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Türklinkerputzer Program

English translation: is no foot in the door selling/sales scheme (UK), system, program(me)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Türklinkerputzer Program
English translation:is no foot in the door selling/sales scheme (UK), system, program(me)
Entered by: roak

22:18 Jun 20, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Linguistics
German term or phrase: Türklinkerputzer Program
"Network Marketing ist kein Türklinkerputzer Programm. "

What could be a really good translation for the phrase Türklinkerputzer in this context?

Thanks in advance.
roak
United States
is no foot in the door selling/sales scheme (UK), system, program(me)
Explanation:
suggestion-or does it mean lazy person's job?
Selected response from:

writeaway
Grading comment
This was among the better ones! Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +9is no foot in the door selling/sales scheme (UK), system, program(me)
writeaway
4 +3programme for door knob polishers
Kim Metzger
4 +1is not a program for street peddlars (or hawkers)
Dr. Fred Thomson
4Network marketing is not a program for breaking down open doors
gangels (X)
3more input
heikeb
3 -1door-handle-polisher program
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
1 +1travelling saleman program
Susanne Rindlisbacher
2vacuum salesman
sarastro


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Türklinkerputzer Program
programme for door knob polishers


Explanation:
Why not literal?
Network marketing is not a programme for door knob polishers.

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 11:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 123

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wenjer Leuschel (X): Ja, ja, du hast recht.
2 mins
  -> Though it should be one word: doorknob
disagree  Monika T.: Depending on the type of text (informal or formal) this could be a good way to say it. I would suggest "Network Marketing is not a door-to-door sales program" (or "programme" if you are translating into British English).
10 mins
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: absolutely! 'Türklinkenputzer' condescendingly describes the job of a travelling salesman
13 mins
agree  roneill: Exactly! So funny!
5 hrs
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
8 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Türklinkerputzer Program
door-handle-polisher program


Explanation:
Vielleicht kann man es so nennen.
Sicher kann man vielleicht auch so lesen: "Türk-Linker-Putzer." :O))

Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Taiwan
Local time: 01:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): nein, und entweder "sicher" ODER "vielleicht", aber nicht "sicher vielleicht...".
8 hrs
  -> Danke schön.
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Türklinkerputzer Program
travelling saleman program


Explanation:
I am guessing

Susanne Rindlisbacher
Portugal
Local time: 18:11
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wenjer Leuschel (X): And I guess you are somehow right.
18 mins
neutral  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): ich vermisse die negative Konnotation von "Türklinkenputzen".
7 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +9
Türklinkerputzer Program
is no foot in the door selling/sales scheme (UK), system, program(me)


Explanation:
suggestion-or does it mean lazy person's job?

writeaway
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
This was among the better ones! Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nancy Arrowsmith
46 mins
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
2 hrs
agree  roneill: This is great1 Conjures up images of Avon ladies or Encyclopedia britannica salespeople!
4 hrs
agree  Melanie Nassar: I like this,and the foot in the door keeps the slightly comic/derogatory image
5 hrs
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
7 hrs
agree  Louise Mawbey
7 hrs
agree  Monika Leit
7 hrs
agree  Laurel Porter (X): possibly hyphenated (foot-in-the-door selling scheme)?
16 hrs
agree  Katrin Atienza (X)
3 days 22 mins
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Network marketing is not a program for breaking down open doors


Explanation:
meaning being redundant or engaging in a useless pursuit

gangels (X)
Local time: 11:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): different meaning, see agrees above, Klaus.
5 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Türklinkerputzer Program
is not a program for street peddlars (or hawkers)


Explanation:
I have high confidence that this expression will carry the idea for you, but other good answers have been provided already.
Kim's answer is right on point; it does, however, require a little thought on the part of people not familiar with the term, but it does have the same flavor as the original. I would be inclined to go with Kim.
However, if you want to be a little more obvious, my answer will do the trick.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 11:11
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wolf Brosius (X): the slang is actually Klinkenputzer=hawkwer=door-door salesman
11 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
vacuum salesman


Explanation:
there is not enough context to pick the most suitable solution but there may be something about network marketing that implies strategic selling and preselection of prospectives as opposed to a a merely quantitative door-to-door approach. in that case rather than focussing on the door knob I suggest to render the idea of what this programme is not about by using the (poor and surely unfairly treated) vacuum salesman as opposite example.

sarastro
Local time: 19:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): different meaning, see agrees above, sarastro. No context needed here for "Türklinkenputzen", that is always negative!
2 hrs
  -> I don't share but respect your opinion, please feel free to disagree if you feel like (neutral should be reserved for other cases)
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Türklinkerputzer Program
more input


Explanation:
Türklinken putzen has not so much to do with being a pushy salesperson, but to the hard phyical work envolve going from door to door (this is not always used literally, it can just refer to that fact that many individuals have to be approached), and also maybe with the humility involved. One could also use this term to describe somebody's efforts to collect money for a charity or a canvassing politician.

In the above text, it could therefore stress that Network Marketing is a much easier approach, maybe because a great number of individuals can be reached at once (via the network) and not one by one. The overall context would be helpful to decide on the exact connotation implied here.

cf:
Was die Ausbildungsabgabe bewirkt, weiß bislang niemand so recht. Fest steht dagegen, dass Klinkenputzen zum Erfolg führt. Bewiesen haben das erneut die Mitarbeiter der Agentur für Arbeit in Elmshorn. Am "Tag der Ausbildung" warben sie bei rund 450 Betrieben in den Kreisen Pinneberg und Steinburg sowie in Norderstedt für die Schaffung neuer Lehrstellen. Resultat: 62 zusätzliche Ausbildungsplätze können noch in diesem Sommer vergeben werden. Darüber hinaus erhielten die Vermittler Zusagen für 100 weitere Lehrstellen im Jahre 2005.

Es sei offensichtlich, dass vor allem der persönliche Kontakt zur positiven Resonanz geführt habe,...
http://www.abendblatt.de/daten/2004/05/12/293679.html

Klinkenputzen gehört dazu
...
Zuletzt trat Frauke Angel in einem Projekt für arbeitslose Schauspielerinnen auf.
...
Klinkenputzen heißt das, nehmen, was man kriegen kann. Kleine Fernsehauftritte, Sprechrollen im Radio, Synchronisation - oder Werbung. Frauke Angel hat schon öfter Reklame gemacht.
http://www.zeit.de/archiv/1999/46/199946.c-schauspielerin.xm...

Klinkenputzen für Soldaten

Polen sammelt auf Konferenz für Irak-Kontingent

NATO-Länder und osteuropäische Staaten sollen Polen dabei helfen, das Truppenkontingent für die polnische Besatzungszone im Irak zu stellen. Mindestens 7000 Mann stark muss die Friedenstruppe sein, Polen selbst kann aber nur 1500 bis 2000 Soldaten schicken. Auf einer zweitägigen Konferenz in Warschau sollen am Donnerstag und Freitag konkrete Zusagen gegeben werden.
http://www.heute.t-online.de/ZDFheute/artikel/20/0,1367,POL-...

Suggestions:
is not a peddling program
or: program for peddlers
Both terms include the connotation of salesperson as well as the peddling with small-scale, unimportant items.

Or if the text stresses the (physical) ease of making sales using this program, maybe:
a program where you don't wear down your shoes.


heikeb
Ireland
Local time: 18:11
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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