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  1. KudoZ™ Top
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  3. Environment & Ecology

Öko-Rüpel

English translation: environmental bad guys

09:34 May 5, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Environment & Ecology
German term or phrase: Öko-Rüpel
Banken und Versicherungen drängen bei Finanzierungen zunehmend auf bessere Öko-Bilanzen. Sie wollen in zukunftsfähige Unternehmen investieren - und Öko-Rüpel gehören nicht dazu.

(The meaning is clear, but a good translation...?)
njbeckett
Germany
Local time: 16:23
English translation:environmental bad guys
Explanation:
Should work here, I think. (Googles well too: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=50&newwindow... ).
Selected response from:

David Williams
Germany
Local time: 16:23
Grading comment
All good answers I think, although I think thug is a bit too strong.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5eco-thugs
Lingua.Franca
4 +3environmental bad guys
David Williams
4 +3eco offender
RegineMac
3 +1eco sinner
CArcher
4environmental bad boys
Paul Cohen


  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
environmental bad guys


Explanation:
Should work here, I think. (Googles well too: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=50&newwindow... ).

Example sentence(s):
  • A Pocket Guide to Environmental Bad Guy
  • Cars Aren’t Environmental Bad Guys, Urban Expert Says

    Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Guide-Environmental-Bad-Guys/dp...
    Reference: http://www.heartland.org/publications/environment%20climate/...
David Williams
Germany
Local time: 16:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 7
Grading comment
All good answers I think, although I think thug is a bit too strong.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marga Shaw
1 hr
agree  Louise Mawbey
1 hr
agree  Ingrid Moore
3 hrs
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
eco-thugs


Explanation:
I think that this conveys it perfectly.


    Reference: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-18229986.html
    Reference: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=200...
Lingua.Franca
Spain
Local time: 16:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Inge Meinzer
2 hrs
agree  Ingrid Moore
3 hrs
agree  franglish
4 hrs
agree  Rebecca Garber
12 hrs
agree  Barbara Wiebking
1 day 4 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
eco sinner


Explanation:
a guess

CArcher
Germany
Local time: 16:23
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
1 hr
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
environmental bad boys


Explanation:
Boys will be boys. I think this is more in keeping with "Rüpel" - meaning a lad who behaves very poorly -- someone who is a lout -- but is not necessarily a criminal, a thug or a sinner.

Alternative: environmental bad lads (too "over the top" for a UK audience?)

Langenscheidt: Rüpel = junger Mann, der sich sehr schlecht benimmt

Example sentence(s):
  • Finally, we have the big Kahuna of environmental bad boys - Global Warming.
Paul Cohen
Greenland
Local time: 13:23
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
eco offender


Explanation:
That's the term that I always hear.

Example sentence(s):
  • Greenpeace: Nintendo and Microsoft are worst eco-offenders
RegineMac
United States
Local time: 07:23
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  gangels (X): yes, or eco violators, thugs sounds a bit too brutish
2 hrs
  -> Thanks! I'd agree with your assessment of thugs.
agree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
5 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Veronika McLaren: Right on!
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Veronika!
agree  analytical (X)
1 day 7 hrs
  -> Thanks, analytical!
disagree  robin25: offender does not match "Rüpel" IMO
9 days
  -> I do believe offender is a good word. It's emotionally more neutral than "Ruepel," but it's better than "thug" or "sinner," which are too loaded in my view.
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