være bekendt

English translation: be proper

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Danish term or phrase:være bekendt
English translation:be proper
Entered by: Tara Chace

00:04 Jul 22, 2006
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Danish term or phrase: være bekendt
Henrik asks Mr. Larsen if he can have his daughter's hand in marriage. Mr. Larsen's daughter is not that great of a catch (not very pretty, not very outgoing, kind of squirrely). Mr. Larsen says:

"Jeg kan vel dårligt være bekendt at sige at du har en besynderlig smag."
Tara Chace
United States
Local time: 19:41
Be proper
Explanation:
i suppose it would not be proper
Selected response from:

Helle Sabroe
Local time: 04:41
Grading comment
Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1Be proper
Helle Sabroe
3be nice
pcovs
4 -2make fame
Joy Christensen


  

Answers


4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
be nice


Explanation:
'I guess it wouldn't be very nice of me to say that you have a perculiar taste.'

A suggestion.

pcovs
Denmark
Local time: 04:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Danish
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1 day 18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Be proper


Explanation:
i suppose it would not be proper

Helle Sabroe
Local time: 04:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in DanishDanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Erik Macki: I think this suits the register very well (a father speaking his daughter's love interest). Although "nice" is also OK, "proper" sounds more fatherly.
1 day 21 hrs
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3 days 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
make fame


Explanation:
The person is saying that it wouldn't be unique to think/say this. So it wouldn't make the person famous or allow the person to reach fame - make fame.

Example sentence(s):
  • It would hardly make fame to say you have a strange taste in women.
Joy Christensen
Local time: 04:41
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Erik Macki: Perhaps you meant to write "make famous"? Even so, this is an idiomatic use here and has nothing to do with "fame" in this context; see the above answers which are closer.
3 hrs
  -> I did think "make [myself] famous" at first, and then dredged up "make fame" as in "make fame and fortune". Maybe the full idiom would be better. It's just a suggestion. Thanks for your comment!

disagree  bendksu: I disagree with the "make fame" translation. it has more of a moral connotation.
369 days
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