Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
wissen es von sich selbst kaum
English translation:
are barely aware of it /usually without being aware of it
Added to glossary by
Rowan Morrell
Feb 3, 2004 03:57
20 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term
New Zealand
Committed to the Customer
Native in: English (Variant: New Zealand) 
Works in: French to English, German to English, Spanish to English
wissen es von sich selbst kaum
German to English
Medical
Medical: Dentistry
Bad Breath
"Mundgeruch, der Kontaktkiller. Fast jeder zweite Erwachsene leidet daran – aber die meisten wissen es von sich selbst kaum."
From the start of a little text about bad breath. I'm a bit lost with the phrase "wissen es von sich selbst kaum". My current interpretation is that "most are barely aware of it themselves", but I'm none too certain about that. TIA for helping me clear this up.
From the start of a little text about bad breath. I'm a bit lost with the phrase "wissen es von sich selbst kaum". My current interpretation is that "most are barely aware of it themselves", but I'm none too certain about that. TIA for helping me clear this up.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
8 mins
Olaf Reibedanz
Colombia
Colombia
Native in German
Colombia
Finance / Trading / Blockchain / Crypto
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, French to German, Spanish to German, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
...but most are barely aware of it/ ...usually without being aware of it
...but most are barely/hardly aware of it
OR
Almost one in two adults suffers from this problem - usually without being aware of it.
Your interpretation seems perfect to me! I would drop the "themselves" though, which I think you don't need.
OR
Almost one in two adults suffers from this problem - usually without being aware of it.
Your interpretation seems perfect to me! I would drop the "themselves" though, which I think you don't need.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ulrike Lieder (X)
: barely aware of it themselves --- the "themselves" is not superfluous, but idiomatically correct.
38 mins
|
| agree |
IanW (X)
: With Ulrike - go with your original interpretation, Rowan!
1 hr
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "There were some excellent answers here, with the exception of one individual who saw fit to make offensive personal remarks and read things into the source text that quite simply weren't there. Deciding who to give the points to out of the remaining six answers was not easy, but in the end, I went with Olaf's wording (but agreed with Ulrike about "themselves"). So, it is the points to Olaf on this occasion. The aforementioned rude answerer aside, I thank you all for your kind, professional and competent assistance - much appreciated. Would definitely award points to multiple answerers if that facility existed!"
9 mins
Lars Helbig
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
fast & flexible - accurate & aesthetic
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German to English, German
Related KudoZ points
:
10
don't know about it themselves
They don't know it about themselves. They don't know of themselves having it. Or something like that.
The 'most are barely aware of it' with or without the themselves would be a bit less literal but probably better for this sort of text. (I assume it is an advertising)
The 'most are barely aware of it' with or without the themselves would be a bit less literal but probably better for this sort of text. (I assume it is an advertising)
11 mins
most people don't realize they have this problem
a lack of self-awareness, when it comes to this issue
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Note added at 12 mins (2004-02-03 04:10:07 GMT)
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There are many vulgaar analoies, but I am going to resist1
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Note added at 12 mins (2004-02-03 04:10:07 GMT)
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There are many vulgaar analoies, but I am going to resist1
+3
19 mins
most of them are unaware of it.
just an alternative
+1
8 mins
most barely know that they do
Almost one out of two adults have it — but most barely know that they do.
I would say that your interpretation is essentially correct.
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Note added at 24 mins (2004-02-03 04:22:02 GMT)
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correction: Almost one out of two adults haS it
I would say that your interpretation is essentially correct.
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Note added at 24 mins (2004-02-03 04:22:02 GMT)
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correction: Almost one out of two adults haS it
3 hrs
most people are blithely ignorant of their problem
for a nicer turn of phrase
but the majority of them are barely aware that they might/may have a problem
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Note added at 2004-02-03 07:45:57 (GMT)
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BLISSFULLY AWARE would be better
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Note added at 2004-02-03 07:46:04 (GMT)
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BLISSFULLY UNAWARE would be better
but the majority of them are barely aware that they might/may have a problem
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Note added at 2004-02-03 07:45:57 (GMT)
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BLISSFULLY AWARE would be better
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Note added at 2004-02-03 07:46:04 (GMT)
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BLISSFULLY UNAWARE would be better
Discussion