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sich stellen und die Tat zugeben

English translation: to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:sich stellen und die Tat zugeben
English translation:to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)
Entered by: Bernhard Sulzer

22:33 Jun 28, 2013
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Journalism / Everyday language
German term or phrase: sich stellen und die Tat zugeben
to turn oneself in and admit the crime

Is there a fancier/gehobenere yet concise way of saying it?

"Der 47 Jahre alte Dieb hatte sich gestellt und die Tat zugegeben..."

http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/bremen-bischofsring-na...

Not that a high-register expression is needed in this particular case.

The Q is more out of interest. Ta.
Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 23:30
to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)
Explanation:
or also: .... and provided a full confession (of his crime) of his own accord
shorter: submitted to the authorities of his own accord and confessed to his crime



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Note added at 7 hrs (2013-06-29 06:26:20 GMT)
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.... longer:

elected to present/submit himself to the authorities and proceeded to provide a full confession of his crime/ proceeded to confess to his crime
Selected response from:

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 17:30
Grading comment
Bernhard's contributions were the "most helpful" - thanks all.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2to concede/conceding to authority, divulging/embracing one's guilt
Ramey Rieger (X)
4give oneself up and admit committing the offence
Pauline Alexiou
3 +1turned himself in, admitting to the theft
Michael Martin, MA
3to surrender to the constabulary and fess up
Lancashireman
3turn in and take the cop
David Hollywood
3to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)
Bernhard Sulzer
3...had come forward and admitted to the crime
gangels (X)


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to surrender to the constabulary and fess up


Explanation:
Not sure about the first bit, though.

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 74
Notes to answerer
Asker: Indicate the way to my abode...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Maja_K
13 hrs
disagree  Lonnie Legg: "Confess the deed" would be the standard expression. Even if asker doesn't require "high register": "Fess up" is informal, "zugeben" isn't.
15 hrs
  -> I am glad to see that someone is taking this seriously. The clue is in the intro: "The Q is more out of interest. Ta."
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
turn in and take the cop


Explanation:
slangy 1

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:13:41 GMT)
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but I prefer Andrew's "fessb up" for that part

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:15:40 GMT)
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maybe: turn himself in and bite the bullet

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:17:41 GMT)
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literally "admitted the crime"

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:18:41 GMT)
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your German is good enough to sort this out :)

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:20:06 GMT)
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and in your question should read "admit the crime" of course

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:22:40 GMT)
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"turned himself in and came clean"

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:24:22 GMT)
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not too formal but there we go

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:27:26 GMT)
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more formal: presented himself to the police and admitted the crime

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:28:46 GMT)
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"took the cop" is a bridge too far as you well know

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:37:33 GMT)
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but as it's not that important as you yourself say you mif¿ght go for a combination of Andrew'w and mine :)

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:38:54 GMT)
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might and Andrew's (all butterfingers today lol)

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:44:06 GMT)
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and just to finish up: presented himself to the police and confessed (the crime)

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:05:33 GMT)
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np understand :)

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:13:34 GMT)
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the temptation

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:15:22 GMT)
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tomorrow will be another day

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:16:50 GMT)
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doesn't add much to the translaton but just empathizing

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Note added at 4 hrs (2013-06-29 02:42:15 GMT)
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night now and have good luck :)

David Hollywood
Local time: 18:30
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 37
Notes to answerer
Asker: I'm fatigued and I wish to retire :-)

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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)


Explanation:
or also: .... and provided a full confession (of his crime) of his own accord
shorter: submitted to the authorities of his own accord and confessed to his crime



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2013-06-29 06:26:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

.... longer:

elected to present/submit himself to the authorities and proceeded to provide a full confession of his crime/ proceeded to confess to his crime

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 17:30
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Bernhard's contributions were the "most helpful" - thanks all.
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
give oneself up and admit committing the offence


Explanation:
He gave himself up and admitted committing the offence

Example sentence(s):
  • He gave himself up and admitted committing the offence
Pauline Alexiou
Local time: 00:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
...had come forward and admitted to the crime


Explanation:
The subtle difference is that 'to surrender' implies he was wanted (could have well been the case) while 'to come forward' means the thief's identity was unknown until he decided to turn himself in.

gangels (X)
Local time: 15:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
turned himself in, admitting to the theft


Explanation:
"The 47-year old man turned himself in, admitting to the theft (burglary)."

The most straightforward way of translating this, in my opinion. It also sounds more natural in English if you use a specific object that fits the context (theft) rather than a more general one (offense). There's no loss in meaning by doing so..

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 17:30
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nicole Schnell: That's how we read it in the paper every day. AFAIK, the Spiegel does not have a British-only edition.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Nicole!
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to concede/conceding to authority, divulging/embracing one's guilt


Explanation:
Hmmmm, risky business, here

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Note added at 3 days9 hrs (2013-07-02 08:27:05 GMT)
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Or turn it around:

succumbing to the burden of guilt, (one) bring(s)/surrender(s) oneself to justice.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 23:30
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: ... to embrace, flaunt and celebrate one's guilt
8 hrs
  -> mea culpa, hallelujah!
agree  Bernhard Sulzer: explained that he couldn't perish the thought of living with such egregious, concealed guilt any longer, having committed a crime most foul, and turned himself in at the local police station, exclaiming: Take me away, Constable! Jeeves is not concise :)
2 days 5 hrs
  -> I deliver myself up to your most sagacious judgement! Thank you, Bernhard!
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