knæfald

English translation: bending the knee (to someone)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Danish term or phrase:knæfald
English translation:bending the knee (to someone)
Entered by: Dziadzio

12:56 Jun 19, 2006
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Media / Multimedia / News broadcast
Danish term or phrase: knæfald
' er det så ikke et knæfald for xx?'
Dziadzio
Local time: 15:48
bending the knee (to someone)
Explanation:
Or subjecting to or giving in to .

"So (then) is that not bending the knee to xx?"
Selected response from:

F Schultze (X)
United States
Local time: 10:48
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2bending the knee (to someone)
F Schultze (X)
4 +2surrender, pander to
Christine Andersen
5genuflection
Paul Larkin (X)


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
bending the knee (to someone)


Explanation:
Or subjecting to or giving in to .

"So (then) is that not bending the knee to xx?"

F Schultze (X)
United States
Local time: 10:48
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish
PRO pts in category: 17
Grading comment
Thank you very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christine Andersen: giving in to is the most common meaning, if it is anything to do with opinion, policy or politics, except in a directly religious context.
1 hr

agree  Derringdo
1 hr
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
genuflection


Explanation:
at the altar rail for example

Paul Larkin (X)
Local time: 14:48
Native speaker of: English
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
surrender, pander to


Explanation:
In expressions like 'fagforeningens knæfald for arbejdsgiverne'

'regeringens knæfald for besættelsesmagten under krigen'

I would suggest pander to, perhaps even surrender or capitulate in extreme cases.

The meaning given in the dictionary (bending the knee/genuflection) is a sign of reverence to a saint or deity as in church, but not commonly used in general debate and politics.

It sounds to me as if your context calls for giving in or pandering to XX

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-06-19 15:11:15 GMT)
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Nudansk ordbog gives 'ydmyge sig' for knæfald.

In church it is a sign of reverence and respect, but otherwise in strongly protestant Denmark, this expression has come to imply resignation, despair or hypocrisy!


Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 15:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michele Fauble
18 hrs

agree  farmor
1 day 15 hrs
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