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.
German to English translations [PRO] Education / Pedagogy / Humor
German term or phrase:Sitzenbleiben
Hi folks.
Yes, I know what this means, but I need help on this. I am translating a company newsletter. This item reports on some STEM projects from middle school students. Science fair kind of stuff.
This one contribution had to do with benches made of wood and concrete. The title of the project was 'Sitzenbleiben' and the customer wanted some sort of play on words that combined the meanings of 'Take a seat' with 'Failed to move on to the next grade.'
I am at a complete loss here (hey, I am an engineer, OK, so give me a break!).
Can anybody suggest a witty saying that might fit in?
First of all, a big thanks to everyone who contributed. This was just the response I was looking for. It is also one of those where I really want to award points to several people, but I have to choose one.
I went with this one because of the sports connotation of not being good enough and the bench reference. It took some explaining, but I was able to get the thought across to the customer (whether it will be used is another matter entirely).
I also liked Susan W's answer and several others. However, I had to choose only one, so thanks Darrel, and again to everyone else. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
"Benched" does have that flavor of two meanings in this context, or at least I see it that way. That is why I chose that answer. I realize that wordplay is very difficult to translate (at least it is for *ME*) so that is why I turned to the Proz community for help.
I've thought that from the outset. This seat is taken is not that far from my thought. On that note... this seat is reserved or reserved seating - or even long-term reserve seating...:)
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Good morning!
06:28 Jul 27, 2015
Sitzenbleiben cannot be successfully tranlated into English without going over like a lead balloon. Somehow that tickles me pink. So the quest is for alternative, captivating, witty suggestions. I humbly provide the first of the day: NO SITTING BULL HERE (forgive me) or simply, THIS SEAT IS TAKEN
a bench with concrete and wood entails a certain amount of puzzling over joining, slot and key, dowels, shaping the concrete - by hand or using molds - and so on. One could do some playing with judging/judge's bench/banc, taking the pun to a wholly different, English-appropriate area.
oa_xxx (X)
Germany
11:38 Jul 24, 2015
A bench doesnt sound like much of a science project, I guess it depends on the age but surely it has to be more than a totally normal bench?! Or it's about construction or sth? can the client at least give you a bit more information on what the project was about? Could help, or maybe it wouldn't - it's a pretty difficult one! Don't like the client's suggestion either but some short explanation is probably the only way to go, and there's a few ideas here that could maybe be used for that (rather than as a title).
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Joint suggestion:
07:53 Jul 24, 2015
Sit on your benchmark or hold on to your benchmark Grab a bench (mark) Mark your bench(mark)
I don't think there's anything missing. It's a middle schooler's idea of a joke. The problem is, it's (I guess) a knee-slappingly funny pun in German but doesn't mean a damn thing in English.
I think you should ask them why it has a double connotation. There's something that they're not telling you here. Why is the project called Sitzenbleiben? And is it just a picture of a bench with this word underneath? I'm surprised that so many people are willing to hazard translations when half of the context is missing.
There was no context, it was a picture of the science fair project with a bench and the caption gave the title of the project. My translation did not have anything to do with the failing a grade. The customer's comment was: "wir müssen hierfür eine englische Erklärung geben, den “Sitzenbleiben” hat hier eine doppelte Konnotation … vielleicht so ???..with the topic “Sitzenbleiben” (a witty pun by the way, as the expression translates both into “have a seat” and “repeating a schoolyear”)"
Explanation: At least in the sports world, this means you are not in active play. And the double entendre could be the word “behind”.
Darrel Knutson Germany Local time: 11:57 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 6
Grading comment
First of all, a big thanks to everyone who contributed. This was just the response I was looking for. It is also one of those where I really want to award points to several people, but I have to choose one.
I went with this one because of the sports connotation of not being good enough and the bench reference. It took some explaining, but I was able to get the thought across to the customer (whether it will be used is another matter entirely).
I also liked Susan W's answer and several others. However, I had to choose only one, so thanks Darrel, and again to everyone else.
Explanation: I know this is my third suggestion, but I think I’ve got another double entendre that would work just fine. In politics, backbenchers are legislators with no leadership responsibilities. Check out my example sentences below.
Example sentence(s):
Backbenching it one way of getting through school.
Backbenchers busy building benches
Darrel Knutson Germany Local time: 11:57 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 6
19 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
seat retention/hold your seat
Explanation: Actually 'grade retention' is sitzenbleiben, but maybe this works. I also like hold your seat (hold your horses) or 'the same old seat' (stuck in one place)
As I suggested in the discussion box, the only possibility I can see is to offer something equally witty that actually works in English. I have two suggestions for this alternative: NO SITTING BULL HERE THIS SEAT/BENCHMARK IS TAKEN
Ramey Rieger (X) Germany Local time: 11:57 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 109
5 days confidence:
Grabbing some bench
Explanation: Considering we still have a word play that fits the context, I think that’s pretty funny… The meaning has changed slightly, but then again, you can’t have it all…
Reference information: The STEM Projects Toolkit provides resources to help teachers to carry out enquiry-based project work with their students. The resource pack was developed in order to give students hands-on experiences of science and engineering. It is hoped that using scientific methods, the design processes in engineering, and being given the freedom to choose topics, questions or briefs would encourage students to consider careers in STEM subjects. http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/collection/167...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-23 16:35:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
title was supposed to be STEM. it self-launched prematurely
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-23 16:36:50 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Today's STEM Realities
The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) will grow 17 percent by 2018—nearly double the growth for non-STEM fields. By 2018, the U.S. will have more than 1.2 million unfilled STEM jobs because there will not be enough qualified workers to fill them. STEM is where jobs are today and where the job growth will be in the future. https://www.pltw.org/about-pltw
writeaway Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 42
