Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Danish term or phrase:
klods om benet
English translation:
a (major) drag
Added to glossary by
Erik Macki
Jan 4, 2005 21:24
19 yrs ago
Danish term
Published Translator
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Dutch to English, and 3 more.
klods om benet
Danish to English
Bus/Financial
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
employee survey answers
Here is the original sentence, part of an answer to a survey about employee satisfaction at company XYZ:
Det er spændende, om XYZ nogensinde bliver andet end en kolossal klods om benet.
I'm a bit confused by "end en kolossal klods om benet." Does anyone have any ideas for a good U.S. English translation?
Thanks in advance!
Det er spændende, om XYZ nogensinde bliver andet end en kolossal klods om benet.
I'm a bit confused by "end en kolossal klods om benet." Does anyone have any ideas for a good U.S. English translation?
Thanks in advance!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | a (major) drag |
lone (X)
|
| 5 +7 | "a ball and chain" or "dead wood" |
Jørgen Madsen
|
| 5 | be a millstone around somebody's neck |
Eva Harbo Andersen (X)
|
Proposed translations
3 mins
Selected
a (major) drag
or
a drag (on somebody)
or
a millstone round your neck!
Good luck!
a drag (on somebody)
or
a millstone round your neck!
Good luck!
Reference:
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Everyone's suggestions were great, but I went with "major drag," which fit the context and need for U.S. English best. Thanks Lone!"
+7
7 mins
"a ball and chain" or "dead wood"
Politikens Engelsk-dDansk Idiomordbog
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Suzanne Blangsted (X)
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Jande
: ball and chain
6 hrs
|
| agree |
pcovs
: :o)
10 hrs
|
| agree |
Christine Andersen
: ball and chain is literally closest, but I think dead wood fits the situation very well too.
13 hrs
|
| agree |
Roald Toskedal
16 hrs
|
| agree |
Harry Nissen (X)
: Agree...."I Love You Like A Ball And Chain" by Eurythmics
2 days 13 hrs
|
| agree |
Mihaela Nissen (X)
2 days 14 hrs
|
10 hrs
be a millstone around somebody's neck
alternatively: be an enormous drag on somebody
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Harry Nissen (X)
: Bruger man mest i bibliske texte, men meningen er ikke forkert.Passer dog ikke saa godt i denne forbindelse."You know, it's written in the Bible that better that a millstone was hanged at your neck and drowned ..."
2 days 3 hrs
|
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