Liz war sichtlich durch den Wind.

English translation: visibly shaken

00:18 Feb 24, 2013
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: Liz war sichtlich durch den Wind.
In this German fantasy novel, the female protagonist Liz, an elf (!), is standing over the sleeping male protagonist, a soldier, with his sword in her hand, trying to nerve herself to kill him for reasons of the plot. At one point she accidentally pricks him with the sword, but he doesn't wake. It's then that this mysterious phrase occurs.
Timothy Strauss
Local time: 17:59
English translation:visibly shaken
Explanation:
comes to mind.
Selected response from:

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 13:59
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +8visibly shaken
Michael Martin, MA
4 +3Liz was visibly taken aback.
Lancashireman
3 +1Liz was visibly out of sorts.
NGK
3Liz was visibly all at sea
Clive Phillips
Summary of reference entries provided
Origin of the expression
Clive Phillips

Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Liz was visibly out of sorts.


Explanation:
durch den Wind sein = unkonzentriert / unzurechnungsfähig / verwirrt / nervös / unzulänglich / erschöpft / nicht bei der Sache sein; psychisch labil sein; sich in schlechter Verfassung befinden
http://www.redensarten-index.de/suche.php?suchbegriff=durch ...

NGK
United States
Local time: 12:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: This qualifies as ‘most helpful answer’ on two counts: 1) Speed of response; 2) Usefulness of link. Also interesting to note that ‘out of sorts’ was selected when this phrase was posted here before (wouldn’t be my choice, though).
1 day 12 hrs
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Liz was visibly taken aback.


Explanation:
At one point Liz accidentally pricks him with the sword, but he doesn't wake. She is visibly taken aback.
485,000 maore examples here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/b2ggylo

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Note added at 50 mins (2013-02-24 01:09:35 GMT)
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Note added at 55 mins (2013-02-24 01:14:28 GMT)
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Just seen orla's suggestions: 'disconcerted', 'unnerved' both good.
Not sure about 'out of sorts' though. Sounds like a bad case of indigestion.

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 160

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carmen Lawrence
16 mins

agree  oa_xxx (X)
52 mins

agree  Wendy Streitparth: Yes, taken aback or disconcerted.
10 hrs

neutral  mill2: This seems too weak for the situation Liz is in.// Regardless of her character, she's about to kill someone with a sword and accidentally pricks him while he's sleeping! An extreme situation. Also one is usually "taken aback" by *someone else*'s action.
1 day 8 hrs
  -> Funny you should say that. I think the current leader is probably too strong. I'm surprised at the number of votes being cast here by people who haven't read the book and almost certainly never will. See Ramey's comment in the Discussion Box.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
visibly shaken


Explanation:
comes to mind.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 13:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 63

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
6 mins
  -> Thanks, Johanna.

agree  oa_xxx (X)
25 mins
  -> You, too, Orla.

agree  Inge Meinzer
59 mins
  -> Thank you, Inge.

agree  Michele Fauble
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Michele

agree  BrigitteHilgner
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Brigitte.

agree  Jim Tucker (X)
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, Jim.

agree  Sibel Dagdeviren
10 hrs
  -> Thanks much, Sibel.

agree  mill2
1 day 8 hrs
  -> Thanks, mill2.
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Liz was visibly all at sea


Explanation:
Evoking the maritime origin of the expression.
To me, 'taken aback' and 'shaken' suggest unpleasant surprise or shock while 'out of sorts' suggests an ailment.
I feel the tenor is perhaps more along the lines of Liz being confused and unsure what to do next.

Clive Phillips
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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Reference comments


13 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Origin of the expression

Reference information:
'Herkunft:
Diese Redensart kommt aus der Segler-Sprache. Schiffe “müssen durch den Wind”, wenn sie die Richtung wechseln. Das ist dann ein kurzer Moment, in dem der Wind direkt von vorn durch die Segel bläst. Dies erzeugt plötzlich ganz schön viel Widerstand, so dass es mitunter ganz schön anstrengend für die Besatzung ist – umso mehr, je größer das Schiff ist. Kein Wunder also, dass jemand erschöpft oder unkonzentriert ist, wenn er “durch den Wind” ist.'


    Reference: http://www.sprichwoerter-redewendungen.de/redewendungen/durc...
Clive Phillips
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

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