Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Schwerblütigkeit
English translation:
sober level-headedness or down-to-earth nature
Added to glossary by
Djamila Vilcsko
May 6, 2010 10:38
14 yrs ago
German term
Germany
Schwerblütigkeit
Homework / test
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
The text is about Bethmann Hollweg, a former Chancellor (1909-1917) of the German Empire. "Schwerblütigkeit" turns up in the last sentence of the following passage:
Das Geschick des Kaisers und des deutschen Volkes wäre glücklicher verlaufen, wenn nach dem Sturz des Fürsten Bülow ein Diplomat wie Wolff-Metternich Kanzler geworden wäre. Er sah das Schicksalsproblem der auswärtigen Politik, er hatte den Mut, es zu bewältigen. Aber sein Herrscher gab ihm dazu keine Gelegenheit. Statt dessen berief er den Staatssekretär des Innern, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg.
Auch Bethmann Hollweg war eine anziehendere Gestalt als sein Vorgänger, mit seiner Schwerblütigkeit ein wohltuender Gegensatz zu Bülows schönfärberischem Optimismus.
This is a quote from a translation test I took two years ago. I am currently looking through my exam sheets and am trying to improve the mistakes I made. I simply do not know what "Schwerblütigkeit" could be in English (in face, I am not even sure what it means in German) and I consequently translated the word incorrectly. After a lot of pondering I had opted for "ponderous decision making" which was not appreciated by the examiners. :(
Thanks for your feedback!
Das Geschick des Kaisers und des deutschen Volkes wäre glücklicher verlaufen, wenn nach dem Sturz des Fürsten Bülow ein Diplomat wie Wolff-Metternich Kanzler geworden wäre. Er sah das Schicksalsproblem der auswärtigen Politik, er hatte den Mut, es zu bewältigen. Aber sein Herrscher gab ihm dazu keine Gelegenheit. Statt dessen berief er den Staatssekretär des Innern, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg.
Auch Bethmann Hollweg war eine anziehendere Gestalt als sein Vorgänger, mit seiner Schwerblütigkeit ein wohltuender Gegensatz zu Bülows schönfärberischem Optimismus.
This is a quote from a translation test I took two years ago. I am currently looking through my exam sheets and am trying to improve the mistakes I made. I simply do not know what "Schwerblütigkeit" could be in English (in face, I am not even sure what it means in German) and I consequently translated the word incorrectly. After a lot of pondering I had opted for "ponderous decision making" which was not appreciated by the examiners. :(
Thanks for your feedback!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | sober level-headedness or down-to-earth nature |
Clive Phillips
|
| 3 +3 | phlegmatic |
Michael Wetzel
|
| 3 | composed (adj.) |
Efulan
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| 3 | melancholy |
RegineMac
|
Proposed translations
+1
56 mins
Clive Phillips
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Defence/military specialist translator
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
sober level-headedness or down-to-earth nature
This contrasts well with "Bülows schönfärberischem Optimismus".
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Clive. This seems a very good choice in this context."
15 mins
composed (adj.)
"compose"
verb
(often as adjective composed) calm or settle (one's features or thoughts)." (COED, 11th edition, CD-Rom)
wäre eine Möglichkeit, wissend dass der Duden "schwerblütig" als "von ernster Natur; langsam u. bedächtig im Denken u. Handeln" definiert.
Dann gilt es natürlich, den Wechsel vom Substantiv zum Adjektiv zu meistern...
verb
(often as adjective composed) calm or settle (one's features or thoughts)." (COED, 11th edition, CD-Rom)
wäre eine Möglichkeit, wissend dass der Duden "schwerblütig" als "von ernster Natur; langsam u. bedächtig im Denken u. Handeln" definiert.
Dann gilt es natürlich, den Wechsel vom Substantiv zum Adjektiv zu meistern...
+3
1 hr
phlegmatic
As above: it needs to be converted into an adjective = "his phlegmatic nature".
The German suggests the theory of bodily humors to me (but I don't have an etymological dictionary to back this hunch up) and so you might want to make the same reference in English (= phlegmatic).
However, the English term seems much less common (although this is probably not a problem in the context).
All in all, it's one interesting possibility for a refreshingly interesting question.
The German suggests the theory of bodily humors to me (but I don't have an etymological dictionary to back this hunch up) and so you might want to make the same reference in English (= phlegmatic).
However, the English term seems much less common (although this is probably not a problem in the context).
All in all, it's one interesting possibility for a refreshingly interesting question.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Armorel Young
: yes, this is absolutely right in this context
1 hr
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| agree |
Thayenga
1 day 3 hrs
|
| agree |
Birgitt Olsen
2 days 2 hrs
|
2 hrs
melancholy
Definitions of melancholy:
1. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom: "There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass" (Charles Kuralt).
2. Pensive reflection or contemplation.
3. Archaic
a. Black bile.
I think the second meaning hits it.
b. An emotional state characterized by sullenness and outbreaks of violent anger, believed to arise from black bile.
1. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom: "There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass" (Charles Kuralt).
2. Pensive reflection or contemplation.
3. Archaic
a. Black bile.
I think the second meaning hits it.
b. An emotional state characterized by sullenness and outbreaks of violent anger, believed to arise from black bile.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Michael Wetzel
: I was thinking along the same lines (bodily humors), but I ended up choosing phlegmatic instead of melancholic, because it seemed to suit the minimal description better. (However, I am not an 11th Century apothecary and this may be a misdiagnosis :)
1 hr
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I'm not sure the author necessarily thinks of the bodily humors. At least, that's not how I understood it since it was juxtaposed with the other person's optimism.
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| neutral |
Johanna Timm, PhD
: ist das nicht eher "Schwermütigkeit"?
6 hrs
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Vielleicht verstehe ich das Wort falsch. Ich hatte angenommen, die beiden Woerten sind so ziemlich gleich...
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Discussion