deutsch/Deutsch

Finally, I think I've understood the difference between "deutsch" and "Deutsch":

Duden says eine Deutsch sprechende (die deutsche Sprache beherrschende) Französin but eine gelegentlich auch d. sprechende Gruppe von Engländern, where deutsch means in der Sprache der Bevölkerung bes. Deutschlands.

Emily says:

"Ich spreche deutsch" bedeutet, dass ich auf Deutsch spreche, in dem Fall ist es ein Adjektiv und klein ist richtig."Ich spreche Deutsch" bedeutet, dass ich der deutschen Sprache maechtig bin, egal in welcher Sprache ich momentan rede.

... which fits with what Duden says.

I say:

Use "Deutsch" when you can replace "sprechen" with "können" - i.e. when "spricht" means "can speak". Use "deutsch" for "in German".

false friends: zynisch does not always mean cynical

zynisch/cynical:

Duden:

1. auf grausame, den Anstand beleidigende Weise spöttisch ...
2. eine gefühllose, mitleidlose, menschenverachtende Haltung zum Ausdruck bringend, die bes. in bestimmten Angelegenheiten, Situationen als konträr, paradox u. als jmds. Gefühle verachtend u. verletzend empfunden wird ...

wissen.de:

• bissig-spöttisch, verletzend-frech

Oxford Dict of E:

1. believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity - doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile - contemptuous, mocking
2. concerned only with one's interests and typically disregarding accepted standards in order to achieve them

American Heritage:

• Believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others
• Selfishly or callously calculating
• Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness
• Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity

So zynisch concentrates more on the "contemptuous" side, and (apparently) less on the distrust and doubt of cynical. Cynical, on the other hand, does not necessarily imply the extreme nastiness which is the main aspect of zynisch.

Is there really a difference, or are the dictionary entries for zynisch just rather misleading? I wouldn't use "cynically" here:
"Eine Beweisführung, die Hans Leyendecker in der Süddeutschen Zeitung zynisch kommentiert: „Das erinnert ein wenig an den alten Abzählreim ‚Eene meene muh, und raus bist du!“ " * ... must look into this more carefully later.

Is it worse to be cynical or jaded? (Guardian Notes and Queries)
"a cynic is someone who moans constantly but never does anything about anything and is determined to stay that way. Someone who's jaded hasn't lost the will to change, they've just lost the means. Scratch the surface of a cynic and you'll find someone who simply doesn't have any answers. Polish the surface of a jaded person and you'll find they'll come up good as new" *

translations needing logic/maths

"Bis zum vollendeten 3. Lebensjahr" - literally, until you have completed the 3rd year of your life.

0-1 = 1st year
1-2 = 2nd year
2-3 = 3rd year

So you complete the third year of your life on your third birthday, when you turn 3.

So: Bis zum vollendeten 3. Lebensjahr = up to the age of 3

random new English words I've learned lately

name tent - a place card shaped like a tent

poolish - a liquid dough starter (Vorteig) made with yeast: keep it in the fridge and mix it with yeastless dough to create new "live" dough.


snaky - treacherous or cruelly deceitful
Nicked! His snaky ways found him out in the end

bundle - collection of legal documents
Bundle of documents - This is the collection of documents that the parties want the Tribunal to look at when deciding the appeal. (ref)

"a or an" - a selection

an historic agreement

a oder an

Unbestimmter Artikel

a / an und Vokal, der wie Konsonant gesprochen wird

a or an

...und nochmal: "a" oder "an" vor Vokalen - an (very) interesting discussion

an

"A LCD" oder "An LCD"?

an + unique oder a + unique

a vs. an

An FDA inspection or a FDA inspection

"a" vs. "an"?

a oder an - wieder einmal solch eine Anfrage!

"an FDI" vs." a FDI" with FDI=Foreign direct Investment

"a" oder "an" vor Abkürzungen

a one-storeyed building oder an one-storeyed building

a/an

Aussprache: a <-> an, the <-> the

a FGH vs. an FGH

a/an vor "U" am Wortanfang

warum sagt man "a useful thing"

An SUD or a SUD?

a vs. an in Verbindung mit Abkürzungen

"a" oder "an"

"an FWHM" oder "a FWHM" ?

an SLR

a or an USB

a / an

a/an revisited

a LL.M. oder an LL.M. 

This is an RPS 

"a" oder "an" for Abkürzungen

a - an (unbestimmter Artikel)

Verbindungs-"n"??