Mar 9, 2012 13:22
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
United Kingdom
For the Love of Language
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
fiesepampelig
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Children's book
This is from a children's book, describing an unpleasant teacher:
Er war "hässlich, gemein und fiesepampelig", während die Lehrerin "hübsch, nett und eigentlich immer gut gelaunt" war.
Given the contrasting adjectives, I presume it's something to do with bad temper, but can't find any other examples to back this up.
Thank you in advance for any ideas!
Er war "hässlich, gemein und fiesepampelig", während die Lehrerin "hübsch, nett und eigentlich immer gut gelaunt" war.
Given the contrasting adjectives, I presume it's something to do with bad temper, but can't find any other examples to back this up.
Thank you in advance for any ideas!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | a nasty grouch/grump/crab |
Ramey Rieger (X)
|
| 3 +6 | sourpuss |
Cilian O'Tuama
|
| 3 +3 | a nasty piece of work (fiesepampel) |
Carmen Lawrence
|
| 4 | inpleasant, unfriendly person |
Ellen Kraus
|
| 3 | unpleasant |
Colin Rowe
|
| 3 | grumpy louse |
Horst Huber (X)
|
Proposed translations
+2
10 mins
Selected
a nasty grouch/grump/crab
OR
bad/nasty tempered
snide
cruel
dastardly
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Note added at 1 hr (2012-03-09 14:45:18 GMT)
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In children's lingo, I think a noun is called for - a name-tag.
He was ugly, mean and a nasty grouch. She was pretty, nice and always in a good mood/pleasant/friendly
He was ugly, snide and nasty-tempered. Just doesn't come over as well as the nasty grouch.
bad/nasty tempered
snide
cruel
dastardly
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-03-09 14:45:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
In children's lingo, I think a noun is called for - a name-tag.
He was ugly, mean and a nasty grouch. She was pretty, nice and always in a good mood/pleasant/friendly
He was ugly, snide and nasty-tempered. Just doesn't come over as well as the nasty grouch.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
hazmatgerman (X)
: as in grumpy old men? opposite of "gut gelaunt". Matthau would've loved this.
27 mins
|
|
YES! thanks, Pardner
|
|
| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: I can think of some of those teachers in my distant past:)
37 mins
|
|
Oh yes, not so rare in our schooldays, were they? Thank goodness, things have changed! Thanks, Inge!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Ramey, and everyone."
10 mins
Colin Rowe
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Works in field
Germany
Par Excellence Translations
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Italian to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
unpleasant
I imagine it must be a variant of this:
„Piesepampel“ (unangenehmer oder erbärmlicher Zeitgenosse / Hanswurst)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunschweigisch_(Mundart)
„Piesepampel“ (unangenehmer oder erbärmlicher Zeitgenosse / Hanswurst)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braunschweigisch_(Mundart)
11 mins
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Native in German
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
inpleasant, unfriendly person
typo for Piesepampelig, it´s regional German dialect
Rheinischer Regiolekt – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinischer_RegiolektIm Cache - Pittermännchen − für: 10-Liter-Bierfass; fiese Möpp − für: unangenehmer, unfreundlicher oder garstiger Mensch; Piesepampel − für: dumm-übellauniger ...
Rheinischer Regiolekt – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinischer_RegiolektIm Cache - Pittermännchen − für: 10-Liter-Bierfass; fiese Möpp − für: unangenehmer, unfreundlicher oder garstiger Mensch; Piesepampel − für: dumm-übellauniger ...
+6
16 mins
Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
Quality Translations since 1986
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, German, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
31
sourpuss
comes to mind
a person having a grouchy disposition that is often accompanied by a scowling facial expression.
a person having a grouchy disposition that is often accompanied by a scowling facial expression.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ingo Dierkschnieder
5 mins
|
| agree |
John Hein-Hartmann
: Seems to fit well in the context
8 mins
|
| agree |
Helen Shiner
: With grouchy, but I thought 'sourpuss' was only used for women./You live and learn.
17 mins
|
|
I'd've thought it's a unisex term.
|
|
| neutral |
Colin Rowe
: I like it. My only reservation is that all the other terms used for both teachers are adjectives.
18 mins
|
|
that's translation::-)
|
|
| neutral |
Ramey Rieger (X)
: not nearly strong enough, "fies", particularly in children's lingo is really nasty
29 mins
|
| agree |
BrigitteHilgner
: Although the spelling is marginally different from the one I'm used to, this is how I would interpret the word.
55 mins
|
|
aha, so the word is "piesepampel" - thanks.
|
|
| agree |
RegineMac
: fits very well
1 hr
|
| agree |
Nicole Schnell
8 hrs
|
+3
18 mins
Carmen Lawrence
Greece
Greece
Native in English
Greece
Professional, fast, dependable
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US) 
Works in: German to English, Dutch to English, English, and 1 more.
a nasty piece of work (fiesepampel)
This means just an all-around bad guy.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Nicola Wood
: Like it - but not the teacher, obviously!
1 hr
|
|
Thanks! (and I have known a few myself...)
|
|
| agree |
Helen Shiner
3 hrs
|
|
thanks!
|
|
| agree |
Karinwigele
: mean, ugly character
2 days 16 hrs
|
11 hrs
grumpy louse
"A nasty, mean and ..." A curmudgeon might at least have character, but "fiesepampelig" suggests a mean-spirited wimpy type.
Discussion
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinischer_Regiolekt: "dumm-übellauniger Zeitgenosse, Miesmacher". Dies ist die Bedeutung, die ich seit meiner Kindheit kenne.