Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
schöngeistige Literatur
English translation:
book of fiction/ belles lettres
Added to glossary by
Hilary Davies Shelby
Jul 21, 2005 22:42
18 yrs ago
3 viewers *
German term
United States
German and "Geek" to English!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English
schöngeistige Literatur
German to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
medieval book production
Hello all,
This is from a text about book production in the Middle Ages. How would you translate "schöngeistige Literatur"?
"Wir Mönche kopieren und vervielfältigen in erster Linie theologische Bücher, also Bibeln, Messbücher und dergleichen. Wissenschaftliche, medizinische, juristische oder auch schöngeistige Literatur ist Sache der Berufsschreiber an den Universitäten."
Thanks very much!
This is from a text about book production in the Middle Ages. How would you translate "schöngeistige Literatur"?
"Wir Mönche kopieren und vervielfältigen in erster Linie theologische Bücher, also Bibeln, Messbücher und dergleichen. Wissenschaftliche, medizinische, juristische oder auch schöngeistige Literatur ist Sache der Berufsschreiber an den Universitäten."
Thanks very much!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +4 | book of fiction/ belles lettres |
Laurens Landkroon
|
| 4 +10 | belles-lettres |
Kim Metzger
|
| 3 +2 | humanistic literature |
Christine Lam
|
| 5 | Romances |
Parzival
|
| 3 | aesthetic/esthetic literature |
verbis
|
Proposed translations
+4
10 mins
Laurens Landkroon
Native in English
Your strategic partner in translation
Native in: Dutch (Variant: Netherlands) 
, English (Variants: US, UK)
Works in: English to Dutch, Dutch to English, German to Dutch, and 7 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
German term (edited):
sch�ngeistige Literatur
Selected
book of fiction/ belles lettres
this is what I would use..............
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
verbis
: fictional/belletristic literature :)
28 mins
|
| agree |
Mario Marcolin
6 hrs
|
| agree |
BrigitteHilgner
: NOT belles lettres (only used in English from 1710 onward, therefore not really suitable in this context), but books of fiction.
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Anne Brackenborough (X)
: I'd use "fiction" if it's for children, too, as belles-lettres/ belletristic isn't a commonly-known term in English. The style is modern in the German text, so the translation doesn't have to be old-fashioned.
1 day 14 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I really liked belles-lettres, but as Brigitte pointed out, it wasn't a word my monk would have used, so I went with something neutral rather than something specialised and possibly incorrect. Thanks very much, everyone!"
+10
5 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Specializes in field
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
213
German term (edited):
sch�ngeistige Literatur
belles-lettres
belles-lettres
1. Literature regarded for its aesthetic value rather than its didactic or informative content.
2. Light, stylish writings, usually on literary or intellectual subjects.
[French : belles, fine + lettres, letters, literature.]
http://www.answers.com/topic/belles-lettres
belles-lettres [from the French for literature, literally “fine letters”], literature that is appreciated for the beauty, artistry, and originality of its style and tone rather than for its ideas and informational content. Earlier the term was synonymous with literature, referring particularly to fiction, poetry, drama, criticism, and essays. However, belletristic literature has come to mean light, artificial writing and essays extolling the beauties of literature.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0806893.html
1. Literature regarded for its aesthetic value rather than its didactic or informative content.
2. Light, stylish writings, usually on literary or intellectual subjects.
[French : belles, fine + lettres, letters, literature.]
http://www.answers.com/topic/belles-lettres
belles-lettres [from the French for literature, literally “fine letters”], literature that is appreciated for the beauty, artistry, and originality of its style and tone rather than for its ideas and informational content. Earlier the term was synonymous with literature, referring particularly to fiction, poetry, drama, criticism, and essays. However, belletristic literature has come to mean light, artificial writing and essays extolling the beauties of literature.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0806893.html
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
silfilla
3 mins
|
|
Not a term we'd use today, but it would be a term the monk would have used.
|
|
| agree |
Julija Sametz-Art
: see also http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belles_lettres
5 mins
|
| agree |
verbis
: belletristic literature :)...... -:)
22 mins
|
|
Yes, that would work too, honey.
|
|
| agree |
Fantutti (X)
: with verbis; sounds more 'up-to-date'.
31 mins
|
| agree |
Rebecca Garber
: belletristic would work
1 hr
|
| agree |
Erik Macki
: This is just good. Note that Merriam Webster does not use the hyphen, however (belles lettres), so be sure to be consistent with your dictionary of record whatever it is.
2 hrs
|
|
I suppose Hilary is using Oxford, Erik - they spell it with a hyphen.
|
|
| agree |
Jan Vano
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Lori Dendy-Molz
5 hrs
|
| neutral |
BrigitteHilgner
: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this expression was first used in English in 1710 - therefore I find it unsuitable in this context.
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Jeannette Bauroth
: given the context, I find it more suitable than belletristic... and Muret-Sanders shows it hypened, too
8 hrs
|
| agree |
Maria Ferstl
1 day 10 hrs
|
+2
6 mins
German term (edited):
sch�ngeistige Literatur
humanistic literature
MEDIEVAL & HUMANISTIC LITERATURE. Online Reference – Online Texts – Institutions &
Organisations – Library Holdings. REFERENCE. Iter Database ...
www.sas.ac.uk/warburg/mnemosyne/Word/humanism.htm - 14k
Organisations – Library Holdings. REFERENCE. Iter Database ...
www.sas.ac.uk/warburg/mnemosyne/Word/humanism.htm - 14k
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
silfilla
3 mins
|
| agree |
swisstell
12 mins
|
| agree |
verbis
: as well
31 mins
|
| disagree |
Rebecca Garber
: this post-dates the medieval and hand-copying by a century
1 hr
|
| neutral |
Erik Macki
: Humanism/humanistic most properly refer to extremely late medieval and of course Renaissance writings, so while in the right ballpark I think this solution will create some problems for some readers.
2 hrs
|
6 mins
German term (edited):
sch�ngeistige Literatur
aesthetic/esthetic literature
esthetic AmE
my guess :)
hth
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 36 mins (2005-07-21 23:19:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
German-English translations for \"schöngeistig\": aesthetic · esthetic (Am.)American
English. Search the dictionary. All German entries. Starting with \"a\" ...
odge.info/german-english/sch%F6ngeistig.html
http://www.dict.cc/english-german/a160.php
http://www.users.odn.de/~hagemann/rev/mmm/matt_1.html
Das Experiment glückt perfekt, klassische Instrumentierung und Technologie bilden eine hervorragende Symbiose, die ohne den jeweiligen Gegenpart nicht halb so reizvoll wäre. So klingt die Musik auf ”Intimate & Obstinate” nicht steif und verstaubt, sondern sehr modern; nicht nur schöngeistig, sondern sie besitzt durch das elektronische Beiwerk einen oftmals dissonanten Charakter -
The experiment succeeds perfectly; classical instrumentation and technology form an excellent symbiose, that wouldn\'t be half so charming without its respective constituent parts. The music on Intimate and Obstinate doesn\'t sound stiff or fuddy-duddy, but very modern; not only aesthetic, but it has, due to the electronic contributions, an often dissonant character, not to say—charm. With so many excellent releases coming from this circle of artists, one can likewise look forward very ...
my guess :)
hth
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 36 mins (2005-07-21 23:19:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
German-English translations for \"schöngeistig\": aesthetic · esthetic (Am.)American
English. Search the dictionary. All German entries. Starting with \"a\" ...
odge.info/german-english/sch%F6ngeistig.html
http://www.dict.cc/english-german/a160.php
http://www.users.odn.de/~hagemann/rev/mmm/matt_1.html
Das Experiment glückt perfekt, klassische Instrumentierung und Technologie bilden eine hervorragende Symbiose, die ohne den jeweiligen Gegenpart nicht halb so reizvoll wäre. So klingt die Musik auf ”Intimate & Obstinate” nicht steif und verstaubt, sondern sehr modern; nicht nur schöngeistig, sondern sie besitzt durch das elektronische Beiwerk einen oftmals dissonanten Charakter -
The experiment succeeds perfectly; classical instrumentation and technology form an excellent symbiose, that wouldn\'t be half so charming without its respective constituent parts. The music on Intimate and Obstinate doesn\'t sound stiff or fuddy-duddy, but very modern; not only aesthetic, but it has, due to the electronic contributions, an often dissonant character, not to say—charm. With so many excellent releases coming from this circle of artists, one can likewise look forward very ...
8 hrs
German term (edited):
sch�ngeistige Literatur
Romances
"Belletristic works" would apply to modern literature.
Discussion