Jul 21, 2017 17:03
6 yrs ago
German term
Kleiderdunst
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
"Acht nach sieben sitzt er eingequetscht in der von Kleiderdunst und Tabaksrauch verdickten Luft des Abteils dritter Klasse."
I don't understand the word "Kleiderdunst".
This is from "Im Jahre 1930" written by Peter Huchel in 1931.
I don't understand the word "Kleiderdunst".
This is from "Im Jahre 1930" written by Peter Huchel in 1931.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+5
27 mins
Lancashireman
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Related KudoZ points
:
159
Selected
fug
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fug
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q="fug * damp clothing"&oq="...
fustiness
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fusty
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Note added at 31 mins (2017-07-21 17:34:56 GMT)
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For the whole phrase:
die Kleiderdunst und Tabaksrauch verdickte Luft
a fug of damp clothing and tobacco smoke
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q="fug * damp clothing"&oq="...
fustiness
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/fusty
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Note added at 31 mins (2017-07-21 17:34:56 GMT)
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For the whole phrase:
die Kleiderdunst und Tabaksrauch verdickte Luft
a fug of damp clothing and tobacco smoke
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
beermatt
: that's a nice one! (the expression, not the smelly cloud...)
6 mins
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Certainly very common in Lancashire :-)
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| agree |
Helen Shiner
: Fug is good, though I think of it as a warm smoky atmosphere, not necessarily to do with damp clothing. But it probably loosely covers both eventualities.
14 mins
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Thanks, Helen. It's certainly very short.
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| agree |
Ramey Rieger (X)
: Yup! But only for British English
21 mins
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Thanks, Ramey.
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| agree |
Susanne Rindlisbacher
50 mins
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| agree |
TonyTK
: (Not forgetting '60s US rock band The Fugs - "A satirical rock band with a political slant ...")
14 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
15 mins
Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Arts/Academic translator - Art historian
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
139
dampness rising from clothing
Or maybe steam rising from damp clothing, damp clothes ...
http://www.dict.cc/?s=Dunst
http://www.dict.cc/?s=Dunst
+4
48 mins
the reek of unwashed clothes
Perhaps.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
beermatt
: That would work for a more "international" solution, but "fug" is so lovely and compact and expressive, even from its phonetic qualities it seems to fit fairly perfectly for "Dunst"...
6 mins
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I agree!
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| agree |
Edith Kelly
26 mins
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Have a good weekend!
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| agree |
writeaway
: definitely more mid-Atlantic. Reek is also good
5 hrs
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I bid no trump, both are good
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| agree |
BrigitteHilgner
: Oh yes - everyone living in a big town and using public transport is familiar with this. Never mind: have a pleasant weekend!
12 hrs
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I immediately thought of the New York subway at rush hour. Ugh!
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2 hrs
Michael Martin, MA
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
Works in field
United States
Creativity wins in the long run
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
43
smell of worn clothes
would work nicely here. Stench, too, depending how bad it is.
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Note added at 6 hrs (2017-07-21 23:45:00 GMT)
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Just to avoid any confusion, the following is an example of what "worn clothes" means in my book. I had no idea this could be controversial...
"The multi-purpose bag can also be used when you head down to the gym and you wont have to worry about the smell of worn clothes thanks to the fantastic ventilation." https://www.tennisnuts.com/tecnifibre-squash-green-training-...
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Note added at 6 hrs (2017-07-21 23:45:00 GMT)
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Just to avoid any confusion, the following is an example of what "worn clothes" means in my book. I had no idea this could be controversial...
"The multi-purpose bag can also be used when you head down to the gym and you wont have to worry about the smell of worn clothes thanks to the fantastic ventilation." https://www.tennisnuts.com/tecnifibre-squash-green-training-...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: the whole point of the definition posted was to let you know that 'worn clothes" means worn out, not that someone wore them. And smell is wrong here: stench is good as are reek, stink etc.
2 hrs
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It’s not helpful here to look at the adjective in isolation. The vivid imagery (stench of worn clothes) is derived from the whole expression, not its isolated parts. Besides, why else would the clothes smell if not because they have been worn too long?
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+1
18 hrs
Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
45 years experience
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
...odours emanating from people's clothes
...he was jammed into a third class compartment where the air was thick with tobacco smoke and odours emanating from people's clothes.
Discussion
Just use your imagination: third class rail was where the poor people travelled in those days, in old clothing, probably long-unwashed, smelling of sweat, cheap food & other unpleasant things... and the compartment seems to be crammed full.
That'll give you the right kind of picture.