Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
I'm hardly ever the life of the party.
German translation:
Ich bin selten die Stimmungskanone der Party.
Jun 28, 2007 10:49
16 yrs ago
English term
Tammy
I'm hardly ever the life of the party.
English to German
Social Sciences
Psychology
This is an item of a questionnaire. Translator A (E-D)translated it as: "Ich bin selten der sprühende Mittelpunkt der Party." However, the back-translation (D-E)(by Translator B) came back as "I am seldom the vivacious life of the party." My problem with the alternative translation "Ich bin selten der Mittelpunkt der Party" is that the "Mittelpunkt der Party" could also be the most attractive person at the party (as all eyes are on him), but that person would not necessarily be the "life of the party."
Proposed translations
(German)
Change log
Jun 28, 2007 10:54: Steffen Walter changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Proposed translations
+5
10 mins
BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Austria
Native in German
Austria
b2b/economics/marketing/market research/
Native in: German 
Works in: German to English, French to German, English to German
Related KudoZ points
:
15
Selected
Ich sorge selten für Stimmung / ich bin keine Stimmungskanone
So etwas in der Richtung
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Hans G. Liepert
29 mins
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Danke schön, Hans.
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| agree |
Sonia Heidemann
30 mins
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Danke schön, Sonia.
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| agree |
billa (X)
: Die Stimmungskanone finde ich gut.
32 mins
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Danke schön, Billa. Stimmungskanonen können aber auch ganz schön nervtötend sein ... ;-)
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| agree |
DDM
46 mins
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Danke schön, Daniel.
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| agree |
Lydia Molea
3 hrs
|
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Danke schön, Lydia.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks very much, Brigitte! Stimmungskanone was what I was looking for."
16 mins
Ich bin selten der umwerfende Stimmungsmacher der Party.
...vielleicht so?
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Aniello. |
+1
20 mins
Nicole Schnell
United States
United States
Native in German
United States
Award winning Advertising/Marketing
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Ich bin selten die Person, die eine Party in Schwung bringt.
Noch eine Alternative.
+1
25 mins
English term (edited):
I'm hardly ever the life and soul of the party.
sprühende Mittelpunkt
I think whoever started this was rather too literal; this is what I would suggest the original translation should have been. And I'd say your translation back into German should take that into account.
Note from asker:
| Thanks, David. |
+1
5 hrs
Julia Michel
Germany
Germany
Native in English
&
German
Specializes in field
Germany
schnell, zuverlässig, professionell
Native in: German 
, English
Works in: English to German, German to English
"Ich bin ein eher zurückhaltender/introvertierter Mensch."
"Stimmungskanone" sounds good to me. Mind you, since "I'm hardly ever the life of the party" is an idiomatic expression not necessarily implying a literal party, you could also choose a less literal translation in German, such as "Ich bin ein eher zurückhaltender/introvertierter Mensch". Is this from the Myers-Briggs questionnaire, just out of interest? It sounds familiar...
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Julia. It might be from the Myers-Briggs - it is from a questionnaire made up of items from several different questionnaires. Not sure which ones myself. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
1 hr
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Danke
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Discussion