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  3. Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

Muss du in den Beinen haben

English translation: you make up with legwork

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Muss du in den Beinen haben
English translation:you make up with legwork
Entered by: Wendy Streitparth

12:39 Dec 31, 2015
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
German term or phrase: Muss du in den Beinen haben
Hi everyone,

I'm subtitling a film - "Reise nach Sundevit" - in which the main character, a young boy, has a bike accident and ends up being given a lift to a nearby village by a grumpy old man.
Bottom line, the boy tells the man he's done several good deeds that day, like helping Heinrich B. get his glasses back. The old man replies:

"Ich sehe du bist auch dazu noch dumm. Nämlich, was Heinrich B. all seiner Politik nicht im Kopf hat, muss du in den Beinen haben!"

I sort of get the idea, but I've no idea how to render it in good English. Something like "Heinrich B. knows as much about politics as..." Heinrich B. is actually a businessman.

Could somebody give me some pointers, please?

Thanks in advance... and Happy 2016!!

Dez
Desmond Graal
Local time: 23:32
you make up with legwork
Explanation:
Suggestion:

What Heinrich B. lacks in brains, you make up in legwork.
Selected response from:

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 23:32
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
1 +8you make up with legwork
Wendy Streitparth
3 +3you have to make up for with brawn
Armorel Young
3as cut out for business (politics) as you are for riding a bike
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
as cut out for business (politics) as you are for riding a bike


Explanation:
Looks like Heinrich B is as cut out for business (politics) as you are for riding a bike

Happy 2016!

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 17:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 14

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: I'm not sure, but I think this is possibly the meaning. It seems to make sense in the context.
2 days 1 hr
  -> Any solution must convey the old man’s opinion that Heinrich and the boy are both idiots. Seems that other solutions focus on literal meaning and ignore the irony. That cannot work here.
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +8
you make up with legwork


Explanation:
Suggestion:

What Heinrich B. lacks in brains, you make up in legwork.

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 23:32
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julia Burgess: you have to make up in legwork?
22 mins
  -> Strictly speaking, yes you're right! Thanks and happy new year.
agree  gangels (X)
26 mins
  -> Thanks, gangels. Happy New Year!
agree  Thayenga: Happy New Year, Wendy! ;)
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Thayenga and to you too!
agree  franglish: with Julia//The same to you, Wendy. Cheers!
1 hr
  -> Thanks, franglish. Me too. Happy New Year!
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): Have a good one, Wendy!
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ramey. You too!
agree  Melanie Meyer: Danke, Wendy! Auch Dir einen guten Rutsch! :-)
6 hrs
  -> Vielen Dank, Melanie. Guten Rutsch!
agree  Dhananjay Rau: exactly
15 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Dhananjay. Happy New Year to you too, even if it is not yours!
neutral  Lonnie Legg: (I'm being lenient): Julia's objection is significant./I disagree: "Muss" expresses necessity--regardless of circumstance or frequency. May we share a gracious 2016.
1 day 8 hrs
  -> I think it depends on the circumstances. If he is constantly at HB's beck and call, yes. If it was a one-off good deed, no. But thanks for the clemency and happy new year!
agree  Ventnai: Fine without "have to". It's too wordy otherwise/It's not needed and you are translating subtitles, which should be as short as possible without losing most of the meaning :-)
1 day 20 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ian. How opinions differ!
neutral  philgoddard: This doesn't convey a clear meaning to me. Where does "all seiner Politik" fit in?
2 days 1 hr
  -> That part wasn't asked for. Presumably HB's head is so full of politics, he needs someone else to do the dirty work, though I have to say I have the feeling something may be missing in the German.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
you have to make up for with brawn


Explanation:
You could use the English phrase "all brawn and no brains" as a rough equivalent to the proverb Wendy quotes - "So what HB lacks in brains, you have to make up for with brawn" - or, if you need to be even more succinct "So your brawn has to make up for HB's lack of brains".

Armorel Young
Local time: 22:32
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  TonyTK: Nice
1 hr
agree  Michele Fauble
2 hrs
agree  Ramey Rieger (X): Since succinctness doesn't seem to be an issue, I'd take your second rendition. Health & Beauty in 2016, Armorel.
19 hrs
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