von Rückgebern der Rückgiebigste

Englisch translation: most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

14:16 Feb 25, 2019

Übersetzungen Deutsch > Englisch [PRO]
Art/Literary - Dichtung und Belletristik / Artist\'s self-characterisation

Deutsch Begriff oder Satz: von Rückgebern der Rückgiebigste

I'm translating a passage by the famous early 20th-century Austrian artist, Egon Schiele. He is talking about his school days in the passage below. His language is deliberately poetic and, at times, he uses words that he may have invented himself. I don't know precisely when he wrote this, but he died in 1918 at the age of 28. I would be grateful if any native speakers of German / Austrian German could tell me how they read this term: 'Rückgeber'. Does he mean 'responsive' or 'reflective' or perhaps 'challenging' in the sense of challenging people? Or maybe something else?

Meine rohen Lehrer waren mir stets Feinde. Sie—und andere—verstanden es nicht, daß ich von Vornehmen der Vornehmste, von Rückgebern der Rückgiebigste bin; daß ich den Tod liebe und das Leben; daß ich alles zugleich bin, aber niemals alles zu gleicher Zeit tue. Ich bin kein zwiespältiges Wesen. Mensch und Künstler in einem bin ich. Und ich bin für mich und die, denen die durstige Trunksucht nach Freisein bei mir alles schenkt—und für alle auch, weil alle ich auch liebe. In mir ist ein ewiges Träumen voll süßesten Lebensüberschusses. Rastlos, mit bangen Schmerzen innen in der Seele, lodert, brennt, wächst das Träumen zum Kampf, Herzenskrampf. Ich bin wahnwitzig rege mit aufgeregter Lust—denn nun kann ich endlich die spendende Sonne wiedersehen und frei sein.

Helen Shiner KudoZ-Aktivität Fragen: 66 (none open) (5 closed without grading) Antworten: 1689 Vereinigtes Königreich
Local time: 00:07

Englisch Übersetzung:most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

Erklärung:
I am sure a more elegant expression can be found. But I am not sure what else this could possibly mean.

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Note added at 26 mins (2019-02-25 14:42:35 GMT)
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I don't think we need the definite article ("the") before "reciprocators"

Ausgewählte Antwort von:

Michael Martin, MA
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 19:07

Grading comment

I haven't used your version, but you got me to 'reciprocate', so thank you.
4 KudoZ-Punkte wurden für diese Antwort vergeben

Zusammenfassung aller eingereichten Antworten

most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

Michael Martin, MA

Summary of reference entries provided

Discussed here

philgoddard

Diskussionseinträge: 15

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

@Alison

16:26 Feb 25, 2019

Thank you. I had totally forgotten that.

Alison MacG

Vereinigtes Königreich

Hello Helen - this question rang a bell

16:22 Feb 25, 2019

https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/idioms-maxims-s...

Ramey Rieger (X)

Deutschland

Haha!

15:57 Feb 25, 2019

roarciprocator - I know the feeling.

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

@Ramey

15:51 Feb 25, 2019

Thanks. I don't like 'reciprocators' as a word. It sounds like a dinosaur to me ;-)

Ramey Rieger (X)

Deutschland

Of the reciprocators

15:48 Feb 25, 2019

the most reciprocal, perhaps, keeping the rhythmn

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

@TonyTK

15:42 Feb 25, 2019

Yes, I agree it is a pun. There are no typos though.

TonyTK

I've just realised it should ...

15:37 Feb 25, 2019

read "Vornehmsten" rather than "Vornehmen" ...

TonyTK

The play on words makes ...

15:36 Feb 25, 2019

... it tricky.

Vor - Nehmen
Rück - Geben

"Vornehmen" is strange as a noun [or should it be "Vornehmern"], particularly in view of the fact that "vornehmen" ("undertake") and "vornehm" ("posh") don't appear to be related. It's the comparative of "vornehm", but that's probably not relevant here.

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

After consultation elsewhere, too

15:33 Feb 25, 2019

my final version will be 'of those who reciprocate, I am the most reciprocal'. I like this because it does not indicate whether the reciprocation is positive or negative, which better reflects the ambiguity of the German. Thanks for everyone's help so far.

Ramey Rieger (X)

Deutschland

Among the noble

15:13 Feb 25, 2019

the noblest, among the compensaters, the most compensating.

Thisworks rhythmically

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

For the time being

15:11 Feb 25, 2019

I have gone with: 'of those who reciprocate, I am the most generous'. Happy to be corrected.

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

@John

15:05 Feb 25, 2019

Thank you very much. Someone else elsewhere has just explained that it has the sense of 'repaying' so that's a good solution. Though I can't say I like 'distinguished' here. He never got to be a grand old man ;-)

John O'Brien

15:03 Feb 25, 2019

"Among the distinguished, I am the most so - and among those who give back, the most giving. I am human, I love death and love life" - Egon Schiele - I found this after a Google search. I hope it helps

Helen Shiner

Vereinigtes Königreich

ASKER

@Phil

14:48 Feb 25, 2019

It does seem that it is something he does/is in response rather than something he initiates.

philgoddard

Vereinigte Staaten

14:45 Feb 25, 2019

I wonder if he means that if others are giving, he gives back. You could say "the most giving of givers", which is an approximation.

Antworten

23 Min. Antwortsicherheit:

most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

Michael Martin, MA
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 19:07
Arbeitsgebiet
Muttersprache: Deutsch, Englisch
PRO-Punkte in Kategorie: 43

Grading comment

I haven't used your version, but you got me to 'reciprocate', so thank you.

Hinweise an den Beantworter der Frage

Fragesteller: Thank you. I am currently using a version of your suggestion.

Reference comments

9 Min.

Reference: Discussed here

Reference information:
This article reproduces the quote and then says: 'Die „Rückgiebigkeit“, als Ausgleich zur „Vornehmheit“, ist kein Bestandteil des sich voll entfaltenden Industrie- und Finanzgesellschaft. In der hat alles einen zählenden und zählbaren Wert, trägt alles ein Preisschild.'
Trouble is, I don't understand the first few words of this. 'Rückgiebigkeit' appears to be a coinage by Schiele.

http://www.freitag.de/autoren/columbus/totalkunst-und-gesamt...

philgoddard
Vereinigte Staaten
Muttersprache: Englisch
PRO-Punkte in Kategorie: 8

Note to reference poster

Fragesteller: Yes, I saw that. Thank you. The passage appears a few times on the internet, but with nothing to illuminate what Schiele might mean.

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von Rückgebern der Rückgiebigste

Englisch translation: most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

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von Rückgebern der Rückgiebigste

Englisch translation: most generous/altruistic among the reciprocators

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