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  3. Poetry & Literature

auf Gedeih und Verderb

English translation: for better or (for) worse

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:auf Gedeih und Verderb
English translation:for better or (for) worse
Entered by: Hilary Davies Shelby

16:40 Mar 7, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / politics/general/expression
German term or phrase: auf Gedeih und Verderb
"Osama bin Laden und George Bush jnr sind auf Gedeih und Verderb zusammengeschweisst".

I know what it means - sort of bound together/inextricably linked, etc, but has anyone got any ideas on a more poetic way to render this in English, to reflect the drama in the German?

Many thanks!

Hilary ;-)
Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
Local time: 22:23
for better or worse
Explanation:
:)
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 21:23
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone - Kim was just a little bit faster! I would use it either with or without the second "for", both are correct, and for future reference "come hell or high water" (singular, always!) is another great suggestion. Thanks very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5for better or for worse
Michael Schubert
4 +3till death do them part
CMJ_Trans (X)
4 +1for better or worse
Kim Metzger
4 +1come hell or high waters!
swisstell
3for better or worse
Rebekah Wils (X)


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
for better or worse


Explanation:
:)


    Langenscheidt Muret-Sanders
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 21:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 213
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone - Kim was just a little bit faster! I would use it either with or without the second "for", both are correct, and for future reference "come hell or high water" (singular, always!) is another great suggestion. Thanks very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young
36 mins
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2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
for better or worse


Explanation:
an option?

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Note added at 3 mins (2005-03-07 16:43:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Kim & Michael, didn\'t see your ideas before I submitted mine!

Rebekah Wils (X)
Local time: 04:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
till death do them part


Explanation:
....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-07 16:53:37 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

bound to each other

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-07 16:58:27 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

they are stuck with each other

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-07 16:58:46 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

they are wedded to each other till death do them part

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 05:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Friderike Butler: this works as well (can't see that there ever would be a "better" in this union)
14 mins
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): ...but "till death do them part" hits the nail!
18 mins
agree  Francis Lee (X)
1 hr
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
come hell or high waters!


Explanation:
they are inextricably linked to each other, come hell or high waters

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2005-03-07 17:13:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

for the benefit of CMJ_Trans (see \"neutral\" below)

Listmania! Books I\'ll own, Come hell or high waters!!!! -
Listmania! Books I\'ll own, Come hell or high waters!!!! by Melanie Gibson,
Voracious consumer of books! 1. Isabella and the Strange ...
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ tg/listmania/list-browse/-/3FR9Q20PBWLHL - 90k - Im Cache - Ähnliche Seiten

2FamousLyrics - I - Iq - High Waters - Songs, lyrics, Albums ... - [ Diese Seite übersetzen ]
... Wherever the faithless are With any other prey approaching Come hell or come waters
high Believe it or surrender nothing In all that is envious He\'s sworn to ...
www.2famouslyrics.com/i/iq/high-waters.html


swisstell
Italy
Local time: 05:23
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  CMJ_Trans (X): high water (no 's')
6 mins
agree  Friderike Butler: this also covers the double negative of the original
18 mins
  -> thanks, Friderike
neutral  Michael Schubert: I agree with CMJ about no 's' (despite the links -- you can find ANYTHING on the Internet!)
2 hrs
  -> I agree with you about anything being in Google. I disagree with your judgment. WATERS is a literary expression here, to emphasize the magnitude. Just as you would not say "the sky fell in" but rather "the skies fell in
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2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
for better or for worse


Explanation:
a marriage of (in)convenience?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 3 mins (2005-03-07 19:43:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Full sentence:
OBL and GWB are stuck with each other [in a marriage of inconvenience] for better or for worse.

Michael Schubert
United States
Local time: 20:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IanW (X): I'd put "for" twice, as you did - and I'd probably use the "marriage of inconvenience" as well!
1 min
agree  Laura Terrett: I'd also repeat "for"
3 mins
agree  Elimar Orlopp: like that, I just associated that OBL and Bush are welded together, would that not be a real nice drama, or does it jar the English ear too much?
26 mins
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): I like this one but...
28 mins
agree  Meturgan
16 hrs
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