David Williams (asker) Apr 28, 2010:

The way I see it, the German means "die aufgeregte Erwartung greift nach den Menschen", which must surely mean that the anticipation is clamouring for the people to arrive (at the trade fair, immediately before the doors open). I don't see how it can be applied to the people, especially as those present aren't yet the trade fair visitors.
To mean that the people present are gripped with excitement, surely it would have to say "die aufgeregte Erwartung die den Menschen ergreift" or "die aufgeregte Erwartung die um den Menschen greift", wouldn't it?

Michél Dallaserra Apr 28, 2010:

Two points: Firstly, the German sentence contains a mistake in that the word "zu" seems superfluous and should be erased (obviously not David's fault). Secondly, the latter part of your working draft, David, should be modified. The German sentence means that the people present are being gripped with excitement.

David Williams (asker) Apr 28, 2010:

A working draft A babble of voices and the scent/aroma of coffee mingle in the excited anticipation that is crying out for the masses to arrive.