Schöner streben

English translation: To tell a beautiful story

09:12 Aug 21, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
German term or phrase: Schöner streben
Appears in a review of a piece of performance art about storytelling, in the sentence "Schöner streben im Geschichtenkaleidoskop". The sense is that this is what the artist is telling us to do - I just can't get an English equivalent.
Jon Reynolds
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:36
English translation:To tell a beautiful story
Explanation:
My suggestion.

I understand 'Geschichtenkaleidoskop' as a selection of short stories, anecdotes, but it also seems a common term in theatre, e.g. here at http://www.emscherblut.de/formate.htm: 'Ein Wort ist Inspiration für den ganzen Abend. Ein facettenreiches Kaleidoskop aus Szenen, Geschichten und Songs um ein einzelnes Wort.'

Alternatively, perhaps Creating beautiful moments might work?


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2009-08-21 16:40:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In pursuit of beautiful storytelling

Although I realize that storytelling might not describe all aspects of the performance. Do you already have a translation for 'Geschichtenkaleidoskop'?

I note Stephen's very interesting comments. Maybe 'streben' does not sound too odd to a native speaker (cf. ‘Das Streben nach Glück’, which inspired my translation attempt above), but 'sterben' would be an intriguing choice, too. Incidentally, there is also the German saying 'in Schönheit sterben' = 'to play brilliantly and lose' (Pons Deu>Eng Idiomatik).
Selected response from:

Annett Kottek (X)
United Kingdom
Grading comment
Thank you for such a detailed answer!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2A life more beautiful in the history kaleidoscope
Helen Shiner
2 +2To tell a beautiful story
Annett Kottek (X)
3the greater beauty of the quest amidst the narrative kaleidoscope
Stephen Reader


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
To tell a beautiful story


Explanation:
My suggestion.

I understand 'Geschichtenkaleidoskop' as a selection of short stories, anecdotes, but it also seems a common term in theatre, e.g. here at http://www.emscherblut.de/formate.htm: 'Ein Wort ist Inspiration für den ganzen Abend. Ein facettenreiches Kaleidoskop aus Szenen, Geschichten und Songs um ein einzelnes Wort.'

Alternatively, perhaps Creating beautiful moments might work?


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2009-08-21 16:40:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In pursuit of beautiful storytelling

Although I realize that storytelling might not describe all aspects of the performance. Do you already have a translation for 'Geschichtenkaleidoskop'?

I note Stephen's very interesting comments. Maybe 'streben' does not sound too odd to a native speaker (cf. ‘Das Streben nach Glück’, which inspired my translation attempt above), but 'sterben' would be an intriguing choice, too. Incidentally, there is also the German saying 'in Schönheit sterben' = 'to play brilliantly and lose' (Pons Deu>Eng Idiomatik).


Annett Kottek (X)
United Kingdom
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you for such a detailed answer!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Stephen Reader: With your 2nd version; e.g. 'a pursuit finer yet in ((or amidst, see Helen's find re. shreds of paper...)) the narratives' kaleidoscope'? 'Pursuit' nicely includes Goethe etc.
1 day 16 hrs

agree  Helen Shiner: I like your 'in pursuit of', especially if the Goethe ref. is appropriate. This phrasing of 'streben' often seems to equate to the EN use of 'Towards....'
1 day 22 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the greater beauty of the quest amidst the narrative kaleidoscope


Explanation:
with the 'fine adjustment' of presuming a general quest/striving/pursuit that has an 'even more beautiful' variant if pursued through stories/text/narrative. But still with the proviso that we need more context to be able to be relevant at all. Author, pleeease?

Stephen Reader
Local time: 02:36
Does not meet criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 115
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
A life more beautiful in the history kaleidoscope


Explanation:
I'm sure there'll be many other suggestions, but I would avoid 'streben' altogether as it sounds like work.

Alternately, you could ask the client what is meant specifically, I suppose.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2009-08-21 11:26:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I realise now that this is not about history but about stories. So another suggestion would be:

A life more beautiful in a panoply of stories

bearing in mind the performance art aspect, ie the article title is not aimed at children, for instance.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2009-08-21 14:03:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Not sure it helps, but:

Word Bombs


Watching Kate McIntosh rehearse in Leuven day-before-yesterday. The piece is called Loose Promise and it's a project that I've contributed some text to via a series of triggers/frames that Kate sent to myself along with a number of other writers (Deborah Levy and Mike Harrison included). Green carpet was one of the triggers; there really had to be a green carpet somewhere. Great watching the rather disparate fragments accumulate in the space and through the time of the piece, and great watching Kate accumulate the traces of the stories too through the actions and images that she's slowly building up around them. At this point the text itself - strewn as pages on the floor, folded in clumps, shredded in piles - is a major presence in the performance. Very often its under duress - torn, soaked, falling to pieces in her hands.

http://www.timetchells.com/index.php?option=com_tag&tag=Kate McIntosh&task=view&Itemid=9

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2009-08-21 14:06:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Maybe one could deal with the 'streben' by saying 'Working towards a life more beautiful in a panoply/array/kaleidoscope of stories'?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2009-08-21 14:08:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another suggestion: 'Fashioning a life more beautiful from a panoply/array/kaleidoscope of stories'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2009-08-23 08:44:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another suggestion:

'Towards a life more beautiful in a kaleidoscope of stories'

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:36
Does not meet criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 275

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Annett Kottek (X): Hi Helen, just realize that 'schöner streben' (through art/stories/performance) can be a way of life (a way of being), and not just a way of creating art, as I took it. So your choice of ‘a life more beautiful’ is really excellent.
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, Annett - I do think, though, that this is rather vague without knowing exactly what the artist in question is up to. But suppressing the verb in this way might be a bit of a cop-out, if as Stephen says, it holds a particular, specific meaning.

agree  Stephen Reader: Meanwhile, yes - a fine find, Helen, the 'shredded texts', & winning phrasing. But I wish we had more from the author, as you said, streben whither? (though that might curtail another pleasurable session!)
1 day 17 hrs
  -> Thanks, Stephen, between us all there are some good suggestions on the table now, but the meaning lies with the author, rather than the artist, alone, so hopefully he/she is accessible. Quite encouraged by the Goethe ref., but still not able to judge.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search