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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

auf Gedeih und Verderb

English translation:

for better or (for) worse

Added to glossary by Hilary Davies Shelby
Mar 7, 2005 16:40
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

auf Gedeih und Verderb

German to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature politics/general/expression
"Osama bin Laden und George Bush jnr sind auf Gedeih und Verderb zusammengeschweisst".

I know what it means - sort of bound together/inextricably linked, etc, but has anyone got any ideas on a more poetic way to render this in English, to reflect the drama in the German?

Many thanks!

Hilary ;-)
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 for better or worse
4 +5 for better or for worse
4 +3 till death do them part
4 +1 come hell or high waters!
3 for better or worse
Change log

Dec 5, 2005 14:22: Kim Metzger changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com Mar 9, 2005:
Asker: Many thanks to everyone - Kim was just a little bit faster! I would use it either with or without the second "for", both are correct, and for future reference "come hell or high water" (singular, always!) is another great suggestion. Thanks very much!

Proposed translations

+1
1 min
Selected

for better or worse

:)
Reference:

Langenscheidt Muret-Sanders

Peer comment(s):
agree Armorel Young
36 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks to everyone - Kim was just a little bit faster! I would use it either with or without the second "for", both are correct, and for future reference "come hell or high water" (singular, always!) is another great suggestion. Thanks very much!"
2 mins

for better or worse

an option?

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Note added at 3 mins (2005-03-07 16:43:14 GMT)
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Hi Kim & Michael, didn\'t see your ideas before I submitted mine!
Something went wrong...
+3
12 mins

till death do them part

....

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Note added at 2005-03-07 16:53:37 (GMT)
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bound to each other

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-07 16:58:27 (GMT)
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they are stuck with each other

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-03-07 16:58:46 (GMT)
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they are wedded to each other till death do them part
Peer comment(s):
agree Friderike Butler : this works as well (can't see that there ever would be a "better" in this union)
14 mins
agree Aniello Scognamiglio (X) : ...but "till death do them part" hits the nail!
18 mins
agree Francis Lee (X)
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+1
6 mins

come hell or high waters!

they are inextricably linked to each other, come hell or high waters

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2005-03-07 17:13:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

for the benefit of CMJ_Trans (see \"neutral\" below)

Listmania! Books I\'ll own, Come hell or high waters!!!! -
Listmania! Books I\'ll own, Come hell or high waters!!!! by Melanie Gibson,
Voracious consumer of books! 1. Isabella and the Strange ...
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ tg/listmania/list-browse/-/3FR9Q20PBWLHL - 90k - Im Cache - Ähnliche Seiten

2FamousLyrics - I - Iq - High Waters - Songs, lyrics, Albums ... - [ Diese Seite übersetzen ]
... Wherever the faithless are With any other prey approaching Come hell or come waters
high Believe it or surrender nothing In all that is envious He\'s sworn to ...
www.2famouslyrics.com/i/iq/high-waters.html
Peer comment(s):
neutral CMJ_Trans (X) : high water (no 's')
6 mins
agree Friderike Butler : this also covers the double negative of the original
18 mins
thanks, Friderike
neutral Michael Schubert : I agree with CMJ about no 's' (despite the links -- you can find ANYTHING on the Internet!)
2 hrs
I agree with you about anything being in Google. I disagree with your judgment. WATERS is a literary expression here, to emphasize the magnitude. Just as you would not say "the sky fell in" but rather "the skies fell in
Something went wrong...
+5
2 mins

for better or for worse

a marriage of (in)convenience?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 3 mins (2005-03-07 19:43:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Full sentence:
OBL and GWB are stuck with each other [in a marriage of inconvenience] for better or for worse.
Peer comment(s):
agree IanW (X) : I'd put "for" twice, as you did - and I'd probably use the "marriage of inconvenience" as well!
1 min
agree Laura Terrett : I'd also repeat "for"
3 mins
agree Elimar Orlopp : like that, I just associated that OBL and Bush are welded together, would that not be a real nice drama, or does it jar the English ear too much?
26 mins
agree Aniello Scognamiglio (X) : I like this one but...
28 mins
agree Meturgan
16 hrs
Something went wrong...
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