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  3. Poetry & Literature

Du lehnst an der Mauer....

English translation: you lean on the wall

19:06 Aug 18, 2018
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Marketing Text
German term or phrase: Du lehnst an der Mauer....
It is part of a submitted essay for a literary competition. It is written in the present tense
and in a descriptive tone. For this reason I think the translation 'You lean on the wall' with the
'simple present' is more appropriate than the 'present progressive' >'I am leaning on the wall'

The present progressive stresses the temporary aspect too much, therefore not appropriate.
Just would like get your feedback as to what you think.

It is in the 3rd paragaph and is part of this sentence:........drehst dir eine Zigarette und ich trete nah an dich heran
alfredweis
Germany
Local time: 15:01
English translation:you lean on the wall
Explanation:
perfectly ok in your context

you lean on the wall, roll a ciggie etc. ok

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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 02:53:37 GMT)
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sounds like a sequence of events so ok the way you have it

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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 02:56:43 GMT)
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but will depend on whether you're "painting a picture" or just describing a series of events

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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 03:02:18 GMT)
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but as Henry Hinds used to say (God bless him) CONTEXT

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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 03:03:53 GMT)
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Henry was a brilliant translator in Spanish-English
Selected response from:

David Hollywood
Local time: 10:01
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2you lean on the wall
David Hollywood
3 +1As you're leaning against the wall...
Michael Martin, MA


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
As you're leaning against the wall...


Explanation:
As you're leaning against the wall, rolling a cigarette, I'm stepping right up to you.

If the purpose is to draw readers in and get their attention, I would consider using progressive tense. Compare with passage below:

"It’s approaching 3PM. You’re leaning against the wall outside the meeting room, bracing yourself for the sheer boredom and monotony of the coming hour. Sigh.

Each week, you sit down with your manager and, regrettably, you slowly plod through a status update for each of your projects while she makes notes on her laptop..."
http://theengineeringmanager.com/growth/keeping-your-1-to-1s...

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 09:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sarah Lewis-Morgan: The present progressive says you are doing it now, while the simple present says you do it regularly or similar, so yes.
12 mins
neutral  writeaway: it all depends. we don't have enough context
26 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
you lean on the wall


Explanation:
perfectly ok in your context

you lean on the wall, roll a ciggie etc. ok

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 02:53:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sounds like a sequence of events so ok the way you have it

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 02:56:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

but will depend on whether you're "painting a picture" or just describing a series of events

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 03:02:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

but as Henry Hinds used to say (God bless him) CONTEXT

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-08-19 03:03:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Henry was a brilliant translator in Spanish-English

David Hollywood
Local time: 10:01
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 50
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: and obviously this is another option. who knows without seeing more of the (con)text.
5 hrs
  -> I agree so let's see if it's forthcoming
agree  Lancashireman: Here's a vote for 'on' as opposed to 'against' (= trying to stop it falling over). George Formby would also approve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEymZ3rXOmc
20 hrs
  -> thanks L but as Henry would have said "contexto" and Alice is right to keep us straight so let's see if we get more context
agree  Björn Vrooman: You cannot treat a poem as if it were ordinary speech. Poets prefer the simple present, as far as I'm aware. Here's an article about it: https://www.jstor.org/stable/461592
1 day 5 hrs
  -> thanks Björn
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