gängeln

English translation: patronize

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:gängeln
English translation:patronize
Entered by: Martin Wenzel

14:19 Mar 11, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Psychology
German term or phrase: gängeln
Sie lässt sich von ihren Eltern gängeln, als wäre sie noch ein kleines Kind.
Martin Wenzel
Germany
Local time: 18:07
patronize
Explanation:
She allows her parents to patronize her as if she ...

or even more passively:

She lets herself be patronized by her parents as if she ...

gängeln hat einen negativen Unterton in die Richtung von herumkommandieren.

Bedeutungen:

[1] jemandem ständig Vorschriften machen
[2] jemanden das Gehen lehren (älter, aber heute noch gebräuchlich)

Wiktionary
Selected response from:

Friderike Butler
United States
Local time: 13:07
Grading comment
Thanks all. I am glad this was thoroughly discussed, so I can sleep well again, I don't think I was overbearingly protective...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3patronize
Friderike Butler
3 +1lead by the nose
Kim Metzger
3her parents are still holding her hand
Anne-Marie Grant (X)
3monitored
Veronika McLaren


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
lead by the nose


Explanation:
All sorts of possibilities, depending on context. Muret-Sanders - gängeln: to have s.o. on a string, to lead s.o. by the nose, to spoon-feed


Example sentence(s):
  • She lets her parents lead her by the nose as though she were still a little child.
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 11:07
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 64

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  hazmatgerman (X): Were I a n.s. I'd have proposed "Her parents keep her tied to the apron strings as if ...". Best.
16 mins
  -> Yes, that's very good. Better, perhaps.

neutral  Anne-Marie Grant (X): Would you lead a child by the nose?
40 mins
  -> Hard to say. Fig. to guide someone very carefully and slowly. (As if the person were not very smart.) He will never find his way through the tax form unless you lead him by the nose. Don't lead me by the nose! I'm coming!
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
her parents are still holding her hand


Explanation:
This is the idea.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 48 mins (2009-03-11 15:08:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In your sentence I would say 'It's as if she still needs her parents to hold her hand....'

Anne-Marie Grant (X)
Local time: 17:07
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
patronize


Explanation:
She allows her parents to patronize her as if she ...

or even more passively:

She lets herself be patronized by her parents as if she ...

gängeln hat einen negativen Unterton in die Richtung von herumkommandieren.

Bedeutungen:

[1] jemandem ständig Vorschriften machen
[2] jemanden das Gehen lehren (älter, aber heute noch gebräuchlich)

Wiktionary


Friderike Butler
United States
Local time: 13:07
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks all. I am glad this was thoroughly discussed, so I can sleep well again, I don't think I was overbearingly protective...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jutta Wappel
27 mins
  -> Thanks, Jutta

agree  RegineMac: absolutely!
47 mins
  -> Thanks, Regine

agree  Kim Metzger: Much better than my dictionary answer.
1 hr
  -> Thanks Kim, I guess Martin needs some more "gängeling" before he sees the light ;-) (totally tongue in cheek!!!)
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
monitored


Explanation:
...kept on a leashe. The patronizing is contained in taking the money, which the friend obviously did.

Veronika McLaren
Local time: 13:07
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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