Mar 19, 2007 13:15
17 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
schönfärberisch
German to English
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
corporate responsibility
From a report in connection with a survey of corporate social responsibility:
Diese Episoden führen genau in das Zentrum der Frage nach der gesellschaftlichen Verantwortung von Wirtschaftseliten. Doch was bleibt jenseits platter Diffamierung und **schönfärberischer** Phrasen?
The meaning is clear and I know there's an exact equivalent in English - I just can't think of it! There's e.g. "glossy cliches", but that's not quite it.
TIA!
(US readership)
Diese Episoden führen genau in das Zentrum der Frage nach der gesellschaftlichen Verantwortung von Wirtschaftseliten. Doch was bleibt jenseits platter Diffamierung und **schönfärberischer** Phrasen?
The meaning is clear and I know there's an exact equivalent in English - I just can't think of it! There's e.g. "glossy cliches", but that's not quite it.
TIA!
(US readership)
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +3 | effusive/euphemistic |
CMJ_Trans (X)
|
| 4 +3 | (painting) rosy pictures |
David Moore (X)
|
| 3 +2 | sugar-coated |
Henry Schroeder
|
| 4 | honeyed words |
Barbara Cashin (X)
|
| 3 | (falsly) idealizing |
F Schultze (X)
|
| 3 | glossy |
gfish
|
| 3 | saccharine |
casper (X)
|
| 3 | positive spin |
Melanie Nassar
|
| 3 | high-flown / hyped (-up) |
Bernhard Sulzer
|
| 3 -1 | swelling |
erika rubinstein
|
| 2 | palliatory? |
Alan Johnson
|
| 2 | whitewashing |
Ulrike Kraemer
|
Proposed translations
+3
28 mins
Selected
effusive/euphemistic
to keep the list going
Note from asker:
| Yes, euphemistic is certainly along the right lines. Thanks! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
seehand
: with euphemistic
1 hr
|
| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: my first thought before I saw your answer; let's hope it's the right one for Francis
1 hr
|
| agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: with euphemistic
1 day 2 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
-1
5 mins
erika rubinstein
Native in German
Works in field
Interp, trans, proof, PR, research, writ
Native in: Russian 
, German
Works in: English to Russian, German to Russian, Russian to German, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
swelling
....
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Nicole Schnell
: Sounds like (o)edema, sorry.
2 hrs
|
|
das Wörterbuch gibt auch diese Alternative, auf Dt. sagt man es auch (geschwollen)
|
|
| neutral |
Kim Metzger
: You really need more than a dictionary to propose viable English translations.
2 hrs
|
| neutral |
misterherrnau
: puffery (exaggerated praise, as in advertising) would have been a better way to put this
3 hrs
|
9 mins
palliatory?
One term that springs to my mind.
+2
12 mins
Henry Schroeder
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
20 years of experience, certified, ATA
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English, Russian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
sugar-coated
?
Note from asker:
| I like the "sweeten" aspect - it could well be the key here to that elusive word. Thanks! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
KARIN ISBELL
47 mins
|
| agree |
Hildegard Klein-Bodenheimer (X)
: American Heritage Dictionary writes it *sugarcoated*
1 hr
|
20 mins
(falsly) idealizing
The idea is painting a pretty picture that may not reflect reality.
23 mins
25 mins
Ulrike Kraemer
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
Combining technical expertise and style
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English
whitewashing
an option?
1 hr
glossy
dusty words like "down payment" were painted over by glossy phrases like no-doc loans, subprime loans ...
www.archaeologynews.org/DLink.asp?ID=125
The politicians just wrote back with these slick, glossy phrases telling me not to worry.
Sorry, but I think these companies are a waste of money and there's a distinct backlash against these glossy phrases amongst other employers I know ...
www.arrse.co.uk/...//printertopic=1/t=40467/postdays=0/post...
www.archaeologynews.org/DLink.asp?ID=125
The politicians just wrote back with these slick, glossy phrases telling me not to worry.
Sorry, but I think these companies are a waste of money and there's a distinct backlash against these glossy phrases amongst other employers I know ...
www.arrse.co.uk/...//printertopic=1/t=40467/postdays=0/post...
1 hr
saccharine
cloyingly sweet
1 hr
Melanie Nassar
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
dedicated, prompt, accurate
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, English to German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
positive spin
Spin is quite the in word, but to tell you the truth, I don't know if it fits here as well as your own suggestion of glossy phrases, or sugarcoated, as suggested by Henry, for that matter.
+3
2 hrs
(painting) rosy pictures
Is this it, possibly?
Note from asker:
| Great stuff, David. Ta! |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: that's what I would call it!
1 hr
|
| agree |
Nicole Schnell
1 hr
|
| agree |
Diana Loos
: My first thought had something to do with rose-tinted spectacles, so this fits perfectly!
16 hrs
|
4 hrs
Bernhard Sulzer
United States
United States
Native in German
Works in field
United States
High quality at a reasonable price
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German to English, German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
high-flown / hyped (-up)
some more options, depending on your further context.
high-flown (phrases expressions)
hyped-up (talk)
(catchy,) embellished slogans
perfect picture /painting a perfect picture
empty phrases
hypocritical talk
hype
double-talk
colorful phrases
(colorful) embellishments
http://www.fedexaminer.com/FedEx/view-1962.html
picture perfect
a bit further removed:
lip-service
(misleading) platitudes
links:
http://www.money-talk.org/msg31445.html
hyped up statements
http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.php?script=search&matchen...
double-talk , hype, lip-service
http://www.commoner.org.uk/02-7groundzero.htm
http://www.merz-zeitschrift.de/detail.php?beitrag_id=898
schönfärberisch ( as in “euphemistically)
http://www.werkbauenundwohnen.ch/editorial.php?l=e&archiv=20...
high-flown expression/schönfärberisch
http://search.parlament.ch/e/homepage/cv-geschaefte.htm?gesc...
hypocritical/ parler avec hypocrisie
http://www.dict.cc/?s=rosy
paint a rosy picture of something
to show something in a rosy light
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu_Xbv_5F.0wBGKpXNyoA...
painting a rosy picture
rosy picture they are painting
http://www.unlvrebelyell.com/article.php?ID=8937
Colorful campaign paraphernalia litters the sidewalks and fills the trash cans all across campus. Catchy slogans and recycled platitudes ring in the ears of passersby.
high-flown (phrases expressions)
hyped-up (talk)
(catchy,) embellished slogans
perfect picture /painting a perfect picture
empty phrases
hypocritical talk
hype
double-talk
colorful phrases
(colorful) embellishments
http://www.fedexaminer.com/FedEx/view-1962.html
picture perfect
a bit further removed:
lip-service
(misleading) platitudes
links:
http://www.money-talk.org/msg31445.html
hyped up statements
http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.php?script=search&matchen...
double-talk , hype, lip-service
http://www.commoner.org.uk/02-7groundzero.htm
http://www.merz-zeitschrift.de/detail.php?beitrag_id=898
schönfärberisch ( as in “euphemistically)
http://www.werkbauenundwohnen.ch/editorial.php?l=e&archiv=20...
high-flown expression/schönfärberisch
http://search.parlament.ch/e/homepage/cv-geschaefte.htm?gesc...
hypocritical/ parler avec hypocrisie
http://www.dict.cc/?s=rosy
paint a rosy picture of something
to show something in a rosy light
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu_Xbv_5F.0wBGKpXNyoA...
painting a rosy picture
rosy picture they are painting
http://www.unlvrebelyell.com/article.php?ID=8937
Colorful campaign paraphernalia litters the sidewalks and fills the trash cans all across campus. Catchy slogans and recycled platitudes ring in the ears of passersby.
Discussion