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allenfalls von Ferngläsern aus entfernten Liegenstühlen betrachtet...

English translation: at best observed through binoculars from far away deck chairs

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:allenfalls von Ferngläsern aus entfernten Liegenstühlen betrachtet...
English translation:at best observed through binoculars from far away deck chairs
Entered by: janejira

06:31 Jul 17, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
German term or phrase: allenfalls von Ferngläsern aus entfernten Liegenstühlen betrachtet...
Hier wird die Situation von einem Bergsteiger beschieben, wenn er nicht weiter steigen kann.

"Kein Weitersteigen scheint mehr moeglich und auch kein Absteigen. Verstiegenheit ist das Wort. So hängt er in den Seilen, ohne einen Rückweg, allenfalls von Ferngläsern aus entfernten Liegestühlen betrachtet..."

I can't understand this description. Does it mean that the cliffhanger hang on the rope without the way back, at best if observed by the binoculars from the deck chairs.


How come deck chairs in this context? Thank you in advance for your kind help!
janejira
Local time: 22:12
at best observed through binoculars from far away deck chairs
Explanation:
...

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Note added at 5 hrs (2017-07-17 12:19:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The climber is being observed, if he is lucky. See discussion entries.
Selected response from:

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 17:12
Grading comment
Thank you thank you 1000 times, Without your help, I would be helpless
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3at best observed through binoculars from far away deck chairs
franglish
3 +1unless detected by binoculars from a distant deckchair
Wendy Streitparth
3 +1only observable if someone lying on the lounge chair in the distance were to spot him with binocular
Herbmione Granger
3... as seen from (deckchair/binoculars etc.) in any case.
Stephen Reader
3only the off chance of someone in a distant deck chair scanning the landscape with binoculars
Ramey Rieger (X)
3T​he most he can hope for is being eyed through binoculars from the safety of distant deckchairs.
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
... as seen from (deckchair/binoculars etc.) in any case.


Explanation:
I have an inkling this "allenfalls" might be in the older sense of 'at any rate'. Cf. http://www.dict.cc/?s=allenfalls. If so, then not 'without a hope of ascent or descent UNLESS seen from afar', but 'at least as seen from a distant vantage point'.

Stephen Reader
Local time: 17:12
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
at best observed through binoculars from far away deck chairs


Explanation:
...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2017-07-17 12:19:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The climber is being observed, if he is lucky. See discussion entries.

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 17:12
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Thank you thank you 1000 times, Without your help, I would be helpless
Notes to answerer
Asker: who observe? the climber observes or is observed? Betrachtet hier ist Partizip II, right?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Steffen Walter
58 mins
  -> Thank you Steffen;)
agree  Armorel Young: Yes (with "faraway" as one word). It is the climber who is being observed - er wird betrachtet.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Armorel, also for the correction. Yes, the climber, if he is lucky!
neutral  philgoddard: I don't think "at best" quite works.// Because it doesn't convey a clear meaning to me.
5 hrs
  -> Why not?// It seems quite clear to me: in his measly situation the best he can hope for is for someone, for whatever reason, is scanning the face of the mountain with a pair of binoculars.
agree  Daniel Arnold (X): nice
9 hrs
  -> Thank you, Arnold.
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
only the off chance of someone in a distant deck chair scanning the landscape with binoculars


Explanation:
His situation is hopeless.Only a bit of luck will help. The subject (the viewer) is not in the source sentence.





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Note added at 5 hrs (2017-07-17 12:29:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another option:

with luck, espied with binoculars from a dustant/faraway deck chair

Example sentence(s):
  • only on the off chance that someone in a distant deck chair is scanning the landscape with binoculars
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 17:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77
Notes to answerer
Asker: thank you sooo much!!

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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
unless detected by binoculars from a distant deckchair


Explanation:
My take

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2017-07-17 15:24:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or rather "through binoculars"

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 17:12
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes!!! I agreee with you! You are brilliant!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: This is nice and concise.
3 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Phil
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
T​he most he can hope for is being eyed through binoculars from the safety of distant deckchairs.


Explanation:
This quote is more like a metaphor for a writer who is starting out. Here's more of the source text:
"Verstiegenheit wäre ein treffendes Wort für einen werdenden Schriftsteller – gleich der Verstiegenheit eines Bergsteigers, der in eine Wand steigt und sich mit der Zeit immer mehr versteigt, je weiter er seiner verstiegenen Lage zu entsteigen versucht. Es gibt kein Vor und kein Zurück. Keinen Ruhe- oder Rastpunkt. So hängt er in den Seilen, ohne Ausweg, ohne Hilfe, allenfalls von Ferngläsern aus entfernten Liegestühlen betrachtet." http://joachimzelter.de/notizen/

There's no path forward or back. No place to rest or catch a break. So he finds himself on the ropes without help or a way out​. T​he most he can hope for is being eyed through binoculars from the safety of distant deckchairs.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 11:12
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
only observable if someone lying on the lounge chair in the distance were to spot him with binocular


Explanation:
binoculars* (I ran out of characters)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2017-07-17 15:37:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Liegestuhl? http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/deutsch-englisch/Liegestuhl.html
Liegestühle: https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/260-4069032-1256128?_...
Lounge Chairs: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/140-9387424-4510941?...
I'm not super domestic though, so I accept a more common term here.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2017-07-17 18:23:29 GMT)
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Maybe better: ..., only observable if someone lounging in the distance were to spot him while using binoculars

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2017-07-18 07:50:32 GMT)
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Another form: "only observable if someone sitting on one of the deck chairs in the distance were to spot him with binoculars"

If length is not a problem, this natural structure emphasizes the distance from a possible source of help.

Herbmione Granger
Germany
Local time: 17:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thankkkk sssso much!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: But not "the lounge chair". It's "a deckchair". Also, the correct word order is "observable only".
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Phil! I'll take a 3/4 agree :)
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