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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

unten Durch

English translation: persona non grata

11:26 Apr 1, 2010
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: unten Durch
Context:

"Mit dieser Aussage beleidigten Sie Herrn Mustermann und verdeutlichten, dass er als Mensch und Kollege bei Ihnen „unten Durch“ wäre."

Although I know what this means, I'm not sure how best to translate it in an official reprimand. "In the dog house" seems too colloquial and "out of favor" not strong enough.
David Williams
Germany
Local time: 20:22
English translation:persona non grata
Explanation:
Just another idea ... particularly in view of the inverted commas.
Selected response from:

Alison MacG
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:22
Grading comment
Thanks, I think this works best in this particular context.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3"you've had it with him"
Nicole Tata
3 +2lost your respect
seehand
3 +2not in your good books
Armorel Young
4out of favor
Simone Linke
3he is "toast"
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
3persona non grata
Alison MacG


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
lost your respect


Explanation:
... he has lost your respect, ... you do no longer respect / appreciate him
maybe ...

seehand
Germany
Local time: 20:22
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kerstin Green: like it!
8 mins
  -> Merci
agree  YorickJenkins: or maybe "he has lost all respect"
23 hrs
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57 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
out of favor


Explanation:
I'm not sure if it's necessarily a matter of respect here (plus, this would sound too formal, while "unten durch" is rather informal).

Thus, my suggestion is "Mr Mustermann is out of favor with you."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 58 mins (2010-04-01 12:25:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, forgot to add, that I don't think it's too weak... in reference to your comment.

Simone Linke
Germany
Local time: 20:22
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
not in your good books


Explanation:
you didn't think much of him

he stood very low in your estimation

you were not impressed with him

you had had enough of him


.... to throw out a few more ideas

Armorel Young
Local time: 19:22
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 134

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  CArcher
1 hr
agree  Helen Shiner
5 hrs
agree  Lancashireman
6 hrs
neutral  TonyTK: Possibly the last one, but the rest are a bit twee. The flavour of the German is considerably stronger.
16 hrs
disagree  YorickJenkins: I think "unten durch" means to be permanently in disfavour whereas "not in your good books" is mostly used in English to mean that someone is temporarily out of favour, "I was in her bad books for ages after I had deleted those songs"
18 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
he is "toast"


Explanation:
maybe a littkle too colloquial, but in the same sense; he's lost respect he's ruined his chances for the future

Ingeborg Gowans (X)
Canada
Local time: 15:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 27

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Cetacea: Love it, Ingeborg. :-) But it's indeed a little too colloquial, I think. Happy Easter!
3 hrs
  -> yesm I admit, it's abit too "chummy" for the context; Happy Easter to you as well :)
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
"you've had it with him"


Explanation:
Agree that the German is not formal, hence the use of inverted commas in this formal document.

How about

... has shown that “you’ve had it with him” both as a colleague and person.

HTH.


Nicole Tata
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cetacea: Exactly. Or "you're through with him". Standard translations for a standard phrase, IMHO.
1 hr
  -> even closer to the original! cheers
agree  Helen Shiner: You've had it with him sounds better to me. Cetacea's alternative sounds more appropriate to the end of a love relationship.
3 hrs
  -> i like both :-)
neutral  Lancashireman: Had what exactly, Nicole? I suppose a lot depends on intonation. The Great White Whale's suggestion is perhaps even less appropriate.
4 hrs
  -> cf Cretacea - standard expression :-)
agree  TonyTK: with Cetacea's "through".
14 hrs
  -> happy easter TomKat :-)
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
persona non grata


Explanation:
Just another idea ... particularly in view of the inverted commas.

Alison MacG
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:22
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks, I think this works best in this particular context.
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