Saturday 27 September 2014


Today’s insider tip: Geheimtipp!
Geheimtipp is much used in tourism texts to indicate a thing, place (or even a person*… see examples below!) which is in some way special, highly recommended, a real ‘must-see’. Of course, the Geheim- prefix carries the notion of secrecy, so translations along the lines of ‘little-known gem’, ‘best-kept/well-guarded secret’ will often fit the bill nicely. A typical example might be: Sri Lanka gilt bis heute als Geheimtipp unter den asiatischen Reisezielen = Until now, Sri Lanka has been a well-kept secret among Asian destinations.
But here are some alternative offerings taken from recent projects, none of which feature the words ‘secret’ or ‘tip’!

*Er ist der Geheimtipp dieses Abends = he’s one to watch this evening

 Kannst du mir einige Geheimtipps geben? = can you give me the low-down on...?

 (Kärntens) Geheimtipp im Winter = the place to be in Carinthia this winter

 Estland ist ein Geheimtipp für alle, die gern pittoreske Städte besuchen = Estonia is the destination for anyone who loves picturesque towns

 Hameln ist unbedingt ein Geheimtipp = Hamelin is a must on any visitor’s itinerary

 Goldschmiede Klagenfurt – ein ganz besonderer Geheimtipp = .... definitely worth a visit

 Ein echter Geheimtipp ist Sölden übrigens für Anhänger des nordischen Wintersports = Sölden is also a great place for/is much sought-after by fans of...

 

 

Sunday 14 September 2014


Today, some thoughts on how to translate ‘besticht’!

Although the primary meaning of bestechen is to bribe or corrupt, the verb is often used - like its counterpart überzeugt - to describe how appealing, captivating or just generally impressive a place or thing is. A direct translation (something along the lines of ‘impresses through’) is clearly no good, so a workaround is generally necessary. The following is a brief selection of besticht phrases which have come up in my work recently… and the translation I went for at the time. Feel free to add your own examples!

a)      … besticht der Landhaushof durch seinen Arkadengang

= a particularly attractive feature of the Landhaushof is its galleried courtyard

b)       das Hotel besticht durch die optimale Lage für Ausflüge

= the hotel provides an ideal base for excursions

c)      ... besticht durch seine Lage im mittleren Saaletal

= occupies an attractive location in the middle reaches of the Saale valley.

d)      der Saal im Volkshaus besticht durch eine ausgezeichnete Akustik

= the elegant Great Hall of the Volkshaus’ is known for its excellent acoustics

e)       die Nibelungenstadt Worms besticht mit ihrem reichen Kulturerbe aus über 2000 Jahren Geschichte.

= famed as the “City of the Nibelungs”, Worms boasts a rich cultural heritage stretching back over 2,000 years.

f)       die Planzenwelt im Norden der Insel besticht durch üppige Fülle.

= the north of the island boasts an abundance of lush vegetation

… and three more (from non-tourism texts!)

g)      der neue Toyota TF107 besticht hauptsächlich durch ein neues Aufhängungskonzept

= a particular impressive feature of the new Toyota TF107 is its new suspension system

h)      ... besticht hauptsächlich durch den Preis

= above all else, the… offers fantastic value for money

i)        das Modell besticht durch ein gradlinig und elegantes Design

        = its elegant, streamlined design makes this an extremely attractive model.

 

*Coming next month: what to do with that perennial favourite – ‘der Geheimtipp’!!!