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Süpple
Mar 31, 2015 17:02
9 yrs ago
German term

GUTE VORSÄTZE AM ARSCH

Non-PRO May offend German to English Other Tourism & Travel
I'm doing a list of even titles for a client and they want me to translate "GUTE VORSÄTZE AM ARSCH"

Does this really mean "Good Intentions in the Ass" ??

I have no other context :(
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 Good intentions down the pan
4 Good intentions, my ass!!
3 Gute Vorsätze am Arsch!
3 good intentions went to shit
2 I blew it!
References
***
Change log

Apr 1, 2015 06:55: Steffen Walter changed "Field (write-in)" from "GUTE VORSÄTZE AM ARSCH" to "(none)"

Discussion

beermatt Mar 31, 2015:
Well, then... ...if you have no further context, it's up to you to decide to carry over the intentional and obvious offensiveness in German to the respective reader in the US or to cop out and give them something wishy-washy and US politically correct.
AllegroTrans Mar 31, 2015:
So perhaps, asker you need to ask your client what the titles are needed for so that you don't make a complete....of them! Translation is about context, style, register and intended purpose and not just a dictionary exercise.
Kelly Martin (asker) Mar 31, 2015:
Yes, it should say "event" titles.
Kelly Martin (asker) Mar 31, 2015:
I literally said in my original post that "I have no other context :("
beermatt Mar 31, 2015:
With AllegroTrans.... As far as I'm concerned, you know my solution.
But maybe some more context would help find a way to solve the "cultural difference"...
So, dear Kelly, do you have a little more context?
AllegroTrans Mar 31, 2015:
@ Edwin Maybe, but we have no idea what kind of events these are
The context (please asker) would help to clear up the style and register appropriate for the translation - you must know something about what these "titles" are going to be used for, even it is only the other titles in your list
Edwin Miles Mar 31, 2015:
@ AllegroTrans I'm pretty sure that's meant to be "event" titles.
Donald Jacobson Mar 31, 2015:
@ beermatt I'm from the Chicago area (think Saturday Night Live). We have no inhibitions in this area at all.
AllegroTrans Mar 31, 2015:
Asker what are "even titles"?
beermatt Mar 31, 2015:
Oh, you North Americans! Why is it always such a hassle with you and your sensibilities concerning swear words in public????

The most obvious and direct version for this would be
"Good intentions fucked up"
But because of the mess you tend to create for foreigners concerning swearing, and the according policy of ProZ, I probably won't get this through with ProZ censors...
But just in case: this is the real solution if you want to be honest about the translation....
Usch Pilz Mar 31, 2015:
Depending ... ... on the context that we don't have, all of the answers can be correct, even though they convey a variety of different meanings.
Donald Jacobson Mar 31, 2015:
Your YouTube reference indicates I am correct. It is about Jacobson's a*s. LOL
Lancashireman Mar 31, 2015:
A*s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXpTXZ2vhPk

Proposed translations

+1
11 mins

Good intentions down the pan

Peer comment(s):
agree AllegroTrans : Good one me lad, preserves "decency" (just about)
2 mins
And also avoids the usual Transatlantic tussle between 'ass' (donkey?) and 'arse'.
neutral beermatt : Decency? Once again your US "decency". No. doesn't really work, because it's quite offensive in German as well! Nothing wrong with a good, comfortable crap! It's just that "down the pan" is too "nice" for "Am Arsch".
3 hrs
Which part of your anatomy do you place upon the Klobrille, beermatt? (see image in the above link) // Hey beermatt! You win a "prize" for "maximum number" of "double quotes" in a "peer comment".
Something went wrong...
12 mins

I blew it!

This fully depends on if the good intentions failed or if one should stick his/her good intentions where the sun never shines. the source text indiccates the former.
Something went wrong...
22 mins

Good intentions, my ass!!

Applicable Chicago slang variant
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : Am Arsch doesn't have this meaning despite the obvious A-word
1 hr
neutral beermatt : Sorry, but quite apart from your message about swearing, your suggestion is not quite accurate.
2 hrs
neutral Lonnie Legg : I'm with Allegro.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
37 mins

Gute Vorsätze am Arsch!

I loved all the suggestions but it´s the name of a musical presentation.
So I don´t think it aught to be translated.
https://www.google.com.br/search?q=GUTE VORSÄTZE AM ARSCH&ie...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2015-04-01 00:57:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Using the research from Johanna Timm here is an aproximate translation:
Good intentions going down the drain.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/down-the-...
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/down the drain

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2015-04-01 01:03:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

An approximate translation:Good intentions going down the drain!
Or: Good intentions going to the devil.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2015-04-01 01:05:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry. Sometimes the page doesn´t register the answer and you have to write it twice.
Note from asker:
I left it in English originally and the client complained and told me to translate it :(
Peer comment(s):
neutral beermatt : I understand your concept, but the meaning would be completely lost on readers. Also, once again, it's a cop-out on US sensitivities concerning swearing...
2 hrs
neutral AllegroTrans : asker said she needs a translation even if this is a "proper noun" (the meaning of which would be completely lost on EN-speakers in any case)
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

good intentions went to shit

Seems to be the same register...
The one that's commonly used in public places. Often full of people who don't seem to have read beermat's memo on US sensitivities about swearing..
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

1 hr
Reference:

***

im Arsch sein = defekt / kaputt sein
am Arsch sein= 1. erschöpft / verausgabt / müde sein
2. in großen Schwierigkeiten sein

http://www.redensarten-index.de/suche.php?suchbegriff=~~im A...[]=rart_ou

http://mundmische.de/synonyme/im arsch sein
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Danik 2014 : Sollte als Antwort eingegeben werden!
1 hr
Das ist lieb gemeint, danke! Aber in diesem Fall wollte ich wirklich nur ein paar Hintergrundinfos geben.
agree AllegroTrans
1 hr
neutral Donald Jacobson : So how would you translate the whole thing and why not throw in one of your options
2 hrs
A bit of additional info on the SOURCE term is always useful, I think! Clearly, no. 2 applies here, meaning that it’s “difficult/tricky” to follow through with one’s good intentions - not necessarily that they are being abandoned, IMO.
neutral Lonnie Legg : I'm with Donald.
2 hrs
neutral Lancashireman : Don and Lon. I can only think that this is aimed at discrediting one of the above answers.
3 hrs
agree writeaway
7 hrs
agree Susanne Schiewe
13 hrs
agree Horst Huber (X) : "Im" wäre wohl richtig gewesen, ähnlich wie "im Eimer."
3 days 8 hrs
ganz genau!
Something went wrong...
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