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Treplan
Jun 24, 2007 14:43
16 yrs ago
3 viewers *
German term

Ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt es sich ganz ungeniert

German to English Social Sciences Government / Politics Economic policy
Context is that while most individuals and families follow a policy of not spending more than they earn, many state governments do not follow this rule.
I understand the phrase to mean "You have nothing to lose once you've lost your reputation" but how could it be expressed in this financial context of not spending more than you earn. Any inspiration anyone?
Proposed translations (English)
3 Once your reputation's lost, Just spend - no need to count the cost.
2 +2 Once a credit standing has taken a fall, spending is no problem at all
3 +1 Spending money ’s a blast once your good name’s a thing of the past.
3 If you're hopelessly in debt, you might as well keep spending to your heart's content
2 (crushing) debt-pain seems to dull the wallet-ache

Discussion

Armorel Young Jun 25, 2007:
Good idea, Patricia - I'd suggest "When your credit standing's lost - just spend, don't think about the cost" to keep the iambic pentametres going (in other words, to retain the tum-te-tum rhythm throughout)
Patricia Will (asker) Jun 25, 2007:
Thank you all for your imaginative suggestions I am very impressed by all of your clever suggestions. I am going to use Amorel's as the basis for my translation, perhaps combining it with Suzie's to make something along the lines of "When your credit standing's lost - just spend, don't count the cost". I still have a few days to think about this before I deliver.
Patricia Will (asker) Jun 25, 2007:
Sorry, that should read "many state governments..."
Patricia Will (asker) Jun 25, 2007:
I thought I had explained the context above. Political group's newsletter, discussing public expenditure. While individuals show financial responsibility main state governments do not, and are spending more than they earn, nach dem Motto Ist der Ruf...... usw.
Francis Lee (X) Jun 25, 2007:
Context etc.?
Patricia Will (asker) Jun 24, 2007:
Sentence reads: Nur bei den öffentlichen Ausgaben gilt mancherorts folgende Devise: Ist der Ruf ruiniert, lebt es sich ganz ungeniert. In other words, they don't care about spending money they don't have.

Proposed translations

3 hrs
Selected

Once your reputation's lost, Just spend - no need to count the cost.

Another possibility.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+2
17 mins

Once a credit standing has taken a fall, spending is no problem at all

A nation usually has a "credit standing" internationally, so reputation or something like that won't work here.

Maybe this silly rhyme will work.....
Peer comment(s):
agree gangels (X) : like that. "For a loser in the money game, reckless spending is no shame"
2 hrs
yes, reckless is good here...
agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : this German quote is actually by Wilhelm Busch, I think
2 hrs
thanks, Ingeborg!
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51 mins

(crushing) debt-pain seems to dull the wallet-ache

Suggestion.
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

If you're hopelessly in debt, you might as well keep spending to your heart's content

No need for the word "reputation" here. If someone (or a government, for that matter!) is hopelessly in debt, his/her reputation is shot anyway.

Okay, this one doesn't rhyme and it's not terribly cute, but it reflects the meaning of the German.
Something went wrong...
+1
14 hrs

Spending money ’s a blast once your good name’s a thing of the past.


a couple of ideas.


You don’t need your good name to live like the King of France

If you didn’t care about your reputation in the past, you're free to spend money like there’s no tomorrow.

If you don’t care about your good name you might as well spend as much as possible, without it.

Don’t worry about your good name, you can live without it, quite comfortably.

Life’s a blast when you can get rid of your good name/reputation.

Spending money is without (no) shame once you’re rid of your good name.

Spending money’s a blast once your reputation’s a thing of the past.


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Note added at 21 hrs (2007-06-25 12:28:03 GMT)
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or maybe:

with "spending" without the "money" part as in:

spending becomes a blast once your name's/reputation's a thing of the past.
Peer comment(s):
agree Paul Cohen : Wow!!An avalanche of ideas, Bernhard. I don't know if "spending money's a blast" is the right register for this text, but it's very clever.
5 hrs
thanks, Paul!
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