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  2. German to English
  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

abkanzeln

English translation: to put someone down

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:abkanzeln
English translation:to put someone down
Entered by: Maureen Millington-Brodie

16:26 Oct 3, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: abkanzeln
Aus einem Manager-Handbuch. Es geht darum, dass Manager vor Ort die Arbeiter beobachten und denen Feedback erteilen sollen und wie man dies am besten macht.

Der Anwalt für den Erfolg eines anderen zu sein, ist schwieriger als der Vorgesetzte zu sein.

Sie sind nicht vor Ort, um etwas für falsch zu befinden und die Leute entsprechend *abzukanzeln* – Sie sind dort, um Schwächen bzw. Lücken in der Verteidigungslinie aufzudecken, die behoben werden können, damit der Einzelne die besten Voraussetzungen für einen Erfolg hat, wenn er vor Ort arbeitet.

Ich habe eine Reihe von Woerterbucheintraegen gefunden, die mir nicht viel sagen. Was ist in dem Kontext am besten?
Trans-Marie
Local time: 12:06
to put them down
Explanation:
or even "to get on your high horse with them", from there context there does seem to be a sense of this
Selected response from:

Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:06
Grading comment
Vielen Dank
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2to put them down
Maureen Millington-Brodie
4 +1to come down hard on someone
Hilary Davies Shelby
3 +1to tell off
Ulrike Kraemer
4come down on sb like a ton of bricks
RKurylski
3 +1to give them a lecture
Kieran McCann
4hectoring
gangels (X)
3to tell (people) off / to run (people) down
Steffen Walter
3slam someone
Christine Lam
3debase
Nicole Schnell


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to tell (people) off / to run (people) down


Explanation:
zwei Möglichkeiten

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Note added at 5 mins (2005-10-03 16:31:21 GMT)
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Persönlich würde ich zu "tell off" neigen.

Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 13:06
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 85
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to tell off


Explanation:
- to give a tongue-lashing
- to slate

are just some options

Ulrike Kraemer
Germany
Local time: 13:06
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Hilary Davies Shelby: i like both "to slate" and "to give someone a tongue-lashing"
1 hr
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
slam someone


Explanation:
ist ja auf Deutsch auch ein ziemlich "umgangssprachlicher" Ausdruck und nicht sehr gepflegt

I don't think it pays to slam someone when they're doing the right thing, especially
after having failed to do so for so long. [ Parent ] ...
www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/14/102153/350 - 66k

You guys are really going to slam someone who is actually there in the water
helping people…just because he is a liberal? Is his service, patriotism and/or ...
www.killrighty.net/2005/09/12/sean-penn/trackback/ - 43k

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Note added at 8 mins (2005-10-03 16:34:49 GMT)
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dem Sinn nach "heruntermachen"

Christine Lam
Local time: 07:06
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to come down hard on someone


Explanation:
give someone an ear-bashing
give someone an earful

UK slang synonyms for "heavily criticise"

Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
Local time: 06:06
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gruffalo: I really like "come down hard", but think the other suggestions are maybe too informal for a handbook.
2 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
come down on sb like a ton of bricks


Explanation:
how about this colourful idiom?

RKurylski
Poland
Local time: 13:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to put them down


Explanation:
or even "to get on your high horse with them", from there context there does seem to be a sense of this

Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 36
Grading comment
Vielen Dank

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Rose: simplest and most accurate
29 mins
agree  E Perret: best option here
14 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to give them a lecture


Explanation:
I think I'm right in saying that the term derives from 'Kanzel' ie stand in the pulpit and preach at people so I think versions involving addressing/talking to people are better

I think 'tell off' is good but it's perhaps a bit mild, often used in relation to children, for example, and Hilary's 'earful', which I also like, is perhaps a bit colloquial/informal for the context, though it would be fine if it were spoken as opposed to forming part of a written handbook/manual

Kieran McCann
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:06
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gruffalo: excellent, gets across the "Kanzel" idea and is slightly more formal
1 hr
  -> thank you
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
debase


Explanation:
What I would say here.

Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 04:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 64
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
hectoring


Explanation:
...not there to find fault and engage in hectoring people

A bit more polished than 'chewing out', 'dressing down', 'bawling out'

gangels (X)
Local time: 05:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 14
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