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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

die Hand ausrutschen

English translation:

take a swipe at

Added to glossary by franglish
Jun 1, 2006 08:14
17 yrs ago
German term

die Hand ausrutschen

German to English Social Sciences Psychology
This is from the sort of psychological questionnaire where you tick the statements which apply to you. The sentence reads:-
"Wenn ich aggressiv bin kann mir auch mal die Hand ausrutschen." Clearly anything to do with "my hand sometimes slips" doesn't work in English, as that conjures up the image of being careless or dropping things. I suggested "I tend to strike out" but this was rejected by the client as sounding too violent - the German is intended to be somewhat "gentler" than that. Any ideas?
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 take a swipe at
3 +3 to let fly
3 +2 I sometimes feel like slapping someone
3 +2 I end up taking it out physically on others/end up slapping someone/sometimes lash out physically
2 +2 lash out
3 +1 Sometimes it/I can get physical...
4 manifests itself in a physical way
3 (to) get out of hand
3 a clip around the ears
1 sometimes I lose normal control.

Discussion

Ken Cox Jun 6, 2006:
Maybe 'I sometimes impulsively hit someone' -- I don't see how you can avoid the fact that it involves physical aggression.
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 6, 2006:
Apologies to those of you who want to see points awarded for this question; I haven't (as yet) awarded any because the client hasn't as yet found any answer acceptable. Be assured that if/when the client does make up his mind the closest suggestion will get some points!
franglish Jun 6, 2006:
'my hand/s may let fly/lash out of its/their own volition' could be a way to pass on the buck
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 6, 2006:
That's true, Kenneth - I'm well aware that most of the "euphemistic" phrases are either slang or regional. It's one of those suggestions where the clients are going to have to make the final decision about what they want.
Ken Cox Jun 6, 2006:
If you ask me, demanding a euphemistic term that is not tied to a particular cultural environment is asking for the impossible given the widespread usage and variety of English.
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 6, 2006:
Thanks for all the suggestions, folks - however, I haven't felt able to select any of them because the client still wants something more euphemistic and we haven't yet come up with the right phrase; if the problem does get solved I shall let you know!
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 1, 2006:
You've hit the nail on the head, Kenneth - but I'm beginning to think that English hasn't got a suitably euphemistic word for this.
Ken Cox Jun 1, 2006:
Yes indeed - what is the proper euphemism for saying that you become physically aggressive but it doesn't really mean anything and it's certainly not your fault?
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 1, 2006:
And another thing - because it could be used in any situation where people speak English, I think we have to avoid colloquial expressions that might not be understood outside a particular cultural/linguistic background.
Armorel Young (asker) Jun 1, 2006:
The context is simply that it is one of a number of statements in a questionnaire designed to assess aggression - the situations in which it might be used aren't specified.
Francis Lee (X) Jun 1, 2006:
I have to say my first association was with parents giving (as Ian says) their kids a clip around the ear. The German (and English) phrase is IMO a horrible misnomer; its also the kind of thing a wife-beater would say. Context?
IanW (X) Jun 1, 2006:
Hi Armorel - interesting question! Could you give us a little more background. Are we talking about parents giving children a clip on the ear or people who administer punches in pubs?

Proposed translations

+1
1 hr
Selected

take a swipe at

Declined
have a run in with
let fly
there are quite a few possibilities
Peer comment(s):
agree Lancashireman : Sorry, I just noticed 'let fly' part way down your list...
2 hrs
Of my three proposals, it's the best because no object need be mentioned, so we agree
neutral Francis Lee (X) : but how would this work in the given context?
3 hrs
considering, 'let fly' would be best because one needn't give an object
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "The system (and some answerers) keep harassing me to select an answer, even though I don't yet have a usable translation, so I am giving points to this one even though - regrettably - I can't use it as I don't think it's suitable for an international audience. For the record, and to comment on some of the other answers, "lash out" was my own original suggestion which the client rejected as not being euphemistic enough; "let fly" (as people have pointed out) could refer to a verbal tirade whereas we need something quite specifically involving physical violence; anything involving "slapping" was rejected by the client as, again, not being euphemistic enough; "manifests itself in a physical way" could include things like going red in the face or having a thumping heart, which are covered by other parts of the questionnaire. But thanks for all your help!"
+2
6 mins

I sometimes feel like slapping someone

Declined
I think the slap (aside from the b*tch-slap) is generally considered the mildest form of physical violence.
Peer comment(s):
agree Sandra SAYN (X)
17 mins
neutral Michele Johnson : Spot on with "slapping someone", but I think it should be "I sometimes end up slapping s.o." Important distinction: we all sometimes *feel* like slapping someone (dont we?), but normal people *don't*. This question targets actual slapping/loss of control.
2 hrs
neutral Francis Lee (X) : and I think that's an Agree from Michele / But now that I look at the question again, I think "slap" is too weak, i.e. to specific; the German could also refer to a fist in the face (even if the perpetrator plays it down)
7 hrs
agree Mario Marcolin
5 days
Something went wrong...
+3
3 hrs

to let fly

Declined
"I'm sometimes inclined to let fly"
Use of 'let' suggests this is an involuntary response, rather like the hand that just 'slips'.
IMO. quite mild on the violent-gentle continuum.
Peer comment(s):
agree Francis Lee (X) : "fly off the handle" might be an option here
1 hr
agree Ian M-H (X) : "to let fly" is good here. "I sometimes find myself letting fly" would involve the 'lasher out' taking even less responsibility for her/his actions.
2 hrs
neutral Michele Johnson : Just commenting to be fair to the others. "Letting fly" might involve a mere verbal assault, while I believe the questionnaire is driving at the actual transition to physical violence (however "uninentional", "inadvertent", or whatever).
3 hrs
agree IanW (X) : You could say "let fly (physically)", but personally, I would always understand this as being physical
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
4 hrs

lash out

Declined
Should be clear enough in the given context.

"My father on the other hand would just lash out for either no reason or for very little provacation"
http://www.readersdigest.ca/debate.html?a=v&di=84
(please excuse reference)
Peer comment(s):
agree Ian M-H (X) : yes, sometimes one just finds oneself lashing out...
10 mins
neutral Michele Johnson : I don't mean to quibble, but to me the key is an *actual physical attack* (a very typical thing to be gauged in such psychological tests). "Lashing out" can also mean you just yell at someone or write a nasty note.
1 hr
Potentially yes, but the link I provided is an unambiguous example
agree Ellen Zittinger
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
12 mins
German term (edited): kann mir mal die Hand ausrutschen

sometimes I lose normal control.

Declined

(Lowest level of confidence -- I am guessing.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2006-06-01 14:02:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternative: I sometimes get physical.
Peer comment(s):
disagree IanW (X) : "sometimes I lose normal control" could mean something entirely different and "getting physical" definitely means something different (ask Olivia Newton-John)!
6 hrs
Well (perhaps), much to th detrimnt of rock culture, assumng th targt audience is practcng professnal psychlgsts, lucky for us the normal professnl psychologist evaluating a psychological test will discrn th diffrnce betwn O.N.-J. slang+ordinry discourse.
agree Derek Gill Franßen : I didn't notice your addendum until Brie pointed it out to me (I was distracted by "normal control" - not something I would use), but I think "to get physical" is used correctly in this sense. :-)
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
6 hrs

I end up taking it out physically on others/end up slapping someone/sometimes lash out physically

Declined
Instead of just being critical of everyone else, I thought I'd better give a suggestion of my own :)

Of course we don't know the exact purpose of Armorel's questionnaire, but in my experience they often differentiate between physical, verbal, and other ("indirect") aggression. That's why I make such a big deal that an idiom like "lashing out" is not enough - I think it is imperative to specify the physical (because other questions will surely target the other aspects, like "I become verbally aggressive when..." or "I become indirectly aggressive by ....")

I try to convey the sort of "inadvertent" element (ausrutschen) with "I end up" or "I sometimes". Maybe "I sometimes end up" is better.

Have a look here:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/74500509...
http://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp10_15.pdf
Peer comment(s):
agree IanW (X) : I think "I end up taking it out physically on others" might imply a half-hour beating, but "end up slapping someone" is great and "end up" is an excellent way to convey the inadvertent aspect
7 mins
agree Stephen Reader
1 day 9 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
8 hrs
German term (edited): ...kann mir auch mal die Hand ausrutschen

Sometimes it/I can get physical...

Declined
...if I become aggressive.

This might be a suitably vague way to go.
:-)
Peer comment(s):
neutral Brie Vernier : I hope you're not speaking from experience ... : ) But see TechLaw's addendum at 5 hours, and Ian's comment on same ...
48 mins
...not that I'd know - I'm usually pretty easy going. I admit that I didn't see TechLaw's addendum, but I certainly do not agree with Ian's view that it means something different. Since when was Olivia Newton-John a linguistic authority? ;-)
neutral IanW (X) : Personally, I would never, ever understand "getting physical" with violence. And I've never seen Grease, so there ...
14 hrs
Maybe not you, but many would understand it (also see: http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-29,GGL... ). ;-)
agree Stephen Reader : Oh dear. Would've agreed wholly if you hadn't said that, Ian. Try '...it doesn't stop at words'?
1 day 7 hrs
Something went wrong...
5 days

manifests itself in a physical way

OK, if you need an all-purpose euphemism, I would say "When I am aggressive, this sometimes manifests itself in a physical reaction (e.g. slapping someone)". I'd leave the part in brackets in.
Something went wrong...
5 days

(to) get out of hand

...another try.
;-)
Something went wrong...
6 mins

a clip around the ears

Declined
Nur ein Vorschlag

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2006-06-06 14:23:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Und noch ein Vorschlag ...

... I get so angry I lose it and punch someone.

http://www.kristarella.com/blog/?m=200602&paged=2

one of these days i'm going to lose it and punch everyone in the face

www.cosforums.com/archive/index.php?t-82302.h
Peer comment(s):
neutral Francis Lee (X) : this requires an object of said clipping; CL3?
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
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