aus seinem Schatten heraustreten

English translation: can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:aus seinem Schatten heraustreten
English translation:can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light
Entered by: Ramey Rieger (X)

15:04 May 3, 2021
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Philosophy
German term or phrase: aus seinem Schatten heraustreten
Ich weiss dass, jeder Mensch, egal, wie aussichtslos die Lage auch erscheinen mag, aufstehen und aus seinem Schatten heraustreten kann.

An interview discussing attitudes towards life. Could this be rendered as something along the lines of 'everyone, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, can pick themselves up and see light at the end of the tunnel'?
Jonathan Spencer
Spain
Local time: 20:13
can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light
Explanation:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, can rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.



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Note added at 54 mins (2021-05-03 15:59:16 GMT)
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On second thought:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, is capable of rising and stepping/has the power to rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.
Selected response from:

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 20:13
Grading comment
That's great, thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light
Ramey Rieger (X)
3 +1jump over one's own shadow
Wendy Streitparth
3step out of their own shadow
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 12





  

Answers


53 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light


Explanation:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, can rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 54 mins (2021-05-03 15:59:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On second thought:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, is capable of rising and stepping/has the power to rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 20:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
That's great, thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard
15 mins
  -> Let the sun shine in...

agree  Katarina Peters
1 hr
  -> The Light within!

agree  Cillie Swart: I Agree !!
14 hrs
  -> So you see the light? :-)

agree  Anne Schulz
1 day 1 hr
  -> Hey Lady!
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
jump over one's own shadow


Explanation:
Nevertheless, Heidegger had no qualms in reaffirming that to want to jump over one’s shadow remains the vocation of every philosopher.
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1446366/1/U593961.pdf

To attempt to overcome the skepticism that is the ground of philosophy is like trying to jump over one's own shadow.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/58340.Harry_V_Jaffa

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 20:13
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gordon Matthews: I think this English idiom matches the German closely enough.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Gordon
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
step out of their own shadow


Explanation:
I don't think it matters whether a linguistic authority would consider this a German idiom or not. Apparently, it gets quite a bit of use and I am guessing it may have evolved from "über den eigenen Schatten springen" under English influence, so we as translators just have to deal with that...

"I know that any person, no matter how hopeless the situation may appear, has the ability to step up and step out of their own shadow."

Compare with this:

"Es ist der Psychoanalyse nicht gelungen, aus seinem übermächtigen Schatten herauszutreten. Nicht wenige Psychoanalytiker werden fragen: Warum sollte sie aus seinem Schatten heraustreten? Freud war eine überragende Persönlichkeit, ein Mann, der das vergangene Iahrhundert wie wenige geistig geprägt hat."

Compare with this:
"A Gift of Love inspires the reader to step out of their own shadow and make a difference in someone else's life."
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2D4DIEW98V5D4

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Note added at 1 day 23 mins (2021-05-04 15:28:42 GMT)
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I think there's little question that the basic meaning in this context is 'overcoming one's limitations' in the face of adversity. To me, the only thing that needs to be resolved is the most effective way to get this across. Speaking of limitations, I am not sure that I can accept the limitations that some of us have placed on 'stepping out of one's shadow'. Seems to me that the fairly widespread use of the phrase has outgrown those restrictions, if they existed to begin with:
"Perhaps the most important element of my optimism is the refreshing boldness of Alan Greenspan, who suddenly has stepped out of his own shadow and is acting as if he isn't afraid of anything." http://www.polyconomics.com/fyi/fyi-910424.htm
"Stepping out of somebody else's shadow" is a related meaning and even more widely used but that doesn't mean the other one is wrong.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 15:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
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