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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

nicht einmal mit Wohlwollen als Halbwahrheiten durchgehen

English translation: some of which cannot even be described as half true with the best will in the world

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:nicht einmal mit Wohlwollen als Halbwahrheiten durchgehen
English translation:some of which cannot even be described as half true with the best will in the world
Entered by: Joanne Parker

11:09 Jul 8, 2018
German to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / forums on social media
German term or phrase: nicht einmal mit Wohlwollen als Halbwahrheiten durchgehen
Taken from an article ina BBQ magazine relating to the safe use of gas cylinders.

Das ändert sich wohl aber schlagartig, wenn man gewisse Zweifel daran hegt, dass der Bediener des Grills den sachgemäßen Umgang mit dem Brennstoff beherrscht. Dies klingt zunächst einmal ziemlich albern, aber ein Blick in entsprechende Foren oder Gruppen in sozialen Netzwerken genügt, damit einem manchmal angst und bange wird. Denn hier kursieren so viele Aussagen (die zum Teil nicht einmal mit Wohlwollen als Halbwahrheiten durchgehen) dass man sich wundert, warum nicht viel mehr Unfälle mit Gas passieren. Grund genug für uns, für etwas Klarheit zu sorgen.

I can't work out exactly what they are trying to say about well-meaning and half-truths. Please can someone explain this to me?
Joanne Parker
Local time: 07:21
some of which cannot even be described as half true
Explanation:
...
Selected response from:

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:21
Grading comment
I selected this option and included Lancashireman's suggestion. Thank you to everyone.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3some of which cannot even be described as half true
AllegroTrans
4 +1...don't qualify as half-truths even by the most charitable standards
Michael Martin, MA
4almost idiomatic expression
leumas2855


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
some of which cannot even be described as half true


Explanation:
...

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 31
Grading comment
I selected this option and included Lancashireman's suggestion. Thank you to everyone.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks AllegroTrans. I chose your answer as it closely reflected what I had written so far. I included Lancashireman's additional suggestion which is why I didn't quite award you the full number of points. Thanks for shedding light on this for me. I had entirely mis-read the emphasis in the sentence and just couldn't comprehend it.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Björn Vrooman: In essence, even if you "cut them some slack," since these people aren't experts, what they're telling others is still dangerous enough.
35 mins
  -> Tnaks and yes, several ways to say this
agree  Lancashireman: with the best will in the world https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/with-the...
5 hrs
agree  Wendy Streitparth: Agree with Lancashireman - what I was about to suggest!
7 hrs
neutral  Michael Martin, MA: You completely ignored 'Wohlwollen' and only kind of covered 'durchgehen', if you're being charitable about it
2 days 4 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
...don't qualify as half-truths even by the most charitable standards


Explanation:
No wonder considering the Stammtisch is now all over Twitter, as one Spiegel commentator so aptly put it.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 02:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 98

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  gangels (X): ...even 'when applying' the most...
2 days 23 hrs
  -> Okay. Thank you, gangels!
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17 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
almost idiomatic expression


Explanation:
you would hear in regular usage in UK English: With the best will in the world you couldn't accept them even as half truths!

I live in North London

leumas2855
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
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