Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Dienen ohne bedient zu sein
English translation:
Giving support without needing support
Added to glossary by
Sarah Bessioud
Aug 2, 2011 12:54
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
Germany
A way with words
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, English
Dienen ohne bedient zu sein
German to English
Marketing
Marketing / Market Research
Personal development course
This is the title of a workshop aimed at secretarial support staff. I can't get the English to sound anywhere near as good as the German. At the moment I am thinking along the lines of "providing a service, without being subservient", but that doesn't roll off the tongue at all well. Does anyone have any better suggestions please?
"Dienen ohne bedient zu sein - warum souveräne Assistenz so wichtig ist"
Many thanks in advance.
"Dienen ohne bedient zu sein - warum souveräne Assistenz so wichtig ist"
Many thanks in advance.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
1 hr
Roger Matthews
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
German/Swedish - English, Law + IT
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: German to English, Swedish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
Giving support without needing support
just another suggestion...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you to everyone for such great suggestions and lively discussions. There were some great ideas and I feel all fitted in one way or another. However, a decision has to be made and I thought that this answer was the most appropriate for my particular text. Thanks to all!"
7 mins
polyglot45
Native in English
Native in: English 
, French
Works in: English to French, French to English, German to French, and 4 more.
serving not servile
service without servility
to get things going......
to get things going......
Note from asker:
| Thanks polyglot |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Ramey Rieger (X)
: Hi polyglot! This was my first thought as well, but the servility cuts to close to what often truly happens. A cans of worms, so to speak. Still, I think it's quite clever!
2 days 3 hrs
|
+1
7 mins
Stefanie Reinhold
United States
United States
Native in German
Works in field
United States
Your German language connection!
Native in: German (Variant: Germany)
Works in: English to German, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Serving without getting fed up
"Bedient sein" in the sense of "being fed up". I like the word play in the German source text.
While my suggestion does not roll off the tongue as smoothly as the German version, I think it may just capture the meaning and word play.
While my suggestion does not roll off the tongue as smoothly as the German version, I think it may just capture the meaning and word play.
Note from asker:
| Thank you Stefani |
+1
2 hrs
How to assist without burn-out
This is an interesting translation problem! I would go with a more literal translation. My guess is that the intension of the 'bedient zu sein' is avoiding burnout, which is like 'getting fed up'. Serving without getting fed up, however, really plays towards restaurant service so I'd avoid that since it's secretarial. In fact, 'serving' for secretarial support is, to my mind, a bit old-fashioned. I think my suggestion comes closest to what the intended audience should get out of it
3 hrs
Supply support without suffering
not as snappy as the German, just my 2 cents...
My first idea was:
"Supporting the big cheeses without getting cheesed off."
I think service(s) or support should be provided rather than given - Susan already pointed out that it's not about charity.
I don't read "bedient sein" as servility - I think it either relates to somebody being either fed up with a situation or simply swamped with work / not really on top of things. Suffering might work for that.
Alternatives:
drowning in detail, being driven to distraction... Maybe somebody can come up with an image that works for both parts of the sentence. I played around unsuccessfully with swimming and sinking.
My first idea was:
"Supporting the big cheeses without getting cheesed off."
I think service(s) or support should be provided rather than given - Susan already pointed out that it's not about charity.
I don't read "bedient sein" as servility - I think it either relates to somebody being either fed up with a situation or simply swamped with work / not really on top of things. Suffering might work for that.
Alternatives:
drowning in detail, being driven to distraction... Maybe somebody can come up with an image that works for both parts of the sentence. I played around unsuccessfully with swimming and sinking.
3 hrs
secretarial services with a smile
"secretarial services with a smile"
http://tinyurl.com/3npxxld
bedient sein (umgangssprachlich ) = überdrüssig sein
jds/einer Sache (gen ) überdrüssig sein to be weary of sb/sth
jds/einer Sache (gen ) überdrüssig werden to (grow) weary of sb/sth
http://dictionary.reverso.net/german-english/überdrüssig
It would be a good idea to express 'ohne bedient zu sein' as something positive: with a smile
http://tinyurl.com/3npxxld
bedient sein (umgangssprachlich ) = überdrüssig sein
jds/einer Sache (gen ) überdrüssig sein to be weary of sb/sth
jds/einer Sache (gen ) überdrüssig werden to (grow) weary of sb/sth
http://dictionary.reverso.net/german-english/überdrüssig
It would be a good idea to express 'ohne bedient zu sein' as something positive: with a smile
+1
3 hrs
Wortschmied
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
Native in: German , English
Works in: English to German, English to German Middle High (ca.1050-1500), German to English, and 1 more.
Provide Support with a Smile
aid = support = help. Happiness sounds more positive than "without getting fed-up". Or "Provide Support with a Smile".
4 hrs
Be of service without having your hand held
Neds work, this just to make sense of the German. "Bedient sein" in the meaning of "being fed up" is so crude it could not remotely be intended. My idea for "sovereign" would be "selbstsicher", which is exactly what I would hope for as the"client".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-08-03 00:22:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Honi soit qui mal thus puns (Lionel Trilling).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2011-08-03 00:22:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Honi soit qui mal thus puns (Lionel Trilling).
22 hrs
Ravindranath Kasinathuni
India
India
Native in English
Specializes in field
India
Translator with domain experience
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English
How to make the Customer feel like a Queen / King without you feeling like a serf ?
I know it is rather long. I am using the standard phrase "The Customer is King".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-08-03 11:47:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The Customer IS King, but you DON'T have to be a serf !
thinking of variations...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2011-08-03 11:47:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The Customer IS King, but you DON'T have to be a serf !
thinking of variations...
2 days 3 hrs
serene service
why souvereign assistance is vital/so valuable
Discussion
Providing a professional service - keeping you and your customers happy.
Why a professional service will make you and your clients happy.
Just for context - what have you done with the second half of the sentence?