die Hand ausrutschen

English translation: take a swipe at

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:die Hand ausrutschen
English translation:take a swipe at
Entered by: franglish

08:14 Jun 1, 2006
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Psychology
German term or phrase: die Hand ausrutschen
This is from the sort of psychological questionnaire where you tick the statements which apply to you. The sentence reads:-
"Wenn ich aggressiv bin kann mir auch mal die Hand ausrutschen." Clearly anything to do with "my hand sometimes slips" doesn't work in English, as that conjures up the image of being careless or dropping things. I suggested "I tend to strike out" but this was rejected by the client as sounding too violent - the German is intended to be somewhat "gentler" than that. Any ideas?
Armorel Young
Local time: 22:13
take a swipe at
Explanation:
have a run in with
let fly
there are quite a few possibilities
Selected response from:

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 23:13
Grading comment
The system (and some answerers) keep harassing me to select an answer, even though I don't yet have a usable translation, so I am giving points to this one even though - regrettably - I can't use it as I don't think it's suitable for an international audience. For the record, and to comment on some of the other answers, "lash out" was my own original suggestion which the client rejected as not being euphemistic enough; "let fly" (as people have pointed out) could refer to a verbal tirade whereas we need something quite specifically involving physical violence; anything involving "slapping" was rejected by the client as, again, not being euphemistic enough; "manifests itself in a physical way" could include things like going red in the face or having a thumping heart, which are covered by other parts of the questionnaire. But thanks for all your help!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3to let fly
Lancashireman
3 +2I sometimes feel like slapping someone
HarryHedgehog
4 +1take a swipe at
franglish
3 +2I end up taking it out physically on others/end up slapping someone/sometimes lash out physically
Michele Johnson
2 +2lash out
Francis Lee (X)
3 +1Sometimes it/I can get physical...
Derek Gill Franßen
4manifests itself in a physical way
IanW (X)
3(to) get out of hand
Derek Gill Franßen
3a clip around the ears
gfish
1sometimes I lose normal control.
TechLawDC


Discussion entries: 12





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I sometimes feel like slapping someone


Explanation:
I think the slap (aside from the b*tch-slap) is generally considered the mildest form of physical violence.

HarryHedgehog
Germany
Local time: 23:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sandra SAYN (X)
17 mins

neutral  Michele Johnson: Spot on with "slapping someone", but I think it should be "I sometimes end up slapping s.o." Important distinction: we all sometimes *feel* like slapping someone (dont we?), but normal people *don't*. This question targets actual slapping/loss of control.
2 hrs

neutral  Francis Lee (X): and I think that's an Agree from Michele / But now that I look at the question again, I think "slap" is too weak, i.e. to specific; the German could also refer to a fist in the face (even if the perpetrator plays it down)
7 hrs

agree  Mario Marcolin
5 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
take a swipe at


Explanation:
have a run in with
let fly
there are quite a few possibilities

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 23:13
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 14
Grading comment
The system (and some answerers) keep harassing me to select an answer, even though I don't yet have a usable translation, so I am giving points to this one even though - regrettably - I can't use it as I don't think it's suitable for an international audience. For the record, and to comment on some of the other answers, "lash out" was my own original suggestion which the client rejected as not being euphemistic enough; "let fly" (as people have pointed out) could refer to a verbal tirade whereas we need something quite specifically involving physical violence; anything involving "slapping" was rejected by the client as, again, not being euphemistic enough; "manifests itself in a physical way" could include things like going red in the face or having a thumping heart, which are covered by other parts of the questionnaire. But thanks for all your help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: Sorry, I just noticed 'let fly' part way down your list...
2 hrs
  -> Of my three proposals, it's the best because no object need be mentioned, so we agree

neutral  Francis Lee (X): but how would this work in the given context?
3 hrs
  -> considering, 'let fly' would be best because one needn't give an object
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: The system (and some answerers) keep harassing me to select an answer, even though I don't yet have a usable translation, so I am giving points to this one even though - regrettably - I can't use it as I don't think it's suitable for an international audience. For the record, and to comment on some of the other answers, "lash out" was my own original suggestion which the client rejected as not being euphemistic enough; "let fly" (as people have pointed out) could refer to a verbal tirade whereas we need something quite specifically involving physical violence; anything involving "slapping" was rejected by the client as, again, not being euphemistic enough; "manifests itself in a physical way" could include things like going red in the face or having a thumping heart, which are covered by other parts of the questionnaire. But thanks for all your help!

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
to let fly


Explanation:
"I'm sometimes inclined to let fly"
Use of 'let' suggests this is an involuntary response, rather like the hand that just 'slips'.
IMO. quite mild on the violent-gentle continuum.

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 51

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Francis Lee (X): "fly off the handle" might be an option here
1 hr

agree  Ian M-H (X): "to let fly" is good here. "I sometimes find myself letting fly" would involve the 'lasher out' taking even less responsibility for her/his actions.
2 hrs

neutral  Michele Johnson: Just commenting to be fair to the others. "Letting fly" might involve a mere verbal assault, while I believe the questionnaire is driving at the actual transition to physical violence (however "uninentional", "inadvertent", or whatever).
3 hrs

agree  IanW (X): You could say "let fly (physically)", but personally, I would always understand this as being physical
4 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
lash out


Explanation:
Should be clear enough in the given context.

"My father on the other hand would just lash out for either no reason or for very little provacation"
http://www.readersdigest.ca/debate.html?a=v&di=84
(please excuse reference)

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 23:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ian M-H (X): yes, sometimes one just finds oneself lashing out...
10 mins

neutral  Michele Johnson: I don't mean to quibble, but to me the key is an *actual physical attack* (a very typical thing to be gauged in such psychological tests). "Lashing out" can also mean you just yell at someone or write a nasty note.
1 hr
  -> Potentially yes, but the link I provided is an unambiguous example

agree  Ellen Zittinger
6 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
kann mir mal die Hand ausrutschen
sometimes I lose normal control.


Explanation:

(Lowest level of confidence -- I am guessing.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2006-06-01 14:02:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternative: I sometimes get physical.

TechLawDC
United States
Local time: 18:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  IanW (X): "sometimes I lose normal control" could mean something entirely different and "getting physical" definitely means something different (ask Olivia Newton-John)!
6 hrs
  -> Well (perhaps), much to th detrimnt of rock culture, assumng th targt audience is practcng professnal psychlgsts, lucky for us the normal professnl psychologist evaluating a psychological test will discrn th diffrnce betwn O.N.-J. slang+ordinry discourse.

agree  Derek Gill Franßen: I didn't notice your addendum until Brie pointed it out to me (I was distracted by "normal control" - not something I would use), but I think "to get physical" is used correctly in this sense. :-)
9 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I end up taking it out physically on others/end up slapping someone/sometimes lash out physically


Explanation:
Instead of just being critical of everyone else, I thought I'd better give a suggestion of my own :)

Of course we don't know the exact purpose of Armorel's questionnaire, but in my experience they often differentiate between physical, verbal, and other ("indirect") aggression. That's why I make such a big deal that an idiom like "lashing out" is not enough - I think it is imperative to specify the physical (because other questions will surely target the other aspects, like "I become verbally aggressive when..." or "I become indirectly aggressive by ....")

I try to convey the sort of "inadvertent" element (ausrutschen) with "I end up" or "I sometimes". Maybe "I sometimes end up" is better.

Have a look here:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/74500509...
http://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp10_15.pdf

Michele Johnson
Germany
Local time: 23:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IanW (X): I think "I end up taking it out physically on others" might imply a half-hour beating, but "end up slapping someone" is great and "end up" is an excellent way to convey the inadvertent aspect
7 mins

agree  Stephen Reader
1 day 9 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
...kann mir auch mal die Hand ausrutschen
Sometimes it/I can get physical...


Explanation:
...if I become aggressive.

This might be a suitably vague way to go.
:-)

Derek Gill Franßen
Germany
Local time: 23:13
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Brie Vernier: I hope you're not speaking from experience ... : ) But see TechLaw's addendum at 5 hours, and Ian's comment on same ...
48 mins
  -> ...not that I'd know - I'm usually pretty easy going. I admit that I didn't see TechLaw's addendum, but I certainly do not agree with Ian's view that it means something different. Since when was Olivia Newton-John a linguistic authority? ;-)

neutral  IanW (X): Personally, I would never, ever understand "getting physical" with violence. And I've never seen Grease, so there ...
14 hrs
  -> Maybe not you, but many would understand it (also see: http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-29,GGL... ). ;-)

agree  Stephen Reader: Oh dear. Would've agreed wholly if you hadn't said that, Ian. Try '...it doesn't stop at words'?
1 day 7 hrs
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5 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
manifests itself in a physical way


Explanation:
OK, if you need an all-purpose euphemism, I would say "When I am aggressive, this sometimes manifests itself in a physical reaction (e.g. slapping someone)". I'd leave the part in brackets in.

IanW (X)
Local time: 23:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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5 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
(to) get out of hand


Explanation:
...another try.
;-)

Derek Gill Franßen
Germany
Local time: 23:13
Native speaker of: English
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a clip around the ears


Explanation:
Nur ein Vorschlag

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2006-06-06 14:23:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Und noch ein Vorschlag ...

... I get so angry I lose it and punch someone.

http://www.kristarella.com/blog/?m=200602&paged=2

one of these days i'm going to lose it and punch everyone in the face

www.cosforums.com/archive/index.php?t-82302.h

gfish
Local time: 15:13
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Francis Lee (X): this requires an object of said clipping; CL3?
4 hrs
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