strümpfig

English translation: lame

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:strümpfig
English translation:lame
Entered by: British Diana

16:47 Nov 18, 2010
German to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / a Southern German expression?
German term or phrase: strümpfig
This is not about the normal meaning "without shoes" as in "Ich fahre immer strümpfig Auto". Here where I live something is "strümpfig" if it has not been done properly. For instance a birthday party could be called "strümpfig" if the host didn't take enough trouble over it. Or the boss doesn't really congratulate his employee on something he's done but just makes a passing comment. I know this expression exists, but I can't find any evidence and don't know how to render it in English (preferably as an adjective).
So my context would be : Hanna's Geburtstagsfeier war richtig strümpfig. She hatte nicht einmal einen Kuchen für ihre Gäste gebacken!"
British Diana
Germany
Local time: 09:54
lame
Explanation:
Wenn ich mir vorstelle, das mir ein Jugendlicher das auf English erzählt, käme mir so spontan "lame" in den Sinn.

What a lame party....

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Note added at 49 mins (2010-11-18 17:37:05 GMT)
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Im gleichen Sinne

"It was pretty lame of his boss not to praise him for a job well done."
Selected response from:

Andrea Black
United States
Local time: 03:54
Grading comment
Once more I had the "Qual der Wahl" here in spite of the fact that this term is unknown in some parts of Germany. Between you (if I have counted right) 14 peers came up with 24 solutions! Which is the most helpful for me? Well, I think "lame" is the most universally useful one, although there are several others I will be using too, depending on the context. Thank you all for joining in so WHOLE-heartedly on this one!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2lame
Andrea Black
3 +1lackadaisical
casper (X)
3 +1shabby
Frosty
4slack
Jenny Streitparth
2 +1half-arsed
Richard Nice
3ho hum
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
3a bit of a shambles / rather a poor show
Colin Rowe


Discussion entries: 13





  

Answers


47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
lame


Explanation:
Wenn ich mir vorstelle, das mir ein Jugendlicher das auf English erzählt, käme mir so spontan "lame" in den Sinn.

What a lame party....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 49 mins (2010-11-18 17:37:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Im gleichen Sinne

"It was pretty lame of his boss not to praise him for a job well done."

Andrea Black
United States
Local time: 03:54
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Once more I had the "Qual der Wahl" here in spite of the fact that this term is unknown in some parts of Germany. Between you (if I have counted right) 14 peers came up with 24 solutions! Which is the most helpful for me? Well, I think "lame" is the most universally useful one, although there are several others I will be using too, depending on the context. Thank you all for joining in so WHOLE-heartedly on this one!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Andrea, ( and Lisa!)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lisa Miles: lame is def a young term and works here, or also something like slap dash, rough and ready, rubbish, crap (!) , crude, basic or base, uncouth, uncvilized, so many possiblities
21 mins
  -> You should post your suggestions! :-) Thanks.

agree  Edwin Miles: This is the best suggestion so far. Colloquial, current.
20 hrs
  -> Thanks.
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
half-arsed


Explanation:
... which is why I asked about register...


    Reference: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/half-arsed
Richard Nice
Germany
Local time: 09:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Richard, I'm thinking hard about this one.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Williams: Very common in colloquial English too.
14 hrs
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58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
lackadaisical


Explanation:
In your examples:

The birthday party was a lackadaisical affair.

The lackadaisical attitude of the boss.

casper (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you! "Lacking enthusiasm" is an important element of it, I think.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lonnie Legg: "lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy"(Am.Oxf.Dict.)
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Lonnie Legg
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
shabby


Explanation:
Just a suggestion: a shabby affair; shabby treatment of people; kept in a shabby condition.

Frosty
Local time: 09:54
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Frosty!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lisa Miles: yes shabby is good
1 hr
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ho hum


Explanation:
another idea; nothing exciting, nothing to "write home about" in the direction of boring maybe;
unless you want to say: sub-standard which implies that there were "great expectations" for the birthday party , and she didn't even have streamers.. sort of like Mr. Bean and his Christmas party :)

Ingeborg Gowans (X)
Canada
Local time: 05:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 27
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your thoughts, Ingeborg!

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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
slack


Explanation:
Fits your examples.
One example under 09 September:
http://honeyhoneybakedham.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.ht...




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Note added at 13 Stunden (2010-11-19 06:28:01 GMT)
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These may be easier to understand than the blog/author of my first link:

- Lacking in diligence or due care or concern; negligent: a slack worker.
- To be careless or remiss in doing: slack one's duty.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/slack

Last year the party was slack due to only a days preparation and games just on the spur of the moment.
http://flyladyfaye.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_pagedir=Ne...


Jenny Streitparth
New Zealand
Local time: 21:54
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Jenny. These are the examples I found on this blog, is that what you mean (the slack party?):Today's really slack for me. Boss hire me for display in the office. I did nothing but play CafeWorld and (trying to) tutorials. Alrighty, will be going to Oosh! at Dempsy at 7pm later. For some discussion regarding L'Oreal. Tata loves! Pictures from 2 ButterFactory parties.Sep 28, 2009 Sep 28, 2009 Was a pretty slack party I would say. Didn't intend to party hard core. So, don't really have much pictures. The rest of the pictures are at my facebook album : 090909. Butter cookies. [10 Sept] Next up. ... http://honeyhoneybakedham.blogspot.com/ clipped from Google - 11/2010 Day 5 at work! =)Dec 18, 2009 Dec 18, 2009 Anw, today's been pretty slack for me. Went for medical checkup for my insurance plan thingie (And realised I gained 4kg in 1mth) 37kg to 41kg! I think the weighing scale is spoilt. Haha, and wrote the rest of the Christmas cards! ...

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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a bit of a shambles / rather a poor show


Explanation:
... might work. I think I would tend towards the first for the birthday, and the second for the inattentive boss.

If I have understood correctly, the word would appear to be used, at least sometimes, in a similar way to "schlampig" or "schäbig".

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 09:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 63
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Colin for two more possibilities.

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