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Ub.

English translation: touch wood

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Ub.
English translation:touch wood
Entered by: Edith Kelly

22:39 Jun 2, 2023
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Abbreviations
German term or phrase: Ub.
This comes from a letter, dated 1960, written by a Jewish Hungarian woman, who was writing to friends in the U.S. from her home in Milan, Italy:

"Wie geht es euch? Hoffentlich habt ihr den Winter ohne Influenza passiert. Hier ist schon seit Monaten eine ziemlich starke Grippe. Leider musste auch mein Sohn Julius vier Tage das Bett hüten. Seine Frau, das Kind und ich haben Glück gehabt (Ub.!) bis jetzt, denn mit Medikamenten konnten wir uns übers Wasser halten."

Based on the context and the fact that the abbreviation appears immediately after she states she's been lucky, one would almost expect a phrase like "dreimal auf Holz," etc., so as not to jinx her good luck! But that's a long way from the abbreviation "Ub." Any ideas what this might mean?
Timoshka
Local time: 23:08
touch wood
Explanation:
unberufen (hier als Abkürzung mit Ausrufezeichen).
Selected response from:

Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Local time: 06:08
Grading comment
Vielen Dank!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2touch wood
Edith Kelly


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
touch wood


Explanation:
unberufen (hier als Abkürzung mit Ausrufezeichen).

Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Local time: 06:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 65
Grading comment
Vielen Dank!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  thefastshow: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toi,_toi,_toi und Seite 377, Fußnote 38 : https://docserv.uni-duesseldorf.de/servlets/DerivateServlet/...
5 hrs
agree  writeaway
6 hrs
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