Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
schunkeln
English translation:
schunkeling
Added to glossary by
British Diana
May 2, 2023 14:50
1 yr ago
69 viewers *
German term
Germany
enthusiast
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, English to German, English, and 1 more.
schunkeln
German to English
Other
Tourism & Travel
activity at a wine festival
Our town puts on "wine events" for international (mostly North American) English-speaking tourists who are on a River Cruise along the Rhine-Main-Danube waterway.
One of the events offered is a 90-minute Wine Festival complete with a brass band, two wines to taste, German sausages, a Wine Princess and folk dancing.
The guests sit on benches as in a genuine Weinfest or like the Oktoberfest and the Tourist Manager tries to get them to "schunkeln" to the music and asked me if we have a word for it. Do we?
One of the events offered is a 90-minute Wine Festival complete with a brass band, two wines to taste, German sausages, a Wine Princess and folk dancing.
The guests sit on benches as in a genuine Weinfest or like the Oktoberfest and the Tourist Manager tries to get them to "schunkeln" to the music and asked me if we have a word for it. Do we?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | schunkeling |
Justin Verceles
|
| 3 +7 | sway |
Brent Sørensen
|
| 4 +2 | linking arms and swaying to the music |
philgoddard
|
| 4 | arm-locked swaying |
Michael Martin, MA
|
Proposed translations
+2
3 hrs
Justin Verceles
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
schunkeling
Hear me out: in a translation I might actually just adopt the original German term, if the context permitted it; interestingly, the present participle "schunkeling" is attested a non-zero amount of times in Google Books and on the internet, albeit rarely. The awkward past participle "schunkeled" is also attested on the internet, but much more rarely and not at all on Google Books. This solution would preserve the folksy connotations. Though since the loanword isn't that well-attested, you'd need to put it in quotes or italics.
Of course, "sway" is more usual, as stated on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schunkeln: "In English speaking countries such as Britain it is often referred to as simply swaying . . .") and "sway arm-in-arm" more accurate, though less concise.
Just thought I'd add something new. It's a fun problem.
Of course, "sway" is more usual, as stated on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schunkeln: "In English speaking countries such as Britain it is often referred to as simply swaying . . .") and "sway arm-in-arm" more accurate, though less concise.
Just thought I'd add something new. It's a fun problem.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
AllegroTrans
: Why not? Might not be immediately obvious to English monoglots but people will soon latch on
1 hr
|
| agree |
Vere Barzilai
: Schunkel to the Schunkel music, soooo German
10 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I am really going to go for this neologism which Justin alerted me to because it is vouched for among other things by e.g. the Facebook entry of the Uniteds German Ámerican Society of Florida, which seem s to me tro be the same "Zielgruppe". Not for linguistic purists, of course. but it fits the situation "
+7
2 mins
Brent Sørensen
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
Native EN|PhD|Parmaceuticals|Medical
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US) 
Works in: German to English, Danish to English, English, and 1 more.
sway
Note from asker:
| Thanks a lot, Brent for your suggestion and also for all the explanatory comments! In the end I chose another answer because it fitted the situation better (oral, aimed at AE speakers etc.). |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Arne Marko
: Agree. Leo (https://dict.leo.org/german-english/schunkeln) has a more complete translation " sway to music while sitting down, arms linked with the people to the left and right"
1 hr
|
| agree |
Julia Burgess
1 hr
|
| agree |
Michele Fauble
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Lorena Muñoz Izarra
4 hrs
|
| agree |
AllegroTrans
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Gordon Matthews
: "sway arm-in-arm" could also be an option.
18 hrs
|
| agree |
IngePreiss
: Arno Marko agree with you 100%. Best translation thereis.
19 hrs
|
+2
1 day 4 hrs
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
32
linking arms and swaying to the music
I think this is more accurate than 'swaying'.
Depending on the context, you could use the German word and add an explanation in brackets.
Depending on the context, you could use the German word and add an explanation in brackets.
Note from asker:
| Thank you, philgoddard |
2 days 51 mins
Michael Martin, MA
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
Creativity wins in the long run
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) , English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
46
arm-locked swaying
Compare with this:
"“All sorts of meaty German fare is offered in a family-style, long-bench setting as the lederhosen, yodeling and folk instruments come out periodically to send the assembled masses – the place gets packed – into a ‘schunkeling’ mess of arm-locked, swaying (so as not to fall over) audience participation.”
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/alternative-to-food-an...
"“All sorts of meaty German fare is offered in a family-style, long-bench setting as the lederhosen, yodeling and folk instruments come out periodically to send the assembled masses – the place gets packed – into a ‘schunkeling’ mess of arm-locked, swaying (so as not to fall over) audience participation.”
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/alternative-to-food-an...
Note from asker:
| Thank you, Michael. As you can see, I actually chose "schunkeling" |
Discussion