This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Cooking / Culinary

fingerspitzengefühl

English translation: A deft touch

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:fingerspitzengefühl
English translation:A deft touch
Entered by: Phoebe Indetzki

08:05 Oct 28, 2011
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Cooking / Culinary
German term or phrase: fingerspitzengefühl
Fingerspitzengefühl gefragt
In den Höhenlagen vieler Anbaugebiete werden die leuchtend
roten Kaffeekirschen noch immer per Hand gepflückt.

What I need here is a play on words. I need to get across the meaning of 'fingerspitzengefühl' with some sort of metaphor including hand / finger (as the coffee berries are picked by hand).

Any ideas?
Phoebe Indetzki
Local time: 04:47
A deft touch
Explanation:
"A deft touch" would hit the hand metaphor well enough, I think.

HTH!
Selected response from:

Steven Sidore
Germany
Local time: 04:47
Grading comment
Thank you so much to everyone who posted answers to this question - there were some truly lovely alternatives, and I wish I could have showered points all round! This, however, was the one I ended up using.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5nimble fingers
Lesley Robertson MA, Dip Trans IoLET
4 +4a delicate touch
Amanda A
4A deft touch
Steven Sidore
4precise picking
Jonathan Bourg
3handy skills
casper (X)
3intuitive fingers
Maureen Millington-Brodie
3a light touch
Andrea Garfield-Barkworth


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
A deft touch


Explanation:
"A deft touch" would hit the hand metaphor well enough, I think.

HTH!

Steven Sidore
Germany
Local time: 04:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you so much to everyone who posted answers to this question - there were some truly lovely alternatives, and I wish I could have showered points all round! This, however, was the one I ended up using.
Notes to answerer
Asker: sounds perfect, actually! Thank you!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
nimble fingers


Explanation:
is what springs to my mind...

Lesley Robertson MA, Dip Trans IoLET
Austria
Local time: 04:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 22

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: yes, there is no doubt an element of speed in it, so this sounds right to me
38 mins
agree  Nicola Wood: I particularly like the fact this retains the use of finger(s) as well as fitting the context perfectly
1 hr
agree  Wendy Streitparth
4 hrs
agree  Trudy Peters
8 hrs
agree  franglish
8 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
a delicate touch


Explanation:
Sensitive touch, the right touch.


    Reference: http://www.linguee.de
Amanda A
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexander Schleber (X): or a fine touch
4 mins
agree  Lonnie Legg: w. AS.
27 mins
agree  Katrin Rippel Galati
6 hrs
agree  Horst Huber (X): "Fine sense of touch"?
7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Fingerspitzengefühl
handy skills


Explanation:
How about this to go with the per Hand gepflückt that comes up later on ?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2011-10-28 10:07:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

How about this to go with the per Hand gepflückt image that comes up later on ?

casper (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
precise picking


Explanation:
Given the context, I would put the 'picking' part of it right into this sentence.
I found this phrased used in the context of coffee harvests on the website below.


    Reference: http://mandailingestatecoffee.com/Content/Our+Coffee/index.h...
Jonathan Bourg
Germany
Local time: 04:47
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
intuitive fingers


Explanation:
intuitive fingers wanted/at work
another idea trying to convey deft + having a feeling for the work

Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 18
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a light touch


Explanation:
A light touch is called for.

The fruit is tested for ripeness before being picked.

Example sentence(s):
  • With selective harvesting, you pick only the coffee cherries that are ripe, leaving the unripe cherries on the tree to ripen for harvest at a later time. To selective harvest your coffee tree, identify the coffee cherries that are ripe by look and touch.

    Reference: http://www.gardenguides.com/96003-techniques-picking-coffee-...
Andrea Garfield-Barkworth
Germany
Local time: 04:47
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search