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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

wohin ich nicht schon komme!

English translation: not that I get round much any more these days !

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:wohin ich nicht schon komme!
English translation:not that I get round much any more these days !
Entered by: Timoshka

20:50 Dec 12, 2023
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
German term or phrase: wohin ich nicht schon komme!
This comes from a letter written in Vienna in 1940 by a Jewish woman, concerning a vest she had just finished making:

Diese Woche ist endlich das Westerl fertig geworden, das ich im Frühjahr begonnen habe (die Knötchenwolle, die ich von Ditta hatte) und zu dem ich gar keine Lust hatte. Es sieht aus wie Persianer u. es ist viel besser geworden, als ich gedacht habe. Übrigens ist das das einzige Wolljackerl, das ich besitze, wenn ich von dem Trachtenjäckchen absehe, das ich doch nicht überall tragen kann (wohin ich nicht schon komme!).

It's all quite clear except for the last parenthetical phrase. This is how I originally translated the passage:

This week, I finally finished the vest that I started in the spring (with the knotted yarn I had from Ditta) and had no desire to do. It looks like Persian lamb and turned out much better than I expected. By the way, it’s the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I can’t really wear everywhere (where I can't even go!).

I assumed she was referring to her restricted movement in Vienna due to the fact she was Jewish. A friend, who is a native German speaker, however, seems to think it is quite the opposite. He writes: "Also ich denke, sie will eher das Gegenteil behaupten. So etwa wie 'und Du kannst es kaum glauben, wo ich bereits war / wo ich mich herumtreibe' – ansonsten hätte sie statt 'nicht schon' 'nicht mehr' benutzt. Du hast schon Recht, man kann wegen der Beschränkungen, die Juden unterworfen waren glatt das Gegenteil vermuten.Ich persönlich denke, sie will sagen, dass sie wirklich viel herumkommt - und in Situationen, wo ein Trachtenjackerl nicht angebracht wäre."
Timoshka
Local time: 13:20
not that I get round much any more these days !
Explanation:
Meant sardonically or sarcastically and reminds me of the Duike Ellington / Ella Fitzgerald jazz song.

Would - I believe - still be understood that way.
Selected response from:

Adrian MM.
Austria
Grading comment
Vielen Dank!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3not that I get round much any more these days !
Adrian MM.
3 +1not in the places I usual​ly go to​
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
not in the places I usual​ly go to​


Explanation:
I am picking up on Johanna's idea, just from a different angle.

"By the way, that's the only wool jacket I own, apart from the little folk costume jacket that I can​not ​wear ​anywhere (​not in the places I usual​ly go to​)."



Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 14:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 98

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: Yes, and it's also fair that you give Johanna some credit
9 hrs
neutral  Birgit Gläser: jacket that I cannot wear everywhere (at least not in the places I usually go)... -> not anywhere wäre "nirgends"
10 hrs
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
not that I get round much any more these days !


Explanation:
Meant sardonically or sarcastically and reminds me of the Duike Ellington / Ella Fitzgerald jazz song.

Would - I believe - still be understood that way.


    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_Get_Around_Much_Anym...
Adrian MM.
Austria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Vielen Dank!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Birgit Gläser: sounds less stilted to me
1 hr
  -> Vielen Dank, Birgit, and thanks !
agree  seehand
2 hrs
  -> Vielen Dank, seehand, and thanks!
agree  British Diana
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Diana, und danke schön!
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