Björn Vrooman Oct 5, 2016:

@microtranslate "I have to figure out whether the author means an actual billion [...] or just some large figure"
I think Lancashireman has already provided you with a reply here:
"or trillion-euro black hole
More likely, as billions are not much to worry about (at national level anyway)
It also looks better with the hyphen.
billion (EN) = Milliarde (DE)"

And: "actual billion 1x10^12"
Please see below. This is the old scale, which I don't think should be used in a book addressing a global audience in the 21st century.

"or just some large figure which could be rendered by zillion, squillion, gazillion as well"
- Highly unlikely. Even the debt of the U.S. government is a two-digit figure in the trillions (but don't get a heart attack, please: http://www.usdebtclock.org/ ). The German government debt is around two trillion (http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/germany ). Going well over these two figures would make no sense to me.

Best wishes

microtranslate (asker) Oct 5, 2016:

Thanks for all your ideas. I like the suggested answer. Usually black hole is apposite when speaking of sovereign debt.
I have to figure out whether the author means an actual billion 1x10^12 or just some large figure which could be rendered by zillion, squillion, gazillion as well.
@Ramey Rieger - this was early on in the book.

Björn Vrooman Sep 30, 2016:

Thanks. Kinda like the pit. Corresponds to this one here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plant#Pitfall_trap...

This is what they mean with "trap" here, I imagine: "Falle" in the sense of death trap, by trying to evoke the image of a carnivorous plant.

Lancashireman Sep 30, 2016:

Björn In modern journalese, all holes are black holes. A bit of hyperbole never did anyone any harm.

You can never get out of a black hole. You just get sucked deeper and deeper into it. Before these terrifying natural phenomena were discovered, the term of preference was 'a bottomless pit'.

You're right about the use of billion/trillion in both British and American English.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_holes

Björn Vrooman Sep 30, 2016:

Here's something about the source document:
http://www.tax.mpg.de/fileadmin/TAX/pdf1/Bucheinband_Komment...

This is about nations going bankrupt (whether or not that's possible is besides the point.)

@Lancashireman
I wonder, though, whether a simple "hole" would be enough:
http://www.economist.com/node/17251840

Like the hole you can't get out of, since you dug yourself in too deep.

dkfmmuc Sep 30, 2016:

@Lancashireman: Sorry I wasn't the first one to bring this term into discussion.

Lancashireman Sep 30, 2016:

dkfmmc If you can think of a plausible translation that links 'trap' with 'Billionen-', please post it as an official answer. Your Bloomberg link includes the term only once in the headline as 'deficit trap'.

dkfmmuc Sep 30, 2016:

I would prefer the term "trap" Like used by the news agency Bloomberg, e.g. here:
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-06-24/abe-s-def...

I have no well-founded reason for that but I just *think* that it is not a black hole. The money is provided/invested by those who are intelligent (?) enough to buy those government securities. That is (normally) not a black hole even in times of financial or budget crisis.

Even the holder's of securities issued by Greece did get something out of their investment. Didn't had to make a full write-off.

Björn Vrooman Sep 29, 2016:

@Brigitte "A literal translation would be 'billion trap' (British English) - I believe that is 'trillion trap' in US-American."

That hasn't been true for quite a long time. Whatever dictionary you'll open, they'll show you the use of "billion" for "Billion" is "outdated" or "old-fashioned." Official documents have used the US method of counting zeros since the 1970s:
"The UK government has been using the American meaning of billion since 1974 for the numbers it gives out."
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/campaigning/past-campaigns/bud...

See also:
https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-61...

BrigitteHilgner Sep 29, 2016:

I agree with Ramey Rieger ... context is essential.
A literal translation would be "billion trap" (British English) - I believe that is "trillion trap" in US-American. But does that mean anything to anyone?
Given the first word you provided (Staatsschuldenkrise) the term is probably meant to indicate a huge government budget deficit - but this is mere guessing.

Ramey Rieger (X) Sep 29, 2016:

Hello Microtranslate If this is book, then the term must be described earlier on in the text. Can you give us this passage?