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mehr schlecht als recht

English translation: without much conviction

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:\"mehr schlecht als recht\"
English translation:without much conviction
Entered by: Kathinka van de Griendt

08:07 Jan 22, 2010
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History
German term or phrase: mehr schlecht als recht
"... die ihren neuen Glauben *mehr schlecht als recht* praktizierten ..."

This is an article on new converts in France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. I know what's meant, but can't think of a good expression. Any ideas would be most welcome!
Kathinka van de Griendt
Local time: 17:30
without much conviction
Explanation:
they practiced their faith without much (great) conviction

just another idea...
Selected response from:

Natascha Spinetto
Italy
Local time: 17:30
Grading comment
Great, just what I needed!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5without much conviction
Natascha Spinetto
3 +1"go along to get along"
Susan Welsh
2 +1after a fashion
stasbetman
3"as a wrong to be endured, not as a right to be exercised"
Krikor
3to pay lip service to something
polyglot45
3as best they could
Melanie Nassar
3half-heartedly
Annett Kottek (X)
Summary of reference entries provided
schlecht und recht
sappho

Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"mehr schlecht als recht"
after a fashion


Explanation:
dictionary variant http://books.google.com/books?id=6kOs2ewssTwC&pg=RA2-PA861&l...

stasbetman
Ukraine
Local time: 18:30
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Krikor: Klingt doch richtig!
2 mins
  -> Thank you
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"mehr schlecht als recht"
"as a wrong to be endured, not as a right to be exercised"


Explanation:
The context being that of forced conversion, do any of the following renerings seem to fit?
". . . who practiced their new faith worse rather than better"
". . . . as a necessary evil"
". . . as a wrong to be endured, not as a right to be exercised"


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2010-01-22 08:26:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think that stasbetman may be on the right track. This has the sound like a common expression (though I cannot recall ever having heard or read it).

Krikor
United States
Local time: 11:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
"mehr schlecht als recht"
without much conviction


Explanation:
they practiced their faith without much (great) conviction

just another idea...

Natascha Spinetto
Italy
Local time: 17:30
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Great, just what I needed!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Elisabeth Kissel: I think this is a good solution
58 mins
  -> thanks, Elisabeth :-)
agree  mill2
2 hrs
  -> thank you!
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): I think this is the underlying meaning here
3 hrs
  -> thanks, Ingeborg
agree  Rolf Keiser
5 hrs
  -> thanks, Goldcoaster
agree  Melanie Nassar: In view of the context added, this must be it. They were only making the motions.
5 hrs
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"mehr schlecht als recht"
to pay lip service to something


Explanation:
if you want an expression

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 45 mins (2010-01-22 08:52:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

lip service
n.
Verbal expression of agreement or allegiance, unsupported by real conviction or action; hypocritical respect: "Lip service continues to be paid to resolving regional conflicts, but there is no sense of urgency" (Henry A. Kissinger).


polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"mehr schlecht als recht"
as best they could


Explanation:
or as well as possible, more or less covertly

This is after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes:

In October 1685, Louis XIV, the grandson of Henry IV, renounced the Edict and declared Protestantism illegal with the Edict of Fontainebleau. This act, commonly called the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, had very damaging results for France.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Nantes

Any new converts at this time would likely try to follow their faith without being conspicuous about it, considering that Protestantism had been made illegal.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-01-22 09:44:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I was assuming that the new converts were to Protestantism. If they were Protestants who decided it was better to become Catholics, the interpretation would be entirely different, and I would agree with Natascha "without much conviction"

Melanie Nassar
United States
Local time: 18:30
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"mehr schlecht als recht"
"go along to get along"


Explanation:
I know this is a stretch--a modern colloquial rendition--but how about: "they practiced their new faith in the spirit of `go along to get along.'"

Every dictionary/glossary I found gives "after a fashion," but it's such a colorless phrase, whereas the German is so excellent--concise, rhymed, evocative. There needs to be something of that flavor in whatever is chosen.


Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 11:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DFTS (X): I like it. I would say "going along to get along" though without a need for the quotes. The without much conviction answer works, but I like the way you have attempted to find something which reconveys the spirit of the original and not just the meaning.
14 hrs
  -> Thanks, Dave. It was kind of a goofy attempt.
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"mehr schlecht als recht"
half-heartedly


Explanation:
Falls es etwas bildhafter sein sollte, dann würden 'half-heartedly' od. 'half-heartedness' hier gut passen.

‘Although I'm not relgious, I admire people who don't just **half-heartedly** follow their faith.’
http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/can-an-atheist-and-...

‘It can be a form of renewal for those who **half-heartedly** commit themselves now to Wesleyan communities. It cannot motivate a new evangelism.’
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1099

Baptism is not for those who believe **half-heartedly** the gospel. To believe with all the heart implies firstly sincerity.
http://www.christian-faith.com/forjesus/baptism-in-water


Annett Kottek (X)
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: schlecht und recht

Reference information:
the etymology of schlecht is interesting


    Reference: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recht_und_schlecht
sappho
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: thanks!!
6 hrs
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