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Exposé
Befestigungsauge

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit

English translation:

it often causes [tends to cause] problems

Added to glossary by Ann C Sherwin
Jun 18, 2008 19:07
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit

German to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Can anyone tell me what the final words mean in the following sentence from a personal letter, in which the writer reports a scolding she'd received from another relative?
Hintendran hat sie geschrieben, dass wenn ich etwas zu schreiben habe, soll ichs ja nur aufrichtig schreiben und nicht durch andern, denn ••es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit••.
The letter was written in 1898 from Rust (Baden-Württemberg).
Proposed translations (English)
4 it often causes [tends to cause] problems
2 +3 there are often misunderstandings (maybe in this context)
5 there is likely to be disagreement
3 +1 there are often inconveniences
4 inconveniences tend to arise
3 +1 "as it only leads to strife"
3 +1 deliberate misinterpretation is possible
3 it will only lead to difficulties
3 it may cause embarassment
Change log

Jun 19, 2008 16:40: Marcus Malabad changed "Term asked" from "\"es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit\"" to "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit" , "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"

Discussion

hazmatgerman (X) Jun 19, 2008:
@Moore. Danke. Mal sehen, wie's ausgeht.
MMUlr Jun 19, 2008:
Hi Ann, regarding correct German spelling: andere (--> other persons) are not capitalized (Neue or Alte Rechtschreibung), see http://www.canoo.net/ (enter andere, then click on Rechtschreibung. :-)
Ann C Sherwin (asker) Jun 18, 2008:
From one of the comments, I see that I a clarification is needed. In this context, "andern" refers to another person, not other words. (Andern was not capitalized, but there were also other errors. I corrected the spelling but missed that.) In the the letter the writer says she was scolded for having communicated her thoughts through a letter written by someone else.

Proposed translations

3 hrs
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"
Selected

it often causes [tends to cause] problems

Christian is right about "gerne", but his choice of nouns is bad. Also possible are "tends to lead to", "often leads to", and for the noun, "strife" (as suggested by Stephen)....
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Hard to decide who should get the KudoZ. Everyone was helpful, but this is the one I ended up using. TThanks!"
+1
16 mins
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

there are often inconveniences

In Swabia/Bafen-Würtemmberg 'gerne' is sometimes used as a synonym for 'often'

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Note added at 18 mins (2008-06-18 19:25:28 GMT)
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or 'there is often inopportuneness'
Peer comment(s):
neutral Richard Benham : I agree that "gerne" means "often" (or "there tend to be"), but your choice of nouns ("inconveniences", "inopportuneness") is very unidiomatic.
2 hrs
agree Lancashireman : An agree based on the ‘helpfulness’ criterion. One of those DE>EN occasions where GNS input is actually more valuable than ENS. RB is right about the English, though...
5 hrs
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23 mins
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

inconveniences tend to arise

This seems to be what it means though it doesn't seem to make much sense in this context. The author seems to be suggesting something which isn't clear.
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+3
51 mins
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

there are often misunderstandings (maybe in this context)

Just wondering- would this be an "inconvenience" in this context? I know it's a bit of a leap from the current meaning of "Ungelegenheit", but thought I would just suggest it
Peer comment(s):
agree Ken Cox : My suspicion as well, since the advice seems be 'if you have something to write, say it frankly instead of trying to put it in different words, since misunderstandings can easily arise'
15 mins
Thanks, Ken
agree TonyTK : My hunch too - although I'd like to hear what Dave 1 to Dave 71 think.
32 mins
Thanks Tony- I will remember to seek the other Daves' perspectives next time!
agree Cilian O'Tuama : as Ken says, "misunderstandings can easily arise"
5 hrs
Thanks, Cilian
neutral Christian Schneider : though this might have been the writer's intention it's merely speculation
9 hrs
True- I just think that "misunderstandings" is the sort of euphemism they might have used in the 19th Century to cover a multitude of (negative)outcomes- whether arguments or misunderstandings.
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1 hr
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

it will only lead to difficulties

Is how I see this one. Along the lines of Ken Cox's interpretation. Etwas kommt ungelegen, d.h. macht Probleme, passt nicht in die Pläne.
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+1
1 hr
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

"as it only leads to strife"

Whether "strife" would have been used in the late 19th century I cannot say, but it would certainly be a good collocation for contemporary usage.
Peer comment(s):
agree Edith Kelly
8 hrs
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+1
12 hrs
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

deliberate misinterpretation is possible

Ann, only you have the context. Only you, if anyone, could possibly know the timing of this letter vis-à-vis the earlier letter. That might have been written years earlier, and this one refer to the "someone whoc wrote it" who deliberately bent the facts as presented to give a totally wrong impression of the writer of this letter, which she may only just have realised, hence her comment.

My idea is she meant "there are people who deliberately take advantage of circumstances". Whether my reading between the lines is well in focus or not, I rather doubt even you can tell, at this distance in time...unless you have a complete run-down of the relationships within the family and friends circle.
Peer comment(s):
agree hazmatgerman (X) : I hesitate for I'm not sure ENS will get it, however from GNS POV this seems closest to the wordplay. @Moore: would "mis-relay may flourish" mean something? Regards.
2 hrs
Thanks, hazmatgerman; I think it may well be that the (later) writer's eyes were opened to something nasty...years later. "Deliberate" mis-relay? It's hard to tell, but personally, I rather doubt it.
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13 hrs
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

it may cause embarassment

another interpretation
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13 hrs
German term (edited): "es gibt gerne Ungelegenheit"

there is likely to be disagreement

the correct translation for "es gibt gerne" is "there is likely to be" whereas the word Ungelegenheit would be closest translated with "inconveniences". The word starts out awkward in German. When you then translate and superimpose a different cultural background "inconveniences" becomes even more awkward. "Disagreement" is a bit smoother the question here is if you superimpose a better translation on the somewhat rough formulated original. An ethical question.
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