Gedankenspieler

English translation: master juggler of ideas

10:48 May 8, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
German term or phrase: Gedankenspieler
In a text on an artist.

Vor allem aber ist er ein origineller Wortverdreher und Gedankenspieler.
Gunilla Zedigh
Germany
Local time: 20:09
English translation:master juggler of ideas
Explanation:
wäre vielleicht eine Möglichkeit hier, mal sehen, was die Muttersprachler dazu zu sagen haben.
Selected response from:

seehand
Germany
Local time: 20:09
Grading comment
thanks everyone!! gz
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2a unique conjurer of words and ideas
Stephen Gobin
2 +3master juggler of ideas
seehand
4punner (artist)
David Hollywood
3 +1mental acrobat
Cilian O'Tuama
4he plays mind games/likes to play with your head
Marcia Neff
3mind game artist
Mark Flynn


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
punner (artist)


Explanation:
:)

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Note added at 7 mins (2008-05-08 10:56:30 GMT)
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or: "player of words"

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Note added at 12 mins (2008-05-08 11:00:56 GMT)
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I am tending towards "player of words" as it just catches the meaning of the "Gedankenspiel" ... .. the play on words ... isn't language woderful :)

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Note added at 12 mins (2008-05-08 11:01:32 GMT)
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"wonderful"

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Note added at 15 mins (2008-05-08 11:04:13 GMT)
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but the idea of "pun" "Wortspiel" would plead for "punner"

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Note added at 16 mins (2008-05-08 11:05:06 GMT)
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... wer weiss ... lol

David Hollywood
Local time: 16:09
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 18
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +3
master juggler of ideas


Explanation:
wäre vielleicht eine Möglichkeit hier, mal sehen, was die Muttersprachler dazu zu sagen haben.

seehand
Germany
Local time: 20:09
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
thanks everyone!! gz

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hollywood: sauber :) I love "juggler"
4 mins
  -> Vielen Dank, David

agree  Barbara Wiebking
41 mins
  -> Danke, Kriddl

agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): sounds good
2 hrs
  -> Danke, Ingeborg

agree  casper (X): very good, seehand
5 hrs
  -> Danke, Chetan

disagree  Marcia Neff: I think the sense of 'spieler' is lost in your translation. He plays with people's minds, not just thoughts in general.
55 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
mind game artist


Explanation:
I would suggest something like "But above all he is an original player of words and mind game artist"

Mark Flynn
Germany
Local time: 20:09
Native speaker of: English
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
mental acrobat


Explanation:
perhaps

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 20:09
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 37

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hollywood: now this is nice :)
1 hr

neutral  Stephen Gobin: not clear - with some possibly comic interpretations ;-)
6 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
a unique conjurer of words and ideas


Explanation:
But more than anything, he is a unique conjurer of words and ideas.

Stephen Gobin
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Flynn: Like that!
1 hr

agree  Stephen Reader: With Mark. Sorry not to've seen this before, in heat of own quandaries
2 hrs
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55 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
he plays mind games/likes to play with your head


Explanation:
These are idiomatic and well-know expressions in the USA. It means the person is manipulative. If he is a painter he is trying to conjure up images only to 'play' with the observer's thoughts. Led them into some kind of ironic trap. Same with an author.

Marcia Neff
United States
Local time: 14:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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