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Pflanzenstoff
Luxuskaschemme
Oct 15, 2011 14:15
12 yrs ago
4 viewers *
Deutsch term

Otto-Normal

Deutsch > Englisch Technik Kraftfahrzeuge/PKW und LKW
Vom Otto-Normal-Fahrer dürften viele Auto-Ingenieure keine hohe Meinung haben. Zwar zahlt der indirekt ihre Gehälter, doch seine Ignoranz sabotiert bisweilen den mühsam ertüftelten technischen Fortschritt. Wie raffiniert zum Beispiel neue Spritspartechniken auch sind - sie verpuffen, wenn wir einfach weiter mit Bleifuß fahren. Dass so gut wie kein Auto mit dem vorgesehenen Normverbrauch durch den Alltag fährt, liegt eben auch am Störfaktor Mensch
Proposed translations (Englisch)
4 +5 (your) average driver
3 +2 average driver / Joe Average Driver
4 -1 John Doe (on the road) (driver)
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (1): Cilian O'Tuama

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Discussion

Ramey Rieger (X) Oct 16, 2011:
@KarnEvil Yes, that would be very American! Tom, Dick and Harry drivers? Doesn't work very well, does it? Joe Blow, as Bernhard suggested, is quite good.
KarnEvil (X) Oct 16, 2011:
what about Dick, Tom and Harry?
opolt Oct 15, 2011:
@Kim Yes I understand -- but I wasn't implying drink driving -- only that we need some dumb blue collar character who can be looked down on by the engineering elite (cf. source) ...

Like this:

Quote
Description:
5’11, brown hair, brown eyes, some sort of facial hair, big hands and a tattoo of some sort (possibly his kids’ initials) on his upper arm. No actual six pack to be seen behind the slight beer belly hanging over the top of his ill-fitting denim.

Likes:
Beer (most likely Natty Ice and PBR), Nascar, cars with big engines, girls with big boobs, Sundays spent watching football, red meat, keg stands, tobacco, lawn chairs, American flag apparel, Levi’s, the missionary position, pepperoni pizza, boys’ weekends full of beer and conversations about women with big boobs, the Bible, those giant turkey leg things you get at the fair, classic rock, leather vests and “that hot lady who is always with John McCain.”
[...]
Unquote

Taken from: http://collegecandy.com/2008/10/03/who-is-joe-six-pack-anywa...


Or maybe we should translate this as "the average Homer Simpson" then, for the not-so-subtle-minded ;-]
Kim Metzger Oct 15, 2011:
@opolt It's not good to be driving after a six pack of beer.
Helen Shiner Oct 15, 2011:
useful link? http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Q._Public - gives a raft of similar suggestions.
opolt Oct 15, 2011:
Wouldn't the US equivalent be ... ... something along the lines of "Joe Sixpack"? -- Just a thought ...
Bernhard Sulzer Oct 15, 2011:
Joe Schmoe Joe Schmoe Driver or Joe Blow Driver or, a bit nicer, John Q. Driver would be other possibilities, pointing out the average, standard driver, some with Helen's pejorative characteristic;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Blow
or Joe the Driver but that would be a relatively new moniker along the lines of Joe the Plumber: watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiAi1LR2Xx4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_the_Plumber
Jianming Sun (asker) Oct 15, 2011:
Thanks for your explanation Helen!
Jianming Sun (asker) Oct 15, 2011:
Hi Kim and Helen, Thanks for asking! What I want to know is for US readers. Thanks again!
Kim Metzger Oct 15, 2011:
Will you be translating this text into Chinese?
Helen Shiner Oct 15, 2011:
@Jianming Hi, what is your target audience? The standard expression for the 'man in the street' in UK EN (Joe Bloggs) would not work in the US, for instance. You could just say, 'the average driver' but there is something pejorative about 'Otto Normal' which should perhaps be retained in the EN.
Kim Metzger Oct 15, 2011:
Who is your target audience, Jianming?

Proposed translations

+5
14 Min.
Selected

(your) average driver

Often used as 'Otto Normalverbraucher' to signify your bog standard consumer. 'Bog standard driver' is probably a little too informal here, but that's the meaning.

But 'Your average driver' should do the trick.
Peer comment(s):
agree Charles Rothwell (X) : I agree
28 Min.
agree Lancashireman
8 Stunden
agree Cilian O'Tuama : does the job nicely, no need for a Joe just because there's an Otto.
11 Stunden
agree British Diana
17 Stunden
agree Vanessa Schlueter
1 Tag 6 Stunden
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you all for helping!"
+2
16 Min.
Deutsch term (edited): Otto-Normal-Fahrer

average driver / Joe Average Driver

The complete German term is "Otto-Normal-Fahrer", an analogy to the "Otto Normalverbraucher".

Compare http://www.proz.com/kudoz/782485 and
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1853775,00....
"If gasoline drops $1.50 the $900 that Joe Average Driver saves would amount to a big stimulus package."
Peer comment(s):
agree Kim Metzger : Joe Average driver would work nicely for a US audience.
14 Min.
... as borne out by the Time Magazine reference :-)
agree opolt : "J.A. driver" sounds good to me too.
7 Stunden
Something went wrong...
-1
1 Stunde

John Doe (on the road) (driver)

US English
Peer comment(s):
disagree Kim Metzger : The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient.. Wikipedia
1 Stunde
neutral Lancashireman : Dead On Errival
6 Stunden
Something went wrong...
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