Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Balancieren auf einem schmalen Grat
English translation:
balancing on the edge
Added to glossary by
davidgreen
Jan 20, 2005 09:31
19 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term
Balancieren auf einem schmalen Grat
German to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Er ist ein Grezngänger, ein Grenzüberschreiter - aber nicht in dem Sinn von Balancieren auf einem schmalen Grat, sondern er ist in vielen verschiedenen, weit auseinanderliegenden Bereichen zu Hause.
This is talking about an artist so there is some poetic license in the translation but my translation doesn't make sense to me. Is the German also a mixed metaphor or have i falsly translated? Grenzüberschreiter perhaps?
He is an innovator, one who transcends boundaries – however not in the sense of straddling a narrow ridge it is more that he feels at home in many different fields that are so far apart from one another
This is talking about an artist so there is some poetic license in the translation but my translation doesn't make sense to me. Is the German also a mixed metaphor or have i falsly translated? Grenzüberschreiter perhaps?
He is an innovator, one who transcends boundaries – however not in the sense of straddling a narrow ridge it is more that he feels at home in many different fields that are so far apart from one another
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
21 mins
Selected
constantly balancing on the edge
he is someone who likes to push things to their limits, or beyond, but not in the sense of someone constantly balancing on the edge but rather someone at ease in a wide variety of different fields
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks all, this sounded the most natural to me but most of the suggestions could have worked."
+1
4 mins
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
28
not so much a balancing act as ...
springs to mind
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Michael Schubert
: This comes very close to the spirit of the German expression!
6 hrs
|
+4
7 mins
not in the sense of walking a thin line
Another option.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Steffen Walter
2 mins
|
| agree |
Laurel Porter (X)
: Comes closest, I think.
11 mins
|
| agree |
Francis Lee (X)
48 mins
|
| agree |
Lisa Davey
3 hrs
|
12 mins
Gabrielle Lyons
Native in English
The content matters.
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
6
keeping balance - more below
not in the sense of keeping his balance on a narrow ridge, but of being at home in many different ...
I'm sure you can improve on my version, but I would definitely use keeping his balance rather than straddling. It's closer to the meaning of the German and it clears up the mixed metaphor: some manage to be on both sides of a boundary only by performing a balancing act, others just go all over the place.
I'm sure you can improve on my version, but I would definitely use keeping his balance rather than straddling. It's closer to the meaning of the German and it clears up the mixed metaphor: some manage to be on both sides of a boundary only by performing a balancing act, others just go all over the place.
26 mins
Daniela Giera
Native in German
Professional + Individual Service
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, French to German
walking on the ridge /keeping the balance *?*
I think "balancieren" rather has the meaning of walking exactly on the ridge, you could compare it to standing on a horse, (= you have both feet on its back), in contrast to "straddling" which is like sitting on a horse with both legs on the sides of it.
I'd propose that he is simply "walking on a narrow ridge" because this implies that he is keeping the balance AND that he is moving at the same time.
I'd propose that he is simply "walking on a narrow ridge" because this implies that he is keeping the balance AND that he is moving at the same time.
6 hrs
Michael Schubert
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Premium German Translation Services
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
walking a fine line
Similar to Mr. Johnson's answer, although I've always heard the expression used as "walking a FINE line"
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Note added at 6 hrs 54 mins (2005-01-20 16:26:03 GMT)
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By the way, this is essentially the same expression as \"Gratwanderung,\" which literally means walking along a (mountain) ridge but is often conveyed in English as a \"tightrope walk\" (or \"balancing act,\" as suggested by Mr. MacKerron), i.e. a delicate but uncomfortable balance of alternatives. The artist described in your text is NOT walking the tightrope between different styles but is equally at home in divergent fields.
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Note added at 6 hrs 54 mins (2005-01-20 16:26:03 GMT)
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By the way, this is essentially the same expression as \"Gratwanderung,\" which literally means walking along a (mountain) ridge but is often conveyed in English as a \"tightrope walk\" (or \"balancing act,\" as suggested by Mr. MacKerron), i.e. a delicate but uncomfortable balance of alternatives. The artist described in your text is NOT walking the tightrope between different styles but is equally at home in divergent fields.
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