Aug 4, 2007 16:37
16 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term
Germany
certified and sworn translator
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German to English
Wer, wie, was, warum...
German to English
Marketing
Advertising / Public Relations
Werbespruch
"Wer wie was, warum, wer nicht fragt bleibt dumm!"
Konext: Bezieht sich auf den Möbelkauf.
So groß wie das Angebot, so groß ist die Unsicherheit der Verbraucher zu fragen...
Hat jemand eine Idee, wie man diesen "wer, wie, was"-Spruch ins Englische rüberbringt?
Vielen Dank schon mal für Anregungen.
Lg
Konext: Bezieht sich auf den Möbelkauf.
So groß wie das Angebot, so groß ist die Unsicherheit der Verbraucher zu fragen...
Hat jemand eine Idee, wie man diesen "wer, wie, was"-Spruch ins Englische rüberbringt?
Vielen Dank schon mal für Anregungen.
Lg
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Aug 4, 2007 18:04: NGK changed "Field" from "Other" to "Marketing" , "Field (specific)" from "Marketing / Market Research" to "Advertising / Public Relations"
Proposed translations
+3
43 mins
Susan Zimmer
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Business management & linguistic quality
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English to German, English
Related KudoZ points
:
22
Selected
Feel free to ask - there's no such thing as a dumb question!
I am sometime really surprised at German marketing speak! Do you really want to call your (potential) customer stupid?
Anyway...In US English, you hear this version a lot...
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Note added at 51 mins (2007-08-04 17:29:00 GMT)
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The US Sesame Street website simply has, If you don't know YOU CAN ASK!
Anyway...In US English, you hear this version a lot...
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Note added at 51 mins (2007-08-04 17:29:00 GMT)
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The US Sesame Street website simply has, If you don't know YOU CAN ASK!
Note from asker:
| Thank you Susie! The website - why didn't I think of it...:-) |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Susanne Rindlisbacher
: Who? What? Where? When? Why? - YOU CAN ASK!
4 hrs
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Thanks, Susanne!
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| agree |
Paul Cohen
: Yes, German marketing masters never fail to astound and amaze. How about: "Feel free to ask - you're here for furniture, and we're here to furnish the answers to all your questions!"
18 hrs
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Thanks, Paul!
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| agree |
Trudy Peters
21 hrs
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Thanks, Trudy!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Danke Susie - Dein Vorschlag passt sehr gut den Text. Lg"
+6
7 mins
No need to be shy when it comes to asking who, how, what or why!
Euch. A horrible phrase in German. The latter was presumably formulated in order to get the rhyme between "warum" and "dumm"
I'd suggest something completely different - and something a) more informative b) less partonising than the German version (which is typical). My mind's blank at the moment ...
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Note added at 11 mins (2007-08-04 16:49:04 GMT)
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writeaway's right to point out that this is not translation. And yes - let's hear your own thoughts! What's the readership?
I'd suggest something completely different - and something a) more informative b) less partonising than the German version (which is typical). My mind's blank at the moment ...
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Note added at 11 mins (2007-08-04 16:49:04 GMT)
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writeaway's right to point out that this is not translation. And yes - let's hear your own thoughts! What's the readership?
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Stuart Dykes
: Sesame Street isn't patronising! Is it? ;)
5 mins
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No, it's talking to 6-year-olds. And it's typical of a German copywriter to use this kind of phrase for an adult audience. ;-)
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| agree |
writeaway
: hidy hidy hidy ho, if you don't ask you'll never know (I am a big Baldrick fan) OR Heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho, ya gotta ask if ya wanna know OR fe fi fo fum, if you don't ask you're gonna stay dumb
9 mins
|
| neutral |
Stefanie Reinhold
: NOT a horrible phrase in German at all!!! Have never watched Sesame Street in German? This is from the German Sesame Street theme song... Ouch, patronising typical German? Otherwise I find your suggestions not bad...
13 mins
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No disrespect intended to the Cookie Monster (my favourite) and co. What I meant was that this is a terrible phrase to use in this context.
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| agree |
Susan Zimmer
: @ writeaway - whatchya do with the "English man" after fe, fi, fo, fum...agree, Francis, awful thing to say in marketing!, Sorry, Stef!
1 hr
|
| agree |
Christo Metschkaroff
: Nice rhyme - Mnemotechnik aus der Schule!
1 hr
|
| agree |
Alf Hall
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Trudy Peters
: you nicely brought the Spruch ins Englische rüber, but I find the whole thing childish. Client should find another ad agency :-)
2 hrs
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Absolutely. The German marketing/ad industry is laughable. Classic example: "Knoppers - morgens halb zehn in Deutschland" complete with Bilderbuch images of quaint grannies and clean-shaven, schweißarme Bauarbeiter. ;-) Big exceptions are Audi, VW and MB.
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| agree |
Paul Cohen
: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a customer by its toe, if it hollers, ...
18 hrs
|
19 mins
Ask and you will find
Borrowed from "Seek and.."
+1
38 mins
Everything you always wanted to know about furniture
or:
Everything you always wanted to know about buying furniture
Might work, depending on the exact context.
Everything you always wanted to know about buying furniture
Might work, depending on the exact context.
2 hrs
Who, how, what, why, when, where... We won't charge you for asking
or "No extra chage for asking"
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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-08-04 20:14:06 GMT)
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I mean charge
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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-08-04 20:14:06 GMT)
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I mean charge
+1
6 hrs
Who, What, When, Where, Why?? — If you don't ask, you'll never know!!
Different regions have different sayings. I learned this one in school, for INTERROGATIVES
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
MrsHoward
: the slogan plays on basic journalism questions of "Who, What, When, Where?" used in interviewing and writing news stories. I agree that the message to convey is "like a good reporter, one should ask questions about furniture", I like Paul's post, too.
1 day 19 hrs
|
12 hrs
Stephen Sadie
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Works in field
Germany
Practical business experience, reliable
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English to German
Related KudoZ points
:
116
If you don't ask, you never will know
my interpretation
19 hrs
Paul Cohen
Greenland
Greenland
Native in English
Specializes in field
Greenland
Will work for blubber
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Danish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
52
We're here to furnish the answers to all your furniture questions!
A slightly less childish approach, playing on the words 'to furnish' - (i.e. 'furnishings') & 'furniture'
Less Sesame Street - more marketing.
Less Sesame Street - more marketing.
Discussion
- I keep thinking of the "Sendung mit der Maus" - that's why I asked for help from native speakers.
Maybe there exists some kind of standard translation.