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Leitmaß (L1)
Blankoteil
Jun 16, 2005 09:35
18 yrs ago
5 viewers *
German term

Null Bock

German to English Other Slang
Überschrift für ein Sommer Lerncamp:

Schlechte Noten und Null Bock auf Lernen?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +11 Grades and homework got you down?
4 +4 couldn't be bothered
4 +4 bad grades and don't feel like studying
4 +3 studyitis
4 +3 Poor grades and allergic to learning?
4 +3 Fed up
4 couldn't care less about learning (studying)
3 +1 pissed off with ...
3 complete unwillingness
2 We don't need no education
2 don't fancy your grades or your graders?

Proposed translations

+11
38 mins
Selected

Grades and homework got you down?

...might work here (too). :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Armorel Young : This gets my vote for being neat and concise.
16 mins
agree Nesrin : ... and my vote for the same reason.
23 mins
agree Francis Lee (X) : a "neat" solution indeed // vor allem for the reason addressed by Dr. Jo
42 mins
agree Brie Vernier : Definitely!
1 hr
agree Michele Johnson : Right on, man.
2 hrs
agree Lori Dendy-Molz : And far out, too. ;-)
2 hrs
agree Laurel Porter (X) : A bit slangy, not offensive, short and punchy - you got it!
2 hrs
agree silfilla
5 hrs
agree Johanna Timm, PhD : I like this one because it's probably also rather appealing to the (paying) parents
8 hrs
agree Hilary Davies Shelby : i like this one too
9 hrs
agree Sonia Soros
20 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "vielen dank an alle für die hilfreichen vorschläge! "
+4
1 min

couldn't be bothered

the gist, but probably too old-fashioned
Peer comment(s):
agree Ingo Dierkschnieder : Or: couldn't be asked. // You lot better wash your mouth out, I wouldn't say such a thing ;-)
4 mins
Hi Ingo, I take it you mean "assed"//or "arsed" as Francis points out
agree Francis Lee (X) : "old-fashioned"? Things have evidently moved on since the start of my self-imposed East Berlin exile ... // Ingo/Cilian: methinks the "sk"/"ss" should be an "rs"
6 mins
there's probably a hip way of saying it
agree writeaway : What, me worry?
8 mins
me no care?
neutral IanW (X) : A "hip" way of saying "arsed" - nice one Cilian!
22 mins
agree Michael Bailey
44 mins
Something went wrong...
2 mins

complete unwillingness

:-)

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Note added at 4 mins (2005-06-16 09:40:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

here better:

... not keen to learn?
Something went wrong...
+3
3 mins

studyitis

I'd use the made-up word "studyitis" here: "Bad grades and studyitis"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-06-16 09:41:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Children are clever and sometimes learn very early that there are ways to finesse mom and dad. A bad case of ***\"studyitis\"*** or \"procrastinitis\" can set in during the doldrums of winter months, and the fever associated with spring, coming inconveniently during the 4th quarter, may prove hard to shake with home remedies.\"

http://www.covenanthome.com/catalog/4
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : je m'en foutisme
2 mins
neutral Norbert Hermann : Hi Ian - If they have Null Bock they might not understand what this clever word means ;-))
4 mins
Most English speakers older than 12 or 13 would understand words like this instinctively: look up "schoolitis"
agree silfilla
5 hrs
agree Sonia Soros
21 hrs
Something went wrong...
+4
6 mins

bad grades and don't feel like studying

just a couple quick (American English) options for you.

Bad grades and don't feel like studying/don't want to study/don't like studying?

Grades (are) bad and you don't feel like doing anything about it?
Failing in school and you're just not in the mood to study/work?

hth
Peer comment(s):
agree Francis Lee (X)
17 mins
agree Derek Gill Franßen
30 mins
agree Michaela Blaha : This sounds catchiest to me!
52 mins
agree Robert Sleigh : or "bad marks" (BE)
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
20 mins

couldn't care less about learning (studying)

don't give a damn....
Something went wrong...
+1
22 mins

pissed off with ...

..and pissed off with studying?

I'm just trying to come up with an adequate slang expression... I don't know if "pissed off" is accurate enough..
Other ideas: "can't give a damn about", "can't give a sh*t about", "had it up to here with..."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2005-06-16 10:04:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On second thoughts, since the context is Sommer Lerncamp, you may want to avoid any offensive words - so \"sh*t\" is out.

I think I like \"up to here with studying\" best now.
Peer comment(s):
agree Nicole Wulf : Yes, that's it. The others are too harmless.
1 hr
neutral Laurel Porter (X) : "Up to here" is all right, but one should never use "pissed off" or "give a damn/sh*t" in a context like this. // Fair enough, Nesrin - but at least in the rather hyper-religious US, "not giving a damn" certainly is more offensive than "null Bock".
3 hrs
I know - I did mention in my added note that offensive words should be avoided in that context - that may include "pissed off" too. But I would have thought that "give a damn" isn't that much worse than "Null Bock".
Something went wrong...
+3
40 mins

Poor grades and allergic to learning?

Then book a place at our summer school camp in the scenic Hulme district of Manchester. Bring a shooter and don't forget your skins. Baseball bat hire on site.
Peer comment(s):
agree Francis Lee (X) : "allergic to learning" - perfect; http://www.lyricskeeper.com/hair_soundtrack-lyrics/76752-man...
47 mins
agree Lori Dendy-Molz : or "allergic to studying"
2 hrs
agree Hilary Davies Shelby : allergic to studying sounds good!
9 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 hr

We don't need no education

If it's a British summer school this might work (pity you can't convey the London accent and the music at the same time!). Might be a bit dated though. Discuss.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Francis Lee (X) : great idea, but most of the kids in question would indeed not appreciate the Pink element
5 mins
Something went wrong...
1 hr

don't fancy your grades or your graders?

I normally refuse to respond to non-native Askers (who should be translating in the other direction), but here's an exception - albeit one that might not be of much help
Peer comment(s):
neutral Hilary Davies Shelby : is fancying your teachers something you want to encourage? ;-)
8 hrs
yes, probably not the sort of thing parents want to have on their minds as they send off their cherubs
Something went wrong...
+3
2 hrs

Fed up

How about:

Lousy grades and fed up studying?
Peer comment(s):
agree Laurel Porter (X) : Could work - although in US English, one would normally use "fed up WITH studying".
1 hr
agree Nesrin : A very obvious choice - how come I didn't think of it??
1 hr
agree Francis Lee (X) : I did think of it, in fact - but why bother in light of Tony TKs's stupendous suggestion?
10 hrs
Something went wrong...
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