Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

pingelig / {'pingelich' is incorrect spelling}

English translation:

persnickety / fussy

Added to glossary by Steffen Walter
Dec 7, 2008 03:05
15 yrs ago
German term

pingelich

German to English Bus/Financial Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Von Daher sehen Sie es mir bitte nach, dass ich hier sehr pingelich bin. Aber ich glaube, da renne ich bei Ihnen offene Turen ein.

(Text within an email)
Change log

Dec 8, 2008 14:51: Steffen Walter changed "Field (specific)" from "Business/Commerce (general)" to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"

Dec 17, 2008 11:01: Steffen Walter changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/33392">Paula Price's</a> old entry - "pingelich"" to ""persnickety / fussy""

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): Sabine Akabayov, PhD, Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)

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Discussion

Paula Price (asker) Dec 7, 2008:
That's probably why I couldn't find it on LEO. It is 'pingelich' in my text.
Lancashireman Dec 7, 2008:
Try http://dict.leo.org, but spell it 'pingelig'.

Proposed translations

+9
1 hr
Selected

persnickety / fussy

Muret/Sanders
Peer comment(s):

agree palilula (X)
1 hr
Thank you, Petra!
agree Ulrike Kraemer : with fussy
2 hrs
Thank you, LittleBalu!
agree franglish : fussy
4 hrs
Thank you, franglish!
agree Charles Rothwell (X) : In UK Eng. we lose the 's', thus 'pernickety'
6 hrs
Thank you, Charles!
agree David Moore (X) : Looks like an "either/or" in US usage too, Charles; but definitely no "s" in UK usage.
6 hrs
Thank you, David! Yes, I had the choice between the UK and US Versions and opted for the US version
agree Maureen Millington-Brodie
8 hrs
Thank you, mbrodie!
agree Yasdnil1 : but pernickety, no 's'
10 hrs
Thank you, Yasknil1! Cf. my comment on David
agree Lori Dendy-Molz : I've never seen or heard it without an 's' in the US. Good to know it's different in the UK.
10 hrs
Thank you, Lori!
agree Helen Shiner
13 hrs
Thank you, Helen!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks a lot!"
+1
8 mins

meticulous

taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=meticulous
Peer comment(s):

agree Ingeborg Gowans (X) : even "painfully meticulous"
22 mins
Vielen Dank, Ingeborg :))
agree Camilla Seifert : Also agree with Ingeborg...
41 mins
Thank you, Camilla :))
neutral Ulrike Kraemer : pingelig hat einen negativen Beigeschmack, der mir bei meticulous en bisschen fehlt ...
3 hrs
neutral interpr8er : pingelig hat auf alle Fälle einen negativen Beigeschmack, stimme LittleBalu zu
7 hrs
disagree David Moore (X) : Sorry Andrea, but to me, "pingelig" (not "pingeli*CH*) does have a negative implication, which meticulous does not.
7 hrs
neutral Jim Tucker (X) : "fastidious" might be closer, as meticulous is too positive
1 day 11 hrs
Something went wrong...
+8
1 hr

picky

Another possibility for pingelig
Peer comment(s):

agree palilula (X)
1 hr
agree Lyn Dunk
4 hrs
agree David Bertelsen
5 hrs
agree Sibylle Gray : I like this one the best.
10 hrs
agree Gunilla Zedigh
14 hrs
agree Kitty Maerz
14 hrs
agree Rob2031
18 hrs
agree Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
4 days
Something went wrong...
+4
2 hrs

pedantic / fussy

misspelt..should be pingelig
Peer comment(s):

agree suew
1 hr
thanks sue
agree Stephen Old : Yes, the term is quite pejorative and similar to "Haarsplitterei". My German teacher in the sixth form used to tell me that my questions which revealed my need for absolute precision in using the correct terms would be described as "pingelig" in Germany!
3 hrs
precisely!!
agree interpr8er
4 hrs
thanks C.H.
agree Inge Meinzer : perfect!
10 hrs
thanks inge
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

anal

I'm not sure if this actually fits the context. But by looking at the sentence provided (somewhat colloquial; the author also seems to be a bit annoyed) as well as at the text type (e-mail), I'd say that a more or less colloquial term is also ok.
Peer comment(s):

neutral Lyn Dunk : I woud say that anal is extremely colloquial and you would have to be very careful using it. Which is why I would go with very picky
2 hrs
Agree. That's why it depends on the context and text type. I also like "picky".
Something went wrong...
+1
7 hrs

finicky

This has more of the original negative connotation, and even sounds similar.
Peer comment(s):

agree Barbara Wiebking
22 hrs
Something went wrong...
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