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  3. Poetry & Literature

Schöngeist

English translation: aesthete

11:04 Jul 7, 2019
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / short story
German term or phrase: Schöngeist
Sie hat einen Heidenrespekt vor dem Vater gehabt, weil er Naturwissenschaftler gewesen ist, was mehr wert als Schöngeist war...

"man of letters" is the proposed translation
Tariq Khader
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
English translation:aesthete
Explanation:
This how I would translate it. https://medium.com/aesthete/the-aesthetes-a-forgotten-ideolo... But if he was actively involved as a scholar, then man of letters is fine.

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Note added at 13 mins (2019-07-07 11:17:53 GMT)
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Is there a person (an aesthete or man of letters) earlier in the text to whom reference/comparison is being made?

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-07-07 12:31:37 GMT)
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An aesthete has a wider meaning than man of letters. An aesthete will typically be interested in art and design and possibly classical music, as well as literature. A man of letters is associated with studying or producing literature.
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5aesthete
Helen Shiner
3 +1scholar/litterateur/noble soul
Ramey Rieger (X)
4a man of artistic tastes
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
scholar/litterateur/noble soul


Explanation:
Other options, depending on the rest of the text's tone and tendencies.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 12:24
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wolfram Weinberg, PhD: depending on the rest of the text's tone and tendencies
13 hrs
  -> Amen!
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
aesthete


Explanation:
This how I would translate it. https://medium.com/aesthete/the-aesthetes-a-forgotten-ideolo... But if he was actively involved as a scholar, then man of letters is fine.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2019-07-07 11:17:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Is there a person (an aesthete or man of letters) earlier in the text to whom reference/comparison is being made?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2019-07-07 12:31:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

An aesthete has a wider meaning than man of letters. An aesthete will typically be interested in art and design and possibly classical music, as well as literature. A man of letters is associated with studying or producing literature.

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 139
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Martin, MA: I think "man of letters" would be appropriate, even if he wasn't a scholar
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Michael. It usually means a scholar of literature or someone who writes literature, that is, is actively involved, rather than just someone who appreciates it.
agree  Adrian MM.: It's time the asker and certain commentators invested in a Langenscheidt DE/EN *paper* dictionary. Aesthete is the first entry, belletrist the last.
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Adrian. It’s also there in first place in online dictionaries, but, yes, nothing compares to my Langenscheidt dictionary in paper form.
agree  writeaway
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, writeaway
agree  Cillie Swart: nice one
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Cillie
agree  Eleanore Strauss: good way to express this.. esthete in American English
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, Eleonore; the Asker is in the UK, as I am, but you are right about the divergent spelling.
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a man of artistic tastes


Explanation:
She had a tremendous respect for her father because he was a (natural) scientist, which was more valuable than being a man of artistic tastes.

If you plug "aesthete" or some of the other entries into the sentence, it sounds a little weird. But to be fair, "Schöngeist" is also very old school in German.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 06:24
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43
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