Mit einem Balg ankommen

English translation: turn up with a brat

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Mit einem Balg ankommen
English translation:turn up with a brat

00:07 May 24, 2020
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2020-05-27 19:55:32 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Novel about massive abuse of girls in post-World War 2 foster homes
German term or phrase: Mit einem Balg ankommen
I am translating a novel about massive abuse of girls in post-World War 2 foster homes.
A young teenage girl is reporting how her parents, the owners of a tavern, enabled her abuse by patrons.
This is the paragraph:

Elke erzählte: "Meine Eltern haben eine Kneipe. Schon wie ich im ersten Schuljahr war, wurde ich dort fast jeden Abend von Männern attackiert. Manchmal, wenn nicht nur die Gäste, sondern ebenso meine Eltern betrunken waren, haben sie mich ausgezogen und nackt auf die Theke gestellt. Alle Männer durften mich anfassen. Als ich mich bei meiner Mutter beschwerte, entgegnete sie: "Stell dich nicht an, ich bin genauso in dieser Kneipe aufgewachsen. Gewöhne dich dran. Die Männer sind nun mal so. Und diese Männer sorgen dafür, dass du nicht verhungern musst.

THIS IS THE SENTENCE IN QUESTION

--> ABER PASSE MIR SPÄTER BLOß AUF, DASS DU MIR MIT KEINEM BALG ANKOMMST."

Any suggestions?
Thank you!
REA / Chicago, IL, USA
anders1956
United States
turn up with a brat
Explanation:
She’s basically saying don’t get pregnant and turn up here with a brat in tow.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2020-05-24 00:24:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or more precisely: don’t come to me with your/a brat (in tow).
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:59
Grading comment
Yes, this works!
In fact, this question is due to my MIS-reading of "Balg" (brat, kid) as "Balgen" (bellows).
Thanks to everyone who helped!!
REA / Chicago, IL, USA
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7turn up with a brat
Helen Shiner
4 +5Don't get knocked up
Yorkshireman
3 +3don't you dare come crying to me with some bawling bastard
Ramey Rieger (X)
5Don’t get pregnant
Karin Redclift
3 +2come home with a brat in your belly
Michael Martin, MA
5 -2According to the context: don't be pregnant through one of those ugly men, and bring to me a
Ayman Sharaf
2land me with a whippersnapper (bake me a bun in the oven)
Adrian MM.


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Don’t get pregnant


Explanation:
Since your story seems very graphic you could say :” Don’t bring home a bastard!”


Example sentence(s):
  • I would prefer this version: Be careful, so you don’t end pregnant with an illegitimate child!
Karin Redclift
United States
Local time: 22:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
turn up with a brat


Explanation:
She’s basically saying don’t get pregnant and turn up here with a brat in tow.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2020-05-24 00:24:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or more precisely: don’t come to me with your/a brat (in tow).

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 139
Grading comment
Yes, this works!
In fact, this question is due to my MIS-reading of "Balg" (brat, kid) as "Balgen" (bellows).
Thanks to everyone who helped!!
REA / Chicago, IL, USA

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Edith Kelly: bairn depending on region // I was thinking of downtown Northside Dublin, they use it
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Edith. Though I think the Scots would use something harsher than ‘bairn’, which just means ‘child’. You are absolutely right to point out the need for finding a suitable regional variant, if necessary./Interesting.

agree  Ramey Rieger (X): Exactly! Maybe urchin or gamin?
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ramey.

agree  Manuela Junghans
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Manuela

agree  franglish
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, franglish

agree  Veronika Neuhold
12 hrs
  -> Thanks, Veronika

agree  writeaway
14 hrs
  -> Thanks, writeaway

agree  Klaus Beyer
17 hrs
  -> Thanks, Klaus
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -2
According to the context: don't be pregnant through one of those ugly men, and bring to me a


Explanation:
Balg in German has different meaning, one of them is cheeky or unwanted child, which is suitable in mentioned context of the novel.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-05-24 01:27:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

According to the context: don't be pregnant through one of those ugly men, and bring to me a cheeky child.

Ayman Sharaf
Egypt
Local time: 07:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Arabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Kim Metzger: Way off base. Maybe stick to translating into Arabic?
11 hrs

disagree  Edith Kelly: with Kim
1 day 12 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Don't get knocked up


Explanation:
Typical slang expression

Also
Don't turn up with a bun in the oven


    https://www.babygaga.com/13-weird-and-cheeky-terms-for-pregnancy/
Yorkshireman
Germany
Local time: 06:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: I feel this is more instantly understandable than Helen's literal translation, which is also fine.
7 hrs
  -> TBH I think Helen's note is actually better than her answer

agree  Lancashireman: On both sides o't Pennines
12 hrs
  -> Ta

agree  Klaus Beyer
1 day 4 hrs

agree  Chris Pr
1 day 5 hrs

agree  Edith Kelly: Welcome back D
1 day 6 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
don't you dare come crying to me with some bawling bastard


Explanation:
I couldn't resist this, as it deepens the brutality of the situation. Not only is the girl being sold and betrayed by her parents, she is also being held responsible for any repercussions of THEIR behavior. Typical of abusers.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 06:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yorkshireman: Like it! Thanks for asking - could be worse (but not much!). So far, what you suggested is the only answer that fits the "milieu"
39 mins
  -> Would love to translate this book! All's well?//Hope you got that.

agree  Björn Vrooman: The German may not look like much, but it's stronger than brat. Cf sense 2 (not 1) at https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Balg See also p. 21 of "Zeitreise" by Manfred Kleemann. Ppl should google it. I believe it explains the situation quite well.
1 hr
  -> Thanks for the confirmation.

agree  Veronika Neuhold
5 hrs
  -> Hi Veronika! Hope you're keeping well and busy!

neutral  Klaus Beyer: 'bawling bastard' seems more mean-spirited than 'brat'
10 hrs
  -> Hi Klaus. Not if you consider the times, when bastard was the pejorative for prostitutes' offspring.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
come home with a brat in your belly


Explanation:
Just make sure later you won't come home with a brat in your belly.

Terrible situation..

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Note added at 10 hrs (2020-05-24 10:14:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In this (and many other cases) it's less important for translators to demonstrate they 'understand' the source text (that should be a given anyway) than to imagine what a native speaker of the target language might have said in a similar situation.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 01:59
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  TonyTK
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tony!

agree  Gordon Matthews
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Gordon!

neutral  Edith Kelly: too close to Helen's suggestion
1 day 11 hrs
  -> Perhaps you're right; and I agree with "brat (in tow)" for "Balg" (Ramey's version is over the top). But the query is about a complete German phrase. Sounds more natural to me to talk about "coming home with a X" than "turning up with a X".
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
mir mit keinem Balg ankommen
land me with a whippersnapper (bake me a bun in the oven)


Explanation:
A bit late now and not entirely clear what Transatlantic idiom is wanted by the the asker in the US, namely whether whippersnapper or bun in the oven would be understood over there.



Example sentence(s):
  • The 5-foot blonde has already gained 22 pounds thanks to her bun in the oven, and says that her new figure has helped with her job. – NY Post; Summary. The English idiom bun in the oven refers to pregnancy.

    Reference: http://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/bun-in-the-oven
    Reference: http://educalingo.com/de/dic-en/whippersnapper
Adrian MM.
Austria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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