jemandem eine Dose Kieselsteine schenken

English translation: to give sb a jar of pebbles

13:44 Dec 15, 2020
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: jemandem eine Dose Kieselsteine schenken
This phrase appears in a list of questions which are answered in a book, „Keine bleibenden Schäden“, by Heiko Schwarz:
Warum sollte man niemals einen Brief mit rotem Filzstift schreiben?
Wie wirkt es sich auf den Biorhythmus aus, wenn die Moschee um die Ecke neue Lautsprecher einweiht?
Was tun, wenn einem ein Fremder *eine Dose Kieselsteine schenkt*?
Wie überlebt man als Geisterfahrer bei der Rallye Dakar?
Und vor allem:
Was passiert, wenn ein Stubenhocker und dessen Gemahlin mit einem Intensivkurs Französisch druckbefüllt und anschließend in das westafrikanischste aller Länder expediert werden?
Antworten auf diese Fragen liefert das Buch „Keine bleibenden Schäden“.

At the moment I'm translating the question literally: "What do you do, when a stranger gives you a jar of pebbles?" But I'm wondering whether "eine Dose Kieselsteine" might be an idiomatic expression, like "a pig in a poke".
Gordon Matthews
Germany
Local time: 03:00
English translation:to give sb a jar of pebbles
Explanation:
I would translate it literally, like you suggested. I have never heard the phrase in Germany, I don't think it's an idiom.
Selected response from:

Katrin Hoelscher
Germany
Local time: 03:00
Grading comment
Many thanks, Katrin, for your assessment, as a native speaker of German, that the phrase is not an idiom.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1to give sb a jar of pebbles
Katrin Hoelscher
3give someone a stocking full of coal
jccantrell
3give someone a lemon
Michele Fauble


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
give someone a stocking full of coal


Explanation:
Well, nobody else answered, so this is my shot.
Especially given the time of year :)

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 19:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to give sb a jar of pebbles


Explanation:
I would translate it literally, like you suggested. I have never heard the phrase in Germany, I don't think it's an idiom.

Katrin Hoelscher
Germany
Local time: 03:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Many thanks, Katrin, for your assessment, as a native speaker of German, that the phrase is not an idiom.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sarah Maidstone
11 hrs
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1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
give someone a lemon


Explanation:
This might work, depending on further context.

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Note added at 1 day 4 hrs (2020-12-16 17:47:56 GMT)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_life_gives_you_lemons,_ma...

Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 19:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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