Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Zu Tode gefürchtet, ist auch gestorben
English translation:
no guts, no glory
Added to glossary by
Lingua.Franca
Jul 23, 2008 12:11
15 yrs ago
German term
Zu Tode gefürchtet, ist auch gestorben
German to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Zu Tode gefürchtet, ist auch gestorben
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Feb 5, 2009 12:51: Lingua.Franca Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
41 mins
Lingua.Franca
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
BSc, MA, DipTrans
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, Hungarian to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
no guts, no glory
Or
your fear becomes you
Or
a coward dies a thousand deaths
- No Guts, No Glory is universally understood in English, which would be the closest equivalent of the Austrian idiom/proverb. I don't think that translating it semi-literally does any good, because it will leave English speakers quite baffled.
your fear becomes you
Or
a coward dies a thousand deaths
- No Guts, No Glory is universally understood in English, which would be the closest equivalent of the Austrian idiom/proverb. I don't think that translating it semi-literally does any good, because it will leave English speakers quite baffled.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Helen Shiner
: I like your coward dying a 1000 deaths
1 min
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Thanks. And that's Shakespeare, so everybody will know it. Tupac also had a song with it :)
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| agree |
Andrea Winzer
: Sounds good! I also like the "coward" ;))
6 mins
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| agree |
Maureen Millington-Brodie
: the Shakespeare was my thought too, don't forget it ends "a hero but one"
2 hrs
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True. Thanks - I forgot to add the ending.
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| agree |
archtrans
4 hrs
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| neutral |
Cilian O'Tuama
: (aside: in our line of work, it's often advisable to avoid using expressions like "THE closEST equivalent")
3 days 11 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Went for a coward dies a thousand deaths. Thanks everyone."
22 mins
Andrea Winzer
United States
United States
Native in German
United States
Top Quality: Fast, reliable & certified
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German to English, Latin to German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Scared to death, you die after all
wahrscheinlich das ein native speaker noch besser formulieren ...
Es soll heissen, dass es keinen Sinn macht, allen Risiken/Gefahren auszuweichen, weil man Angst vor ihnen hat. Denn wenn man sich zu Tode fürchtet, stirbt man auch.
In Wien sagt man das zu einem "Angsthasen", der nicht mutig genug ist, etwas Neues anzupacken und es vorzieht sich zu fürchten (ohne letztlich etwas davon zu haben).
Ist aber irgendwie schwer zu erklären ;))
Es soll heissen, dass es keinen Sinn macht, allen Risiken/Gefahren auszuweichen, weil man Angst vor ihnen hat. Denn wenn man sich zu Tode fürchtet, stirbt man auch.
In Wien sagt man das zu einem "Angsthasen", der nicht mutig genug ist, etwas Neues anzupacken und es vorzieht sich zu fürchten (ohne letztlich etwas davon zu haben).
Ist aber irgendwie schwer zu erklären ;))
9 mins
Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Arts/Academic translator - Art historian
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
74
scared to death, he/she died
Just a stab
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Note added at 42 mins (2008-07-23 12:54:08 GMT)
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I do not think there is an equivalent English expression for this. People speak a lot about 'feeling the fear and doing it anyway' (with reference to the title of a well-known book). The German expression states the obvious in the second clause, which tends not to be case in English
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Note added at 42 mins (2008-07-23 12:54:08 GMT)
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I do not think there is an equivalent English expression for this. People speak a lot about 'feeling the fear and doing it anyway' (with reference to the title of a well-known book). The German expression states the obvious in the second clause, which tends not to be case in English
53 mins
Caro Maucher
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Works in field
Germany
Translation done right.
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, French to German, German
Related KudoZ points
:
11
Things aren't as bad as they're made out to be
Ich denke, auf Englisch wären Ausdrücke mit Tod und Verderben hier zu stark. Ich würde eher umschreiben.
+1
47 mins
Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Arts/Academic translator - Art historian
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
74
nils desperandum
In this context, this is what I would put. [Don't know if I am really allowed a second go, but in this case, the context was so poor to start with....
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-07-23 13:14:26 GMT)
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"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is probably the most frequenty used idiom in this sort of circumstance at least in the UK. Whilst I'm generally with Shakespeare, I have to say that I don't think 'no guts, no glory' is particularly well known, although it does have a certain ring about it in the blood and guts Russian business context.
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-07-23 13:14:26 GMT)
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"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is probably the most frequenty used idiom in this sort of circumstance at least in the UK. Whilst I'm generally with Shakespeare, I have to say that I don't think 'no guts, no glory' is particularly well known, although it does have a certain ring about it in the blood and guts Russian business context.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Susan Madden
: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" sums it up for me.
1 hr
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| neutral |
Armorel Young
: but surely the expression is "nil desperandum"
2 hrs
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excuse typo
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-1
1 hr
Get your guts together and do it!
als Alternative hier das Pferd von hinten aufgezäumt :-) Vielleicht passt das ja; hängt natürlich vom Kontext ab. Zu Tode g'fürcht ist auch g'storbn ist eine sehr übliche Phrase in Österreich.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Helen Shiner
: Sorry, that doesn't sound too good in English: images of disembowelling.....
1 hr
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3 hrs
Cowards die many times before their deaths
If we're going to quote Shakespeare, let's at least get him right.
Cowards die many times before their deaths: The valiant never taste of death but once.
[1599 Shakespeare Julius Caesar ii. ii. 32]
Cowards die many times before their deaths: The valiant never taste of death but once.
[1599 Shakespeare Julius Caesar ii. ii. 32]
19 hrs
The faint-hearted face failure
If "It's a standard idiom in Austria", I would guess that it not meant in such a desperately overpowering way and that adaptation is de rigeur (if you'll pardon my French).
And consider that awesomely appropriate alliteration ;-)
And consider that awesomely appropriate alliteration ;-)
Discussion
Trotzdem: *Zu Tode gefürchtet ist auch gestorben* Der Brite XY brachte es vor wenigen Monaten auf dem Punkt: Westliche Manager, die vor Ort tätig sind, wissen, wie gut es hier laufen kann. Aber sonst kaum jemand. Mit anderen Worten: "Russland ist eines der bestgehüteten Business-Geheimnisse der Welt."