British Diana (asker) Nov 19, 2010:

no, not impromptu, hazmat In Lower Franconia it is used quite a lot. I even see it on occasion in the local newspaper in the meaning I am trying to get translated!
Some people would even go so far as to call the Unterfranken themselves "strümpfig" in a slightly different way, here meaning "hemdsärmlig", not standing on ceremony, lacking airs and graces, a bit rustic.
Apparently in the 19th century this word had a different slang meaning altogether : it was applied to a woman who was "easy to get" or even "eager for it". I suppose it was because she had already taken her shoes - and more - off when the man arrived. ;-)

Richard Nice Nov 19, 2010:

Swabians say it all the time.

David Williams Nov 19, 2010:

That's a Shiner! I think 'thrown together' could most often be spot on - all depending on the context, though!

British Diana (asker) Nov 19, 2010:

Sorry Richard I don't get you.

Richard Nice Nov 19, 2010:

QDOS begat MS-DOS...

British Diana (asker) Nov 18, 2010:

Sorry, Ute "Quick and dirty" is yet another AE expression I was ignorant of. We say "cheap and cheerful" too, is that BE only?

Uta Kappler Nov 18, 2010:

quick and dirty Please excuse my American English. 'quick'n dirty' in AE does not really imply dirt or squalor, just means that the 'job' was done fast and not perfect or elaborate. My 'British' drawer is out of order today. ;-)

British Diana (asker) Nov 18, 2010:

@Ute I don't think it is anything to do with dirt. Careless yes, perhaps with an element of not taking trouble, not making the effort, being too casual about something which the other side have higher expectations of. "Die Preisverleihung war etwas strümpfig." does not mean it was squalid or sleazy or that the food was "crappy", and uncivilised is almost too strong...

British Diana (asker) Nov 18, 2010:

getting the register Re the register - well this term is by definition colloquial and has to be something I would use myself in everyday speech. I don't see myself actually saying the word "perfunctory", so that's almost out. But neither would I say "lackadaisical" or "half-arsed" or "crap" (probably I am not youthful enough for that).
Talking of "arsed", isn't there a DE expression something like "das kann ich auf einer Arschbacke absitzen".
"Half-baked" might be used more for ideas that have been badly-planned and not so much for the result. Can you say "The party was half-baked?"
Sorry to split hairs, but let's wait for more answers and comments!
Some of the other suggestions are rather good, but I will let you go it alone for a while longer.

Uta Kappler Nov 18, 2010:

Is this ... "carelessly" or rather "quick and dirty"?

Helen Shiner Nov 18, 2010:

How about 'thrown together', which I guess is an approximation of 'makeshift' perhaps with a slightly more perjorative tone.

Edwin Miles Nov 18, 2010:

Something... ...along the lines of "makeshift" or "slapdash" would be in the right direction, but I also like half-hearted, as Richard suggested. Half-baked?

Richard Nice Nov 18, 2010:

Q You need something equally colloquial? "Perfunctory" is too gehoben, for example?
A half-hearted affair?
(Edwin, which is better - no cake or half-baked...?)