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dass die Ohrenärzte mehr von Tuten als von Blasen verstehen und...
English translation: variation
14:35 Aug 19, 2013
German to English translations [PRO] Medical - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Entertainment
German term or phrase:dass die Ohrenärzte mehr von Tuten als von Blasen verstehen und...
Wußten Sie schon dass dass die Ohrenärzte mehr von Tuten als von Blasen verstehen, die Urologen hingegen genau umgekehrt?
here's a fun one for you. There's a slightly sexual double-entendre here, 'Blasen'=bladder and blowing 'Tuten'= aural canals and tooting. Coupled with the idea that neither have a clue. Thoughts?
Explanation: Did you know that most otologists and urologists are die-hard conservatives? Otologists tend to be deaf to new ideas, while urologists think they will not hold water.
Hi Phil. Yes, I do agree. I had to go 'free' with a number of the other ones, they were just totally German culture specific. That's why I suggested the parallel of tree surgeon and medical surgeon, albeit somewhat inelegantly... however, I think Johanna has managed to quite successfully retain the German comparison whilst introducing idiomatic English.
If you're translating a whole long list of puns, I think you would do better to ignore the German and come up with a whole new set of your own. For example, this one plays on the double meanings of Tuten and Blasen (I'm still not sure I understand Tuten), and the otologist and urologist are of secondary importance. If you try to create an English joke about these two professions, it will just look very strange and unfunny.
I admit that this phrase actually is sometimes used with a sexual context in mind, but I think this possibility is a bit far-fetched (why should urologists and otologists be associated with blow-jobs?)
Andrew Swift: interested to see how you balance the second half, I do like the tangent you taken so far; an inventive twist on a well known saying. Maybe something along the lines of: nor otologists a program for a concert...? (but snappier, of course).
Susanne Schiewe: thank you so much for the background, I was not aware of the etomolgy: very useful. Of course, now I see why the idea of a sexual context is also so bizarre for native speakers. I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps the client hasn't read something into it that perhaps isn't there...
For those who haven't realised: "Blasen" is, above all, the plural of "bladders" here (apart from the meaning given below).
Background of "keine Ahnung von Tuten und Blasen haben"
Das Tuten und Blasen waren zwei Tätigkeiten im Mittelalter: vom Hirten ein Ruf für das Weidevieh und vom Nachtwächter das Horn für die Stadtbevölkerung. Beides bedurfte keiner besonderen Fähigkeiten, man sprach somit über einen besonders dummen Menschen, dem man nicht einmal das zutraute http://www.gutefrage.net/frage/woher-kommt-die-redewendung-v...
hi guys, I hope I can respond to your queries in one go. Yes, it is just a from a list of 'puns', all unrelated thematically. I don't have any proper context in terms of purpose, what I'm really looking for here is creative ways of rendering this in English, free translation totally accepted. And where the sexual connotations are concerned, I did not pick up on this initially either: the customer stated it was intended as such. I know 'Blasen' can be interpreted sexually and I'm assuming 'Tuten' can in some dialects as well? Oh and yes, it is a real, paying job ;) So creative juices flowing anybody? My best effort so far is: 'Did you know that tree surgeons and medical surgeons deal with different kinds of stumps': obviously there's no really tangible innuendo there and I'm not happy with that, so I'm looking for more inspiration?
for those who haven't realised; "Blasen" means a blow job (or rather "to suck"), that's what I was referring to that vulgarity isn't funny for everyone..
I agree that the context is very important. This usually comes up online as a long list of punning statements, the vast majority of which are untranslatable. Is this part of a text you're translating? If so, you may need to come up with an English joke that has little or nothing to do with the German.
Explanation: Did you know that most otologists and urologists are die-hard conservatives? Otologists tend to be deaf to new ideas, while urologists think they will not hold water.
Johanna Timm, PhD Canada Local time: 08:14 Native speaker of: German PRO pts in category: 90
Grading comment
Thank you, the client was very pleased with this translation.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Johanna, I like this: definitely think you have the right idea. I will forward it to my client.
peer agreement (net): +6