Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
aus seinem Schatten heraustreten
English translation:
can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light
Added to glossary by
Ramey Rieger (X)
May 3, 2021 15:04
3 yrs ago
44 viewers *
German term
Spain
FR/DE - EN translator and proofreader
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, German to English
aus seinem Schatten heraustreten
German to English
Science
Philosophy
Ich weiss dass, jeder Mensch, egal, wie aussichtslos die Lage auch erscheinen mag, aufstehen und aus seinem Schatten heraustreten kann.
An interview discussing attitudes towards life. Could this be rendered as something along the lines of 'everyone, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, can pick themselves up and see light at the end of the tunnel'?
An interview discussing attitudes towards life. Could this be rendered as something along the lines of 'everyone, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, can pick themselves up and see light at the end of the tunnel'?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +4 | can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light |
Ramey Rieger (X)
|
| 3 +1 | jump over one's own shadow |
Wendy Streitparth
|
| 3 | step out of their own shadow |
Michael Martin, MA
|
Change log
May 3, 2021 21:26: Murad AWAD changed "Field" from "Other" to "Science"
May 4, 2021 17:32: Ramey Rieger (X) Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
53 mins
Selected
can rise and step out of their darkness/step into the light
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, can rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.
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Note added at 54 mins (2021-05-03 15:59:16 GMT)
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On second thought:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, is capable of rising and stepping/has the power to rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.
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Note added at 54 mins (2021-05-03 15:59:16 GMT)
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On second thought:
I know (I'm certain) that any human being, no matter how desolate their situation may be, is capable of rising and stepping/has the power to rise up and step from their darkness/into the light.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
philgoddard
15 mins
|
|
Let the sun shine in...
|
|
| agree |
Katarina Peters
1 hr
|
|
The Light within!
|
|
| agree |
Cillie Swart
: I Agree !!
14 hrs
|
|
So you see the light? :-)
|
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| agree |
Anne Schulz
1 day 1 hr
|
|
Hey Lady!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "That's great, thanks!"
+1
20 hrs
Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
45 years experience
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
jump over one's own shadow
Nevertheless, Heidegger had no qualms in reaffirming that to want to jump over one’s shadow remains the vocation of every philosopher.
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1446366/1/U593961.pdf
To attempt to overcome the skepticism that is the ground of philosophy is like trying to jump over one's own shadow.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/58340.Harry_V_Jaffa
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1446366/1/U593961.pdf
To attempt to overcome the skepticism that is the ground of philosophy is like trying to jump over one's own shadow.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/58340.Harry_V_Jaffa
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Gordon Matthews
: I think this English idiom matches the German closely enough.
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Gordon
|
4 hrs
Michael Martin, MA
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
Works in field
United States
Creativity wins in the long run
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) , English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
28
step out of their own shadow
I don't think it matters whether a linguistic authority would consider this a German idiom or not. Apparently, it gets quite a bit of use and I am guessing it may have evolved from "über den eigenen Schatten springen" under English influence, so we as translators just have to deal with that...
"I know that any person, no matter how hopeless the situation may appear, has the ability to step up and step out of their own shadow."
Compare with this:
"Es ist der Psychoanalyse nicht gelungen, aus seinem übermächtigen Schatten herauszutreten. Nicht wenige Psychoanalytiker werden fragen: Warum sollte sie aus seinem Schatten heraustreten? Freud war eine überragende Persönlichkeit, ein Mann, der das vergangene Iahrhundert wie wenige geistig geprägt hat."
Compare with this:
"A Gift of Love inspires the reader to step out of their own shadow and make a difference in someone else's life."
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2D4DIEW98V5D4
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Note added at 1 day 23 mins (2021-05-04 15:28:42 GMT)
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I think there's little question that the basic meaning in this context is 'overcoming one's limitations' in the face of adversity. To me, the only thing that needs to be resolved is the most effective way to get this across. Speaking of limitations, I am not sure that I can accept the limitations that some of us have placed on 'stepping out of one's shadow'. Seems to me that the fairly widespread use of the phrase has outgrown those restrictions, if they existed to begin with:
"Perhaps the most important element of my optimism is the refreshing boldness of Alan Greenspan, who suddenly has stepped out of his own shadow and is acting as if he isn't afraid of anything." http://www.polyconomics.com/fyi/fyi-910424.htm
"Stepping out of somebody else's shadow" is a related meaning and even more widely used but that doesn't mean the other one is wrong.
"I know that any person, no matter how hopeless the situation may appear, has the ability to step up and step out of their own shadow."
Compare with this:
"Es ist der Psychoanalyse nicht gelungen, aus seinem übermächtigen Schatten herauszutreten. Nicht wenige Psychoanalytiker werden fragen: Warum sollte sie aus seinem Schatten heraustreten? Freud war eine überragende Persönlichkeit, ein Mann, der das vergangene Iahrhundert wie wenige geistig geprägt hat."
Compare with this:
"A Gift of Love inspires the reader to step out of their own shadow and make a difference in someone else's life."
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2D4DIEW98V5D4
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Note added at 1 day 23 mins (2021-05-04 15:28:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I think there's little question that the basic meaning in this context is 'overcoming one's limitations' in the face of adversity. To me, the only thing that needs to be resolved is the most effective way to get this across. Speaking of limitations, I am not sure that I can accept the limitations that some of us have placed on 'stepping out of one's shadow'. Seems to me that the fairly widespread use of the phrase has outgrown those restrictions, if they existed to begin with:
"Perhaps the most important element of my optimism is the refreshing boldness of Alan Greenspan, who suddenly has stepped out of his own shadow and is acting as if he isn't afraid of anything." http://www.polyconomics.com/fyi/fyi-910424.htm
"Stepping out of somebody else's shadow" is a related meaning and even more widely used but that doesn't mean the other one is wrong.
Discussion
Es geht ja darum, aus dem Schatten herauszutreten, in dem man steht, nicht aus dem Schatten, den man selber wirft.
Happy translating!
Allein ein einleitender Passus wie "Ich weiß, dass jeder Mensch..." lässt mich nicht einmal mehr aufhorchen, sondern sofort 'abschalten'. So, genug abgeschweift und aufgeregt. Das war's von meiner Seite.
Viele Grüße, Bernd
to live in the shadows or a shadowy existence. However, in English it implies something like a vampire or half-human existence. Of course, you want to get philosophical about it, these are metaphors for inner darkness.
In English it would be from darkness to light, not from shadow to light.
(Please excuse the clumsiness trying to contribute to this philosophic/idiomatic issue)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvIYaYvVImc