Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Lebensgeister

English translation:

full of life again

Added to glossary by davidgreen
Feb 25, 2005 14:41
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

Lebensgeister

German to English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I found two dissimilar possibilities: lust for life & animal instincts. The context here makes me think a Saurier (lizard?) is something that scares her because then Hans says not to worry it's just a gecko.

Als es plötzlich im Gebüsch raschelte, waren alle zu müde um zu erschrecken. ‚Ein kleiner Saurier!’ rief Maria, die Lebensgeister wieder erwacht. ‚Unsinn, das ist ein Gekko, der tut dir nichts.’ erklärte Hans und rückte aber vorsichtshalber doch etwas zur Seite.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 full of life again
3 having come to life again
3 wits

Proposed translations

+2
21 mins
Selected

full of life again

Here everybody's too tired to be scared by a gekko. Maria was tired too, but became "full of life again" when she was scared up by the gekko.

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Note added at 31 mins (2005-02-25 15:12:48 GMT)
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That\'s gecko of course. Saurier is short for Dinosaurier = dinosaur

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Note added at 35 mins (2005-02-25 15:17:09 GMT)
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Saurier is in general a reptile, but since Hans says \"Unsinn\", I believe Saurier most probably refers to dinosaur here.
Peer comment(s):

agree Armorel Young : sounds good
13 mins
agree Maria Ferstl : "Saurier" is definitely a dinosaur.
4 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, it took me awhile to realise the Saurier part - it's a 5 year old girl saying, "oooh a dinosaur""
27 mins

having come to life again

Muret-Sanders - Lebensgeister: the coffee has revived (put life into) me; meine Lebensgeister sind wieder am Erwachen - I am slowly waking up again.
Saurier - reptile
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3 mins

wits

having got her wits together again

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Note added at 1 hr 11 mins (2005-02-25 15:53:04 GMT)
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The passage does not suggest that the children were close to death so \'Lebensgeister\' desrves to be translated with more attention paid to the second element \'-geister\'. They were tired and therefore not registering their surroundings until roused from their torpor.

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Note added at 1 hr 14 mins (2005-02-25 15:56:03 GMT)
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desrves>deserves
\'wits\' anglo-Saxon word cognate with \'wissen\'
You can also \'gather\' your wits
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