Gedöns

English translation: kerfuffle

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	Gedöns
English translation:	kerfuffle
Entered by:	Kim Metzger

16:57 May 1, 2006

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / encyclopaedia

German term or phrase: Gedöns

This is a tongue-in-cheek entry in an encyclopaedia that doesn't take itself seriously in all cases. They're having a little fun here. I could probably think of a translation, but my real question is whether I should even attempt to do so. My inclination is to tell the client that he should omit this entry in his encyclopaedia because the point would be lost on English-speaking readers.

Gedöns findet Hans X, Teil der Geschäftsführer-Doppelspitze, nicht gut. Gibt es folglich nicht, jedenfalls nicht offiziell. Oder nur in gut begründeten Fällen.

Gedöns
1) umständliche Handlungsweise, die eine Problemlösung verhindert; "mach nich son Gedöns" - Aufforderung zu sofortigem stringentem Handeln; 2) wertlose Gegenstände, die ungeordnet herumliegen ("Der macht en riesen Gedöns um seine Nuckelpinne."); 3) Gedönsrat - scherzhafte Umschreibung für einen Lehrer

Kim Metzger KudoZ activity Questions: 1189 (none open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 15751 Mexico
Local time: 15:06

kerfaffle

Explanation:
ich kenne 'Gedöns' im Sinne von 'mach' nicht so ein Theater', mach' nicht so einen Aufstand (um etwas, das es nicht wert ist).

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Note added at 13 mins (2006-05-01 17:11:14 GMT)
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or "kerfuffle" - seems to be an alternate spelling

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Note added at 47 mins (2006-05-01 17:45:41 GMT)
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@ Kim I would think that Hans is not someone who likes to make a kerfuffle over things. [If in some cases he does, this is something he would not necessarily like to be known]. There are some exceptions of course.

Selected response from:

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 14:06

Grading comment

Thanks very much, everybody. Lots of nice suggestions. But I couldn't resist kerfuffle. I did, however, borrow much of Victor's explanatory info.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

2 +2

kerfaffle

Johanna Timm, PhD

fuss

Colette Kinsella

thingamies (or equivalent)

Stephen Reader

hassle

Melanie Nassar

hullaballoo

Victor Dewsbery

Waffle

Textklick

carrying on

Veronika McLaren

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

27 mins confidence:

Gedöns - translate? hassle

Explanation:
just another possibility. Whether it warrants being in an 'encyclopedia' is another question.

Melanie Nassar
United States
Local time: 00:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

43 mins confidence:

hullaballoo

Explanation:
Taking this as the headword for the entry in the encyclopaedia, which I would cobble together roughly like this:

Hullaballoo - is something that Hans X, part of our management duo, doesn't want anything to do with. So you'll find none of it here, at least, not officially. Exceptions, of course, prove the rule.

Victor Dewsbery
Germany
Local time: 23:06
Native speaker of:

English

11 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Gedöns - translate?

kerfaffle

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 14:06
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 24

Grading comment

Thanks very much, everybody. Lots of nice suggestions. But I couldn't resist kerfuffle. I did, however, borrow much of Victor's explanatory info.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Kerfuffle is a fine word, Johannna. But would this be a true statement: Hans X does not like kerfuffle. So there is no such thing, at least not officially. Or only in well-justified cases. ?

1 hr confidence:

Gedöns - translate? Waffle

Explanation:
or maybe even 'bullshit' (given the obviously light hearted context)

Textklick
Local time: 22:06
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

3 hrs confidence:

carrying on

Explanation:
The other suggestions are fine, too, especially kerfuffle

Veronika McLaren
Local time: 17:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English

13 hrs confidence:

fuss

Explanation:
...

Colette Kinsella
Ireland
Local time: 22:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

4 days confidence:

thingamies (or equivalent)

Explanation:
Change of perspective (from behaviour to object)- Given the context, an (nb) German (nb) watchmakers, a possibility? Drily translated you might have in mind 'no extraneous matter' - form-&-function watches, etc. So if the firm's P/R people really want to go to town with their sideways look, they could go for the lot, ALL the suggestions you've had, introducing a single fitting German colloquialism for all that their watches ain't.

Stephen Reader
Local time: 23:06
Native speaker of: English

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Gedöns

English translation: kerfuffle

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English translation: kerfuffle

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