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der Bär tobt

English translation: a hive of activity, a bull in a china shop

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:der Bär tobt
English translation:a hive of activity, a bull in a china shop
Entered by: Kim Metzger

12:23 Aug 3, 2001
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: der Bär tobt
The reference is to the Frankfurt tradeshow. "In der Halle 8 "tobt der Bär" mit vielen Produktbranchen, die unseren ähnlich sind. Die Messe Frankfurt weiß das seit Jahren und sie tut nichts. I understand this idiom to mean something along the lines of "things have gone haywire." Is that about right?
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 17:41
der Bär tobt = da ist die Hölle los.
Explanation:
a hive of activity.
Selected response from:

frenoy (X)
Grading comment
Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +2der Bär tobt = da ist die Hölle los.
frenoy (X)
naBerliners
Vidmantas Stilius
naliterally: the bear charged
enphiniti
na...bustled with...
Fuad Yahya


  

Answers


15 mins
Berliners


Explanation:
Don't they mean a Berlin exposition next to the author's?

Just guessing

Vidmantas Stilius
Local time: 02:41
Native speaker of: Native in LithuanianLithuanian
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15 mins
literally: the bear charged


Explanation:
toben=to go wild, rage, or charge
The metaphor seems to reference the fact that the hall was filled with similar products and thus no company could truly benefit from the Messe. A bear charging denotes a dangerous thing to those involved (one thing I've learned from living in northern Minnesota for 20 years). Since the Messe is suppose to be a showcase in which businesses can showcase their product, a room full of the same things doesn't seem to be in the benefit of those companies involved.
I hope this helps.

-Jason

enphiniti
Local time: 18:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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25 mins peer agreement (net): +2
der Bär tobt = da ist die Hölle los.


Explanation:
a hive of activity.

frenoy (X)
Grading comment
Thank you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Leslie Nelman: If you look for "Bär" and "tobt" in Google, you can get more context, e.g. www.thailand-homepage.de/berichte/02.htm
27 mins
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
39 mins
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50 mins
...bustled with...


Explanation:
Rephrasing may be in order. I would remove the preposition, make "Hall 8" the subject, and use the verb "bustle with." The American Heritage Dictionary defines the verb "to bustle" as "to move or cause to move energetically and busily." I hope this fits well with the rest of the context.

"Hall 8 bustled with..."

Fuad


    The American Heritage Dictionary
Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
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