23 August 2012: Pi mal Daumen

23 Aug: Pi mal Daumen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Pi mal Daumen

Closest English Translation: rule of thumb

Literal Translation: Pi(math) times thumb

22 August 2012: um die Ecke bringen

22 Aug: um die Ecke bringen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, Atelierhof Kreuzberg, Letters from the Field exhibition by Node Center for Curatorial Studies

Word or Expression: um die Ecke bringen

Closest English Translation: to kill someone, to bump someone off

Literal Translation: to bring someone around the corner

Thanks to musician and filmaker Hyo-Jin Shin and Pol Guillen!

21 August 2012: Endlich aus dem Quark kommen

21 Aug: Endlich aus dem Quark kommen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my house

Word or Expression: Endlich aus dem Quark kommen

Closest English Translation: to take responsibility, to get on with it

Direct Translation: to come finally out of the quark (curds)

20 August 2012: Etwas schnabulieren

20 Aug: Etwas schnabulieren from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, Core Restaurant

Word or Expression: Etwas schnabulieren

Closest English Translation: to munch on something, to gnaw on something

Literal Translation: to eat something

Hanjo said in the video, “Ich muss mal die Häppchen schnabulieren.”
Häppchen: bits or appetizer

19 August 2012: fauler Sack

19 Aug: Faulersack from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: fauler Sack

Closest English Translation: lazybones, lazyass, lazy bum

Literal Translation: lazy bag

18 August 2012: Etwas abstauben

18 Sept: Etwas abstauben from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Etwas abstauben

Closest English Translation: to scrounge something, to make out like a bandit

Direct Translation: to dust something

17 August 2012: Essen (und trinken) hält Leib und Seele Zusammen

Location: Berlin, Germany, Keyser Soze

Word or Expression: Essen (und trinken) hält Leib und Seele Zusammen.

Closest English Translation: To eat and to drink keeps body and soul together

Thanks to Fabian and Laura from ArtsPolitics for participating!

The key to a man’s heart is through the stomach is NOT “Essen (und trinken) hält Leib und Seele Zusammen,” rather “Liebe geht durch den Magen.” Sorry for our mistake – these things happen sometimes! We are so doof and totally translated it wrong because we had been drinking a little bit too much wine on a lovely Berlin evening.

16 August 2012: Jemandem ein Schnippchen schlagen

16 Aug: Jemandem ein Schnippchen schlagen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin-Prenzlauerberg, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Jemandem ein Schnippchen schlagen

Closest English Translation: to put one over on someone. to outwit someone.

Direct Translation: to hit someone with a fingersnap

Note: mit den Fingern schnipsen: to snap one’s fingers

15 August 2012: Kohldampf haben

15 Aug: Kohldampf haben from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin-Prenzlauerberg, Germany, ‘A Magica

Word or Expression: Kohldampf haben

Closest English Translation: I’m starving. I could eat a horse

Direct Translation: I have hunger twice.

Kohler means hunger as well as dampf. This is an old Yiddish word.

14 August 2012: Schwuchtel (a repetitious term – OH NO!)

14 Aug: Schwuchtel from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Kreuzberg, Germany, close to Schlesisiches Tor U-Bahn Station

Word or Expression: das Schwuchtel

Closest English Translation: faggot, fairy, fruitcake, bull-dyke

Direct Translation: faggot, bull-dyke

Thanks to Kimura Byol!

This entry is a mistake because I’ve already done Schwuchtel on 4th of August with Walter C.! Oh no. I’m so behind with posting this was bound to happen. I must be punished.