additions are much more like it!
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : brittle is probably fairly close to the idea of "spröde", but just one aspect of it, as it is hard to find just one word which covers the many aspects of this word; aloof is also good
5 hrs
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2 hrs

abrasive

While we have such a wide selection, why not add another one! ;-)
Abrasive attitude/mannerism ...
Note from asker:
The fascinating thing about this one is that it has a similar tactile etymology to "spröde", thanks!
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

self-controlled

Very similar to some of the other suggestions, but hopefully someone will eventually hit on just the right term for you. This could be regarded as a positive trait, although not too far from and/or easily mistaken for the more negative trait of aloofness.
I am thinking of self-controlled in the sense of cool, composed, detached, collected, imperturbable, etc.
Note from asker:
Yet again, a really thought-provoking one, thanks!
Something went wrong...
22 hrs

lame

...just another suggestion
Note from asker:
Thanks, this is another suggestion that may or may not work according to the person concerned..
Something went wrong...
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