this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2025
552 points (96.9% liked)

Comic Strips

13410 readers
2658 users here now

Comic Strips is a community for those who love comic stories.

The rules are simple:

Web of links

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
(page 2) 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

Ich bedanke mich.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

At first I thought that in the last pannel the robot gives the child 'soup for my family'

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

飞机 = Flying Machine

打火机 = Fight Fire Machine (wtf lol)

玩具 = Play Device(?)

工具 = Work Device

救护车 = Save-Protect Car/Cart (SPC? SCP? 🤔 Ambulances are an SCP confirmed?!?)

Edit: Also

救命 = Save Life (Much better than "Help", English is lame)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

You forgot

火车 (fire car) = train

手机 (hand machine) = cellphone

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

JīJī = [Redacted due to NSFW]

(I have no idea what the characters is supposed to look like, I just hear people say it 🤭)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

The 打 in 打火機 is more like hit in this context. Makes a bit more sense with the way older lighters required you to flick it. But 打 is also used in a ton of contexts haha.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago

German... the Language of Love

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago (3 children)

"Stuff" should be translated as "tool", IMO.

[–] ironhydroxide 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Or thing.

Either is a better translation than stuff.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Thing is litterally Ding in German. The term Zeug on its own stands for for all the stuff you need to have at hand to perform some task.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Well stuff is literally Stoff, so...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't think the translation is as cleanly possible.

"Werkzeug" can be both singular and plural/uncountable. When used in plural, I would agree that "stuff" is good, but in singular, I think "thing" fits better.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

If it was about a real translation, I'd prefer 'device' instead.

[–] ironhydroxide 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So Flugzeug is flight all the stuff to fly like an airport and fuel and air and engine and.....

And Werkzeug is work all the stuff to work with.

And Spielzeug.... play, all the stuff that can make up play.

Nope, doesn't make much sense, especially because they're used in the singular and plural forms. If they include all the things for the task then it can't really be plural.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The meaning in terms of a singular object has evolved from the meaning in terms of a kit of objects, e.g. Feuerzeug was originally a flint stone and a fire striker, Nähzeug (sewing kit) and Sportzeug (sports equipment) are still being used in that manner. Werkzeug is a bit more tricky, as it can be the term for a singular item, e.g. a screwdriver, and a bunch of tools, e.g. all tools contained in a toolbox, while still the plural Werkzeuge exists.
However, I admit, that "stuff" to me as a non native English speaker carries more the meaning of Kram (collection of items with no specific purpose) than Zeug (with some purpose).

Edit: Fahrzeug and Flugzeug were made up in the early 20th century to combat the influence of foreign languages in German, so I wouldn't interpret too much into the meaning of the parts of these composita.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

While tool is great, I would say "gear" fits even better, does make sense as well.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I agree. As I've mentioned, 'stuff' has more the meaning of Kram.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Tool is Werkzeug (work stuff). "Zeug" is a filler word for when you don't remember the name so it fits.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

This actually helped me understand a little more why Germans I've met are so matter-of-fact and talk in flat statements without nuance.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago
load more comments
view more: ‹ prev next ›