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Klemmi

English translation: uptight

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Klemmi
English translation:uptight
Entered by: Stephen Roche

18:50 Mar 28, 2007
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang / teenage slang
German term or phrase: Klemmi
This is from a fictional teenager's diary. I presume it means outgoing, but not sure if the connotation is negative or positive

Eigentlich bin ich eher schüchtern. Nicht so wie der Jan da vorne, der ist ja fast ein Klemmi. Aber ein Hemmi bin ich schon.
Stephen Roche
Local time: 22:00
completely uptight
Explanation:
I've never actually heard this word, but it is clearly derived from "verklemmt", so totally uptight/anal, etc.
Selected response from:

Brie Vernier
Germany
Local time: 22:00
Grading comment
Thanks, I didn't make the connection verklemmt/gehemmt.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2completely uptight
Brie Vernier
4somebody who is very repressed
Lars Helbig
3shy, inhibited
Kim Metzger


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
completely uptight


Explanation:
I've never actually heard this word, but it is clearly derived from "verklemmt", so totally uptight/anal, etc.

Brie Vernier
Germany
Local time: 22:00
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks, I didn't make the connection verklemmt/gehemmt.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BirgitBerlin: He is not uptight (a "Klemmi"), but inhibited (a "Hemmi").
2 hrs
  -> Exactly. Thanks, Birgit
agree  Francis Lee (X): My first thought was "anal" (which thanks to TV has now crossed the Atlantic)/ And perhaps "flaky" for Hemmi? (although that's not really the same thing, right?)
17 hrs
  -> Yay for TV! : ) Thanks, Francis //Nope, not the same thing at all. Time to up your TV-watching hours ...
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
shy, inhibited


Explanation:
I haven't heard the word before, but it appears to stand for verklemmt.

Hey, das finde ich echt toll, das Ihr den Mut hattet Euch mal Privat zu treffen. Ich bin da wohl zu verklemmt (trau mich nicht mal zu telefonieren). Hätte besser den Namen "Klemmi" als Nick wählen sollen.....
http://attic.boylover.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_top...


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 14:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
somebody who is very repressed


Explanation:
I would think that it does not mean outgoing, but rather the opposite. Form context it would make sense: "I am no as bad as Jan who is very intoverted, but I am a bit shy." And from etymology too. I think "Klemmi" comes from "verklemmt sein" to be very uptight or repressed.

Lars Helbig
Germany
Local time: 22:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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