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A smidgin of idiomatic German

Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:15 pm
by Richard Hargreaves
:[] Am Strand und in den Ortschaften Bilder des Elends. Herrgott, was sind das für Menschen, die das gewollt haben. Man müsste sie hierherschicken, ich glaube, es würde ihnen vergehen.

Scenes of misery on the beach and in the villages. Lord, what sort of people wanted this? They should be sent here. I believe it would ...

It's vergehen I can't get - not in its usual sense. I presume he's saying "What sort of people wanted this? Send them here - they'd soon lose their appetite for it..."

Re: A smidgin of idiomatic German

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:11 am
by Christoph Awender
Hello Richard,

You already provided a very good translation. We use the term "da vergeht mir der Appetit" when we see/hear something disgusting.

/Christoph

Re: A smidgin of idiomatic German

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:43 am
by Richard Hargreaves
Excellent. Many thanks Christoph.

This translating German lark is a piece of cake. :D