Was soll das Ganze?

English translation: What in Jupiter's name is this all about?

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	Was soll das Ganze?
English translation:	What in Jupiter's name is this all about?
Entered by:	BrigitteHilgner

08:12 Jul 3, 2013

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

German term or phrase: Was soll das Ganze?

Greetings treasured Colleagues!
I would be truly grateful for your assistance here. I have several options, but am hoping you can either confirm one of them or offer something more expressive. Lucius is being examined for military service. One of the tests is described thus:

A chair equipped with braces was suspended from a wagon-wheel. Another man stood next to a crank which obviously served to turn the wheel. Lucius stared at the instrument in amazement. A diminutive man impatiently pulled Lucius over to the structure and pressed him onto the chair. He instructed Lucius to look up at the sky through the spokes of the wagon-wheel. This was no easy task, as the sun was positioned directly over the wheel. Lucius squeezed his eyes lids tightly, leaving open only the barest slit

and then,

„Fertig?“, fragte der kleine Mann.
„Fertig wofür?“, fragte Lucius verwundert.
„Schau einfach durch das Rad!“, erwiderte der andere. Beim Kommando „Los!“ begann der Mann an der Kurbel, diese zu betätigen. Das Rad begann sich zu drehen und Lucius starrte wie hypnotisiert darauf. Es wurde immer schneller und schneller. Bald begann die Umgebung um Lucius herum zu verschwimmen. ####Was sollte das Ganze?### Er fühlte sich ganz dumm im Kopf, starrte aber weiterhin unverwandt auf das Rad, wie ihm befohlen worden war. Der Mann hatte offenbar aufgehört, an der Kurbel zu drehen, denn das Rad verlor an Schwung und wurde langsamer.

My translations are:

1. What's the point of all this?
2. What is this supposed to prove? (my current favorite)
3. What is this good for?

None of them really capture the tone. Any brilliant ideas?

Ramey Rieger (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 93 (none open) (4 closed without grading) Answers: 2945 Germany
Local time: 19:17

What in Jupiter's name was going on?

Explanation:
When in Rome ... or something like that ... ;-)

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-07-03 12:05:49 GMT)
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By Jove, what's happening ...

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Note added at 4 hrs (2013-07-03 12:53:07 GMT)
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Thank you for the information - but Jove = Jupiter. Have you ever read any of the stories about the detective Falco (various parts of the Roman Empire, A.D. 70 and later) by Lindsey Davis? I really enjoy them.

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2013-07-04 09:51:04 GMT)
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Cast a die! ;-)

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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2013-07-04 10:59:43 GMT) Post-grading
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Alea iacta est - thank you for the points, I hope Nicola is not cross/ disappointed and I fully agree with you that the possibility to split points would be a good idea and more fair than the current system. :-)

Selected response from:

BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Local time: 19:17

Grading comment

Thank you all so very much! I used "What in Jupiter's name is this all about?". I flipped a coin and Brigitte won. There are times when splitting points would align with my sense of justice.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

What (on Earth) was that all about?

Nicola Wood

3 +4

What in Jupiter's name was going on?

BrigitteHilgner

3 +3

What on earth was going on?

Claire Cox

What's going on here?or 'What the hell?'

Carmen Lawrence

What is this all about?

MiriamT (X)

What am I doing here?

Michael Martin, MA

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

4 mins confidence:

What's going on here?or 'What the hell?'

Explanation:
I don't think this really requires an explanation.

Carmen Lawrence
Greece
Local time: 20:17
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: No, Carmen Lawrence, it's devilishly clear! Thank you!

Asker: Hello Carmen, Please accept my apologies for withholding vital information. Your suggestion would have been more than appropriate in another context.

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

What on earth was going on?

Explanation:
Just another suggestion; much depends on the tone of the rest, of course, but perhaps "What on earth...(was going on/was the point/was it all about)" conveys the absolute incredulity I imagine he must have been feeling.

Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:17
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you Claire Cox, very good suggestion!

9 mins confidence:

What is this all about?

Explanation:
...just to keep the ball rolling

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Note added at 22 mins (2013-07-03 08:35:23 GMT)
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Ditto- and quite welcome you are, Ramey!

MiriamT (X)
Local time: 19:17
Native speaker of:

German,

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Yes, MiriamT, I ask myself that question often! Many thanks!

2 hrs confidence:

What am I doing here?

Explanation:
Or:

"What was he doing here?"

Gets across nicely his sense of bewilderment about the point of it all. Emphasis on "doing" not the subject.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-07-03 11:53:38 GMT)
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Thanks, Ramey. Perhaps you're right. But it needn't be taken literally, imo.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2013-07-03 13:54:39 GMT)
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"Where was he going with this?" might be another feasible option.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 13:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 63

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hey there Michael! Maybe "What in Hades am I doing here?" But it is very clear what he is doing, the question is more what is the point of the procedure. For a spoken text this would be fantastic, but written? Thank you for your effort!

Asker: Of course, not. Unfortunately, I cannot give the whole book as context! I appreciate your help all the same!

5 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

What (on Earth) was that all about?

Explanation:
Sorry, Ramey, not the brilliant suggestion you requested, but just another possible rendering ;-).

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Note added at 11 mins (2013-07-03 08:24:00 GMT)
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Have put this in the past tense because it was past tense in the context, but just realised the question was asked in the present - sorry!

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Note added at 29 mins (2013-07-03 08:42:13 GMT)
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@ Ramey: What in the Empire can I say? Nice thought!

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2013-07-04 09:27:07 GMT)
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@ Ramey: personally I think Brigitte deserves the points for the inspired "Jupiter's name". Feel free to award them to her - you won't get any argument from me ;-)

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2013-07-04 09:39:55 GMT)
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Yes, Ramey, no problem at all!

Nicola Wood
Austria
Local time: 19:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

Notes to answerer

Asker: Brilliant enough, Nicola, as you can see by peer agreement. And yes, it would be in the present tense. Within this context, I may say, "What in the Empire is this all about?" What do you think?

Asker: Die spinnen, die Römer!

Asker: Hi Nicola, Hi Brigitte, In the end I have used, ""What in Jupiter's name is this all about?" What to do with points?

Asker: Are you SURE??

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Claire Cox: Snap!

1 min

-> :-)

agree

Joseph Gudgeon: I think this is good except it needn't be in the past tense. "What on earth was this all about". It certainly is different, Please read about "this/that" regarding backshift. Anyway I agreed with you. Bowing out now.

2 mins

-> But you have also rendered it in the past tense, and I believe it needs to be in the context/ Sorry Joseph - I have to plead lack of English grammar teaching in my school days as an excuse for my ignorance. It was totally out of fashion in those days!

agree

Steffen Walter

9 mins

-> Thanks, Steffen.

agree

Rachel Ward: I prefer it without the "on earth".

11 mins

-> Thanks, Rachel. I think it is a question of how colloquial you want to be, and that is a choice for the asker.

agree

Lonnie Legg: w. present tense. Or simply "What on earth...?"

56 mins

-> Thank you, Lonnie.

agree

Thayenga: :)

6 hrs

-> Thanks, Thayenga.

agree

Horst Huber (X): What's all this about?

6 hrs

-> Thank you, Horst

33 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

What in Jupiter's name was going on?

BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Local time: 19:17
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 40

Grading comment

Thank you all so very much! I used "What in Jupiter's name is this all about?". I flipped a coin and Brigitte won. There are times when splitting points would align with my sense of justice.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Brigitte! Yes, that's what was missing. Thank you! Keep well.

Asker: Jupiter was closer to the mark. The young men of the time, who were to join the Legion, made sacrifices and offerings to Jupiter Optimus. Thought you may not have been able to draw another breath without this vital information!

Asker: Now that's a timely tip! I've taken note of it, thanks!

Asker: Hi Nicola, Hi Brigitte, In the end I have used, ""What in Jupiter's name is this all about?" What to do with the points?

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