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geflügeltes Wort

English translation: familiar quotation

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:geflügeltes Wort
English translation:familiar quotation
Entered by: Edward L. Crosby III

18:30 Aug 29, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Marketing / Market Research / fleet service
German term or phrase: geflügeltes Wort
This is from a corporate magazine describing how wonderful and customer-friendly their fleet management service is.
My question is what on earth do they mean by "geflügeltes Wort" in the last sentence? If an actual word followed the colon I would understand, but instead...

Auch die Kunden teilen dieses Urteil. Insider haben für die Service-Güte deshalb ein geflügeltes Wort kreiert: Auf Wunsch des Kunden liege auch ein Mon Cheri im Handschuhfach.
Rebecca Holmes
United States
Local time: 10:45
"familiar/standard quotation" or "winged word"
Explanation:
literally (Wildhagen, Collins)

But I'd think something along the lines of "insider expression" might be more apropos here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:40:32 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I.e. \"There\'s an insider expression for this kind of service quality: A Mon Cheri will be left in the glove box if the customer so desires.\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:47:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I.e. \"There\'s an insider expression for this kind of service quality: A Mon Cheri will be left in the glove box if the customer so desires.\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:48:19 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops...having Internet trouble here; sorry for the duplicate comment.
Selected response from:

Edward L. Crosby III
Local time: 07:45
Grading comment
Wow - what a lot of wonderful ideas from wonderful people! Thank you all so much, I had been at the computer for over 12 hours yesterday and was kind of running out of steam there (could have used one of said Mon Cheris...). Jennie, I feel really bad about not giving you the points because you were the first to point out the correct definition with a supporting reference, which I really appreciate. Edward's sentence was just so perfect that I couldn't resist, however.
Thank you all very much. I'm on vacation for the next two weeks and will thus leave you in peace for a while. Thanks again,
Rebecca



4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4a snappy expression
Dr. Fred Thomson
4 +3familiar or standard quotation
Jennie Sherrick, MA
4 +3"familiar/standard quotation" or "winged word"
Edward L. Crosby III
4 +3slogan
Trudy Peters
4 +1winged word
swisstell
5household word or saying, familiar saying, bon mot
Transdave (X)
4Sententious Word/Remark
lone (X)
4whisper word
gangels (X)
3 +1saying
Jonathan MacKerron
3catchphrase
jerrie


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
familiar or standard quotation


Explanation:
This exact expression can be found in Collins

Hope this helps! :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:41:01 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Inserting it into your text, it would go something like this:

...have therefore created a familiar/standard quotation for the service... : (and then their quotation follows)

Viel Glück! :)


    Collins
Jennie Sherrick, MA
United States
Local time: 10:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger
35 mins
agree  Edward L. Crosby III: For sure. But here, we need to bend the phrase to fit the context (see my suggestion).
1 hr
agree  Ron Stelter
1 day 33 mins
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
winged word


Explanation:
the excellence of the service is demonstrated by the fact that e.g. Mon Cheri pralinen will be put into the glove department, if so desired.

The winged word is the service excellent. The proof thereof is this (ridiculous but delicious) example of Mon Cheri.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 19:35:27 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

correction of typo: the winged word is the service excellence.

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 16:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 59

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cristina Moldovan do Amaral
5 mins
  -> thank you, Cristina
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
"familiar/standard quotation" or "winged word"


Explanation:
literally (Wildhagen, Collins)

But I'd think something along the lines of "insider expression" might be more apropos here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:40:32 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I.e. \"There\'s an insider expression for this kind of service quality: A Mon Cheri will be left in the glove box if the customer so desires.\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:47:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I.e. \"There\'s an insider expression for this kind of service quality: A Mon Cheri will be left in the glove box if the customer so desires.\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-08-29 18:48:19 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops...having Internet trouble here; sorry for the duplicate comment.

Edward L. Crosby III
Local time: 07:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Wow - what a lot of wonderful ideas from wonderful people! Thank you all so much, I had been at the computer for over 12 hours yesterday and was kind of running out of steam there (could have used one of said Mon Cheris...). Jennie, I feel really bad about not giving you the points because you were the first to point out the correct definition with a supporting reference, which I really appreciate. Edward's sentence was just so perfect that I couldn't resist, however.
Thank you all very much. I'm on vacation for the next two weeks and will thus leave you in peace for a while. Thanks again,
Rebecca



Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cristina Moldovan do Amaral
4 mins
  -> Thanks, Cristina!
agree  Melanie Sellers
8 mins
  -> Thanks to you, too, Melanie!
agree  danilingua
43 mins
  -> Thanks, danilingua!
neutral  Kim Metzger: Not many native speakers would understand 'winged word' these days.
50 mins
  -> Then pick the other option :) Actually, my real answer is in my comment. Everyone should understand that, right?
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
household word or saying, familiar saying, bon mot


Explanation:
A "geflügeltes Wort", whereby "word" is not to be taken literally in the singular - it can be a phrase, is a word or phrase that was coined or used by someone - in a book, play or film - that has caught on and become part of the language. An example here in Germany os the phrase "same procedure as last year". It comes from a very popular short English sketch called "Dinner for One" that was taped almost 30 years ago and runs on TV here every New Year's Eve. Yes, in English! While the phrase is known by just about everybody here in Germany, it (and the sketch) are all but unknown in England.

The German term literally means "winged word" and goes back to Homer, but I wouldn't use it nowadays. In some cases, such a word or phrase might also be referred to as a bon mot, if it is witty enough.
HTH
David Orpin

Transdave (X)
Local time: 16:45
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
a snappy expression


Explanation:
Everyone is right about the standard translation. The term usually means "familiar or standard expression," but here an expression has been newly created. It is almost an oxymoron in this context to speak of creating a familiar expression.
So, you might try "snappy expression" or something similar.
Best of luck.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 08:45
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  danilingua
1 min
  -> Thanks for the support
agree  Kim Metzger
3 mins
  -> Thanks, Kim
agree  Daniel Bichis: great, thanks!
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Daniel. I have been noticing your superb answers. Kudoz to you.
agree  Susan Geiblinger
13 hrs
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55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
catchphrase


Explanation:
as another option

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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57 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Sententious Word/Remark


Explanation:
Many hits on Google.

Hope this helps you!


    x
lone (X)
Canada
Local time: 10:45
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Kim Metzger: Sententious is very rarely used in everyday speech.
10 mins
  -> Kim, I know that , but this is just another possibility...
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
slogan


Explanation:
I think this would work!



Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 10:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 50

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Works for me!
21 mins
agree  Jennie Sherrick, MA: I like this too.
1 hr
agree  pschmitt
15 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
whisper word


Explanation:
means an expression instantly recognized by those in the know. Has a touch of conspirational romance to it, which would be kind of fitting here

gangels (X)
Local time: 08:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 40
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
saying


Explanation:
seems to be the simplest and most easily understood
'Those who appreciate our quality service have a saying..'
(orginal text is selten doof)

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 92

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cassandra Greer: wonderful - the KISS method
8 hrs
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