11 November 2012: In der Kreide stehen

11Nov: In der Kreide stehen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: In der Kreide stehen

Closest English Translation: To be in debt to someone

Literal Translation: To stand in the chalk

7 November 2012: Auf einen Sprung vorbei kommen

7 Nov: Auf einen Sprung vorbei kommen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Auf einen Sprung vorbei kommen

Closest English Translation: To stop by, to swing by

Direct English Translation: To come by on a jump

Thanks Kia Corthron once again for participating!

3 November 2012: Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden

3 Nov: Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden

Closest English Translation: to pull the wool over someone’s eyes, to pull someone’s leg

Direct English Translation: To tie a bear on someone

Thanks Cheryl Klein and Ted Hearne!

25 October 2012: Lange Finger machen

25 Oct: Lange Finger machen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: Idiom, Slang

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Lange Finger machen

Closest English Translation: five finger discount, shoplift, steal

Literal Translation: to make a long finger

Thanks to Cheryl Klein and Kia Corthron!

24 October 2012: Einen Spleen haben

24 Oct: einen Spleen haben from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Einen Spleen haben

Closest English Translation: to be off your rocker, to be nuts

Literal Translation: to have a spleen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spleen
The connection between spleen (the organ) and melancholy (the temperament) comes from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks. One of the humours (body fluid) was the black bile, secreted by the spleen organ and associated with melancholy. In contrast, the Talmud (tractate Berachoth 61b) refers to the spleen as the organ of laughter while possibly suggesting a link with the humoral view of the organ. In the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century England, women in bad humour were said to be afflicted by the spleen, or the vapours of the spleen. In modern English, “to vent one’s spleen” means to vent one’s anger, e.g. by shouting, and can be applied to both males and females. Similarly, the English term “splenetic” is used to describe a person in a foul mood.

22 October 2012: Wo der Kaiser zum fuß geht

22 Oct: Wo der Kaiser zum Fuß geht from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Wo der Kaiser zum fuß geht

Closest English Translation: to go to the loo, to go to the little boy’s room, to powder one’s nose

Literal Translation: Where the Emperor goes by foot

20 October 2012: Feiner Pinkel

20 Oct: Feiner Pinkel from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Feiner Pinkel

Closest English Translation: stuck up prig, stuck up snob

Literal Translation: fine urination, fine pee, refined piss

18 October 2012: Es passt wie die Faust aufs Auge!

18 Oct: Es passt wie die Faust aufs Auge from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Es passt wie die Faust aufs Auge!

Closest English Translation: That clashes horribly!

Literal Translation: It fits like a fist on the eye!

Thanks Robert Schennkan for hitting me in the eye!

Can apparently also be used ironically to emphasize a perfect match.

11 October 2012: Immer der Nase nach

11 Oct: Immer der Nase nach from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Immer der Nase nach

Closest English Translation: Follow your nose

Literal Translation: Always the nose after

Thanks to experienced hikers Christina Tenaglia and Robert Schennkan for accompanying me to climb Mount Monadnack!

10 October 2012: Keine graue Haare darüber wachsen lassen

10 Oct: Keine graue Haare darüber wachsen lassen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Peterborough, NH

Word or Expression: Keine graue Haare darüber wachsen lassen

Closest English Translation: to not let any grey hair grow

Literal Translation: to not lose any sleep over that (something)