This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Poetry & Literature

primitiv und asozial

English translation: low lives and social misfits

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:primitiv und asozial
English translation:low lives and social misfits
Entered by: Ingrid Blank

03:36 Jul 15, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
German term or phrase: primitiv und asozial
...Die Familie Ewert hat schon 11 Kinder. Herr Ewert hat neulich zu meiner Mutter gesagt, dass er jetzt eine Fußballmannschaft zusammenhat und dass er keine Kinder mehr will. Frau Ewert hat aber schon wieder einen dicken Bauch. Mein Vater sagt: Jetzt arbeiten sie an der Ersatzbank. Da habe ich ganz laut gelacht. ..... Die Mutter sagt, dass eine Familie mit so vielen Kindern **primitiv und asozial** ist. Wir sind nicht **primitiv und asozial**, denn in meiner Familie sind nur zwei Kinder: mein Bruder Achim und ich.
Fantutti (X)
Local time: 02:47
low lives and social misfits
Explanation:
if you want it a bit stronger :)
Selected response from:

Ingrid Blank
Grading comment
Lowlife and misfits! Thanks Ingrid, Jonathan, Olaf and Tony!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2low lives and social misfits
Ingrid Blank
4primitive and asocial
Olaf Reibedanz
3I don't think any variation of "-social" hits the button ...
TonyTK


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
low lives and social misfits


Explanation:
if you want it a bit stronger :)

Ingrid Blank
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Lowlife and misfits! Thanks Ingrid, Jonathan, Olaf and Tony!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
1 hr
agree  Jonathan MacKerron: or "lowlife and misfits"?
3 hrs
neutral  Kevin Pfeiffer (X): Uncountable, so maybe adj.'ly: "--low-life and socially misfit"
3 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
primitive and asocial


Explanation:
or:

primitive and insociable

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2004-07-15 03:43:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another option: **primitive and unsocial**

asocial
adj.
1 not social; not gregarious; characterized by withdrawal from others
2 showing little concern for the welfare of others; selfish
—SYN UNSOCIAL

Webster\'s New World Heritage Dictionary


aso|zi|al [auch: \'] <Adj.> [aus griech. a-=nicht, un- u. sozial]:

1. unfähig zum Leben in der Gemeinschaft, sich nicht in die Gemeinschaft einfügend; am Rand der Gesellschaft lebend: ein -er Charakter; a. veranlagt sein.

2. (meist abwertend) die Gemeinschaft, Gesellschaft schädigend: -es Verhalten; er ist a.

© Duden - Deutsches Universalwörterbuch, 5. Aufl. Mannheim 2003 [CD-ROM].

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2004-07-15 03:45:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And, to give you one last option: **primitive and asocial**


antisocial
adj.
1 avoiding association with others; unsociable
2 against the basic principles of society; harmful to the welfare of the people generally
—SYN UNSOCIAL

Webster\'s New World Heritage Dictionary


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2004-07-15 03:47:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Asocial\", \"antisocial\", \"anti-social\", \"insociable\" and \"unsocial\" are synonymous, so I think you can use any of them here.

Olaf Reibedanz
Colombia
Local time: 04:47
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
I don't think any variation of "-social" hits the button ...


Explanation:
... and IMO a lowlife has a touch of the criminal.

If you want to get the flavour of "asozial" the way the Germans use it (at least nowadays), I think you need something like "abnormal".

Maybe "primitive and abnormal" or "immoral and abnormal"

TonyTK
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search