[Macworld]

Post your comments for Remains of the Day: Nein means nein here

[doppelD]

Hello Google,
the correct translation is rather 'Du hast kein Glück, mein Freund' than 'Sie sind kein Glück, mein Freund.'

Cheers

[woodworks]

doppelD, on 20 August 2010 - 04:51 PM, said:

Hello Google,
the correct translation is rather 'Du hast kein Glück, mein Freund' than 'Sie sind kein Glück, mein Freund.'

Cheers

Damn! Beat me to it.

Of course, if you're using the formal (and since we don't know each other, we should) you should say: Sie haben kein Glück, mein Freund."

Na Ja.

[MacTechAspen]

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Matter is rather more transitory.

None the less, it is great to have you back. You particular flavor of wit has been sorely missed.

[joebot]

All advertising to exist as a gas? Sounds about right. I've got your advertising right here, pal!

[dammarin]

Saying "and reassures iPhone 3G users that iPhone 4 will someday be usable" does not make any sense.

Also, the German phrase doesn't make any sense either ;-)

[mhawks]

"...reassures iPhone 3G users that iPhone 4 will someday be usable."

It's a typo, he means iOS 4 not iPhone 4.........

[Moeskido]

"Must it be so?"

[PixelHermit]

woodworks, on 20 August 2010 - 05:29 PM, said:

doppelD, on 20 August 2010 - 04:51 PM, said:

Hello Google,
the correct translation is rather 'Du hast kein Glück, mein Freund' than 'Sie sind kein Glück, mein Freund.'

Cheers

Damn! Beat me to it.

Of course, if you're using the formal (and since we don't know each other, we should) you should say: Sie haben kein Glück, mein Freund."

Na Ja.

First of all I agree that the sentence "Sie sind kein Glück, mein Freund" wouldn't make much sense. It translates to 'You are no luck, my friend' – and afaik not metaphorically, but literally meaning 'You are not identical to luck itself, my friend'.

Secondly, I think you're both correct! The tone in German language is often quite a bit more formal than in most other languages – at least amongst the elder generations – even between people who are loosely acquainted with each other, such as neighbours. In those cases "Sie haben kein Glück, mein Freund" would obviously be appropriate – and the less formal "Du hast..." might actually even be considered rude. But if the persons in question really are friends ("Freunde"), then the less formal "Du hast kein Glück, mein Freund" would certainly not be out of place.

All this put aside, I think the German name of the plastic egg holder is brilliant, since "Ei Pott" (pronounced like 'iPot') literally means 'egg pot'.

[Kees]

for those that don't speak or understand german, it should probably be mentioned that "ei" means egg.
If a product like the iRon can make it to market, this should be fine. Apple is showing little sense of humor here, but then again, it's Apple Germany we are talking about...

[oneaccord]

...and has nobody ever heard of the iPood (tiny.cc/4xw86)? Got to get out of those chairs occasionally my friends...