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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Auswüchse

English translation:

negative traits

Added to glossary by Helen Shiner
Dec 11, 2008 15:45
15 yrs ago
German term

Auswüchse

German to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Während vielerorts **Auswüchse** wie Egoismus, Neid, Geiz, Verantwortungslosigkeit und Maßlosigkeit auswuchern, hat ER sich vom hedonistischen Lebensstil verabschiedet, um sich einem grünen und nachhaltigen Lebensentwurf zuzuwenden.

The "ER" in the source sentence is "der männliche Leser" of a new German magazine that needs to be translated into English for the publisher to print its international version. The sentence is a separate para in itself and forms a part of the text (of the German magazine) which describes the kind of male readership that the magazine enjoys.

How do I translate "Auswüchse" here? The online www.dict.cc suggests "negative spin-offs" as one of the many renderings, but I don't think it fits the context.

Ideas, anybody?
Proposed translations (English)
3 negative traits
4 +6 excesses
3 eccentricities
Change log

Dec 12, 2008 16:57: Helen Shiner Created KOG entry

Discussion

casper (X) (asker) Dec 12, 2008:
@franglish Thank you, franglish, for confirming my suggested alternative :-)
franglish Dec 11, 2008:
Auswüchse I'd say leave out "Auswüchse", it doesn't add anything to the sentence. Your altenative (b) is excellent.
casper (X) (asker) Dec 11, 2008:
In b) please read... In b) please read: "...HE has already *chosen to depart from*..." in place of "... HE has already departed from..."
casper (X) (asker) Dec 11, 2008:
a) If 'Auswüchse' is translated as 'excesses'... b) Can 'Auswüchse' be omitted altogether in translation? a) If 'Auswüchse' is translated as 'excesses', then how do I tackle 'Maßlosigkeit' that follows it? I was thinking of rendering 'Maßlosigkeit' as 'lack of moderation'. It sounds kind of weird to call 'lack of moderation' as an 'excess', doesn't it?

b) Alternatively, can 'Auswüchse' be omitted altogether in translation by rewording the text as follows: At a time when selfishness, envy, avarice, irresponsibility and lack of moderation abound and proliferate, HE has already departed from the hedonistic lifestyle in order to turn to green and sustainable living.

Proposed translations

1 hr
Selected

negative traits

In light of your problem with excesses and lack of, how about this? since they are all personality traits.

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-12-11 17:09:37 GMT)
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Or perhaps you could use immoderation instead of lack of ...

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2008-12-12 16:58:58 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks for the points, Chetan.
Note from asker:
Thank you, Helen, for your two suggestions: "negative traits" and "immoderation"
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+6
10 mins

excesses

I originally came up with "vices", but "excesses" is better.
Reference:

http://www.dict.cc/deutsch-englisch/Ausw%C3%BCchse.html

Note from asker:
Thank you, Eddy :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Kitty Maerz
6 mins
agree Cetacea : "excesses" it is.
21 mins
agree Armorel Young : yes, that's good - just the right degree of disapproval without the over-censorious tone of "vices". "Eccentricities" goes too far the other way, since it sounds positively approving.
24 mins
agree Johanna Timm, PhD : "hedonistic excesses"..., followed by... "indulgent lifestyle'
5 hrs
agree Kim Metzger
9 hrs
agree Inge Meinzer
12 hrs
Something went wrong...
10 mins

eccentricities

If they are benign - sort of.
Note from asker:
Thank you, Nicole, for your input :-)
Peer comment(s):
neutral Cetacea : I don't think things like "Egoismus, Neid, Geiz, Verantwortungslosigkeit und Maßlosigkeit" can be qualified as "eccentricities"...
23 mins
We are talking about Hedonismus, not Charles Manson's twin.
Something went wrong...
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