Help with a German sentence.

[edmont]

Hi, could use some help translating this sentence from a German book:

Als ich gerade mit Karl zur Haustüre hereinkam, brauste ein junger geschäftiger Mitarbeiter die Betontreppe herab, direkt auf Karl los und rief ihn respektlos an: "Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor", weiter kam er nicht.

Here's my translation.

Just as I came with Karl in the front door, a young bustling coworker hurtled down the concrete steps directly up to Karl and called to him without respect: "Hey Doctor," and went no further.

Any corrections or alternative translations would be much appreciated. Or did I get it right?

[Duckduck]

Hi edmont,

before we fiddle around with your translation, let me ask you this: Do you feel your English sentence sounds OK/idiomatic/English?
You have certainly grasped the content of the German sentence, but...

What do you think?

Cheers
Duckduck

[edmont]

HI duckduck, sorry so long to reply.
Thank you very much for your reply. I am not aware that there is anything not idiomatic or not okay with the English form of the sentences. Is there something that could be improved? My English is certainly not perfect, though I am native.

My main uncertainty about the German translation was with respect to what the young man said to Karl, a professor ("Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor" which I turned into "Hey, Doctor."). But from what you say, it sounds like there is no very different meaning really possible.

Immediately after the young man gave that "greeting," the professor was quite angry at being addressed that way (it was the second decade of the 1900s). I'm not sure why the professor (referred to in the passage as doctor) was angry, or how a young person was supposed to greet an elder person or professor in those days.  "Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor" sounds kind of polite to me. Why did the professor find it impolite? Should I have translated it instead as "Hey you, Doctor, sir" ? But "Hey you" is surely more informal than "Sagen Sie". Was the professor angry because the young man spoke first, perhaps too abruptly, or without any sign in his face of fearful deference and humble reticence? Or was it that in hurtling down the steps so suddenly, the young man owed an apology to anyone who would have been in his way? Or was there no objective reason for the professor to be angry? Was the professor's reaction due to the professor's own idiosyncrasy? Or, if the young man's greeting was indeed impolite, what should he have said (in the 1920s) instead so as not to make the professor angry?

Thanks again for your assistance.

[tiorthan]

The late 19th and early 20th century in Germany was in many ways a lot like Victorian England. People used polite forms even with their parents.
Having said that, without knowing the setting of that conversation it's not possible to answer the question. "Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor" would be acceptable in many situations. But since we don't know the exact situation and the social standing of the participants of the conversation, I can't really say what would be correct.

[edmont]

tiorthan,
Thanks very much for your reply, which makes sense.  Unfortunately, the context does not provide much else --
I am mainly unsure of my translation of "Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor," into English. I made it "Hey doctor." But the German seems to be in the imperative form, which my translation did not capture. I suppose the aspect the doctor found too familiar in the context is the abrupt imperative form of the sentence. Could it be translated, "Tell me what's up, doctor" or "Talk to me, tell me what's happening, doctor." If the doctor hardly knew the young man, I could see how that could be taken as disrespectful.

[Duckduck]

Hi, could use some help translating this sentence from a German book:

Als ich gerade mit Karl zur Haustüre hereinkam, brauste ein junger geschäftiger Mitarbeiter die Betontreppe herab, direkt auf Karl los und rief ihn respektlos an: "Sagen Sie, Herr Doktor", weiter kam er nicht.

Here's my translation.

Just as I and Karl (it should really be Karl and I, but I see that you took it from the German sentence - where it should be the other way round too... ) were coming through the front door, a young bustling colleague/employee hurtled down the concrete steps heading  directly towards Karl and addressing him quite flippantly: "Tell me, Doc," - that's as far as he got.

Any corrections or alternative translations would be much appreciated. Or did I get it right?

Hi edmont,
I've been thinking about your translation and really in a way it's all a matter of taste. But here are some suggestions. What do you think?
Best wishes for a happy new year
Hemingduck

[tiorthan]

Duckduck's suggestions capture the tone rather well, I think.

where it should be the other way round too...

Interestingly, the German "Der Esel nennt sich selbst zuerst" appears in a lexicon of German sayings published in the late 1800s but examples of "Ich und ..." continue to appear in literature for quite a while even in the first quarter of the 20th century.

[edmont]

duckduck, I like what you've done with it. Food for thought. Also from tiorthan. Thank you both.