This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
retieren
Anm. d. Ü.
Dec 16, 2004 10:29
19 yrs ago
3 viewers *
German term

Det könn’ wa och

German to English Art/Literary Slang
In den Achtzigerjahren hatte Thomas Kapielski die schöne Angewohnheit, bei Galerie-Vernissagen im Gästebuch einen kleinen Stempelabdruck zu hinterlassen: „Det könn’ wa och. Kapielski“.
Yes, we all know what he meant - but I can't think of an English equivalent with the same "Biss"
Proposed translations (English)
4 coulda done better myself
3 +3 anything you can do...
4 +2 Big deal!
3 +2 I'll do one tomorrow.
3 +2 That ain't nothing
5 I should be impressed?
3 +1 Already been there, done it, watched the video and bought the T-shirt
3 child's play/kids stuff
3 As easy as pie
4 -1 This could I do, too
3 a toddler coulda done it
3 a piece of cake
3 anyone can/could do that
3 a blind man'd be glad to see it
3 nowt special
3 See one, do one, teach one.

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com Dec 22, 2004:
All of the top suggestions were fine enough, but "coulda done it myself" also had the personal element - Kapielski was himself an artist.
Non-ProZ.com Dec 21, 2004:
Re: explaining my decision; have yous heard the Dimitri From Paris remix of Bj�rk's "Isobel"? Succint.
Non-ProZ.com Dec 21, 2004:
Textei: "ja ja, won wegen morgen", ick wiess schon. Komm, wat willstDU mir schon erz�hlen
Textklick Dec 20, 2004:
"Will grade tomorrow". Det k�nn� wa och, weeste ;-)
Non-ProZ.com Dec 18, 2004:
Not so much infectious as irrepressible
Anne Schulz Dec 18, 2004:
Is Schlingensief infectious?
Non-ProZ.com Dec 17, 2004:
Thanks for the all the input! Oh, vot a choice! A record-breaking number of suggestions? Will grade tomorrow.
Non-ProZ.com Dec 16, 2004:
Hmmm ... it's looking like a photo finish down there, although my current favourite has not (yet) been seconded. Oh, the suspense ...
Anne Schulz Dec 16, 2004:
"Nothing special" is too negative IMHO.
margarete Dec 16, 2004:
Just a though... if it is a quote and only a rather free translation is possible, it might be a good idea to keep the German (or Berlinerisch) and add "which means something like..." or something to that effect.
Steve Yates Dec 16, 2004:
"Nowt special" surely!
Non-ProZ.com Dec 16, 2004:
Lots of great suggestions there! What about "Nothing special?"

Proposed translations

5 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och
Selected

coulda done better myself

or - i could have done that/coulda done that myself

I would be tempted to go with Ariane's suggestion (in Notes) too, if it's an article or something where you could put a [note] without disturbing the narrative...
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I ended up with "Coulda done it myself" for reasons to be explained"
+2
8 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

I'll do one tomorrow.

Not the most literal translation, but with some "Biss".
Peer comment(s):
agree Ian M-H (X) : Nice, whether it fits or not :-)
12 mins
Thanks, Ian.
agree Textklick : or "I did that yesterday"
19 mins
Excellent ! Francis, take this one and award him (her?) the points!
Something went wrong...
12 mins

child's play/kids stuff

easy-peasy
Something went wrong...
19 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

As easy as pie

Another possibility, though not sure if it's a bit far from the original.
Something went wrong...
+3
25 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

anything you can do...

without completing it, to keep the throwaway, slightly contemptuous tone of the original: 'anything you can do...Kapielski'
Peer comment(s):
agree Ian M-H (X) : also nice
9 mins
Thanks
agree innsbruck : this Berlin slang "det könn' wa och" was meant to challenge and tease the other artists, so this is in my opinion a very good solution
30 mins
Thanks
agree Cilian O'Tuama : innsbruck has a good point
1 day 10 hrs
Thanks
Something went wrong...
+1
27 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

Already been there, done it, watched the video and bought the T-shirt

Another take
Peer comment(s):
agree shineda : 'been there, done that' pretty much conveys the meaning: No more reality TV for Ozzy: been there, done that http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=38606
50 mins
Thanks
Something went wrong...
-1
32 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

This could I do, too

so it is translated literally. Just for comprehension.
Peer comment(s):
neutral msherms : sentence structure??
28 mins
neutral Textklick : Comprehension?
2 hrs
disagree sylvie malich (X) : Totally off the mark. Sorry, this isn't even slang.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
59 mins
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

That ain't nothing

That ain't nothing.... or you ain't seen nothing yet.

It is nasty and "slangy" (colloquial)
Peer comment(s):
agree Neal Witkowski : Auf Hochdeutsch: "Das können wir auch."
51 mins
thanks
agree sylvie malich (X) : I'd take Ariane Mertz' suggestion and put this in brackets as the explanation, definitely.
3 hrs
thanks : )
Something went wrong...
1 hr
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

a toddler coulda done it

reflects the sentiment with a little slang as well
Something went wrong...
2 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

a piece of cake

too easy
Something went wrong...
+2
3 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

Big deal!

another
Peer comment(s):
agree Ken Cox : took the words right out of my mouth
37 mins
agree Niamh Mahony : Yeah, that's good. I agree with Ariane too that it would be best to leave the original German quotation and then add the meaning in English.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 min
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

anyone can/could do that

p'raps

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 21 mins (2004-12-16 15:51:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

could do that blindfolded (and with one/both hand(s) tied behind my back)
Something went wrong...
5 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

a blind man'd be glad to see it

;-)
Something went wrong...
11 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

I should be impressed?

If others can break the rules so can I.

Bit of Kosher humour, which is not too far away, when all's said and done ;-)
Something went wrong...
1 day 5 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

nowt special

I may as well throw this in with the rest. Hopefully it's the one Frannie was referring to in his last comment. I have racked my brains for a dialect version of 'Anyone can do that' but to no avail.
Something went wrong...
2 days 3 hrs
German term (edited): Det k�nn� wa och

See one, do one, teach one.

of course, no Google confirmations on this
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search