Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Schafskälte
English translation:
cold snap during June
Added to glossary by
British Diana
Jun 22, 2010 15:36
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
Germany
enthusiast
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, English to German, English, and 1 more.
Schafskälte
German to English
Science
Meteorology
popularv terms to describe weather phenomena
I would like to include the English equivalent of "Schafskälte" in a report I am writing on an event I just took part in which was marred by the "sheep's chill cold snap", which is what a rival site comes up with. I'm convinced we KudoZers can provide something better! So please come out with your bright ideas!
BTW I hope this question does not only reach the meteorology experts among us. Should I have put it under idioms???
BTW I hope this question does not only reach the meteorology experts among us. Should I have put it under idioms???
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | cold snap during June |
Ross_22
|
| 4 -1 | characteristic June cold snap |
Dr. Georg Schweigart
|
Proposed translations
+1
5 hrs
Selected
cold snap during June
Could be translated as simply "cold snap", but that doesn't get the entire idea across that the word refers to this event happening in June, when it's supposed to be very warm. "Summer cold snap" could get the same idea across.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Dr. Georg Schweigart
: 1.) since it is a very particular cold snap, a cold snap just accidentally happening "during June" is not strong enough; 2.) officially, "summer" starts on 21 June, then the time of "Schafskälte" is already over, so "summer cold snap" seems misleading
12 hrs
|
| agree |
Lancashireman
: It's a 'cold snap' and it's during the month of June. QED
19 hrs
|
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Well, unless I end up giving a lengthy explanation (where I probably wouldn't be able to resist using "ewe tremble") this is the best bet as it is reasonably self-explanatory. Many thanks to all for your help!
P.S. The ewes need tremble no more, it's over 20 degrees and sunny here in Germany now!"
-1
3 hrs
Dr. Georg Schweigart
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
More than 20 Years in Medical Research
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, German
characteristic June cold snap
My spontaneous idea was "mid-June cold snap", but since it is not only "mid" (it may also be early-June), your own idea seems wonderful for me and I suggest it. If you refer to "sheep", you would have to explain what this means and again you would have to mention that it is in June. Thus, without sheep, I recommend.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Lancashireman
: Characteristic of where? This would leave a speaker of (British) English perplexed.
21 hrs
|
Reference comments
1 day 4 hrs
Reference:
Since the author of the report is BRITISH Diana ...
... perhaps your (certainly cultured) readers would appreciate the personal touch. It depends on whether your article is constrained by length:
"Despite the fact that we are now into June, the weather was rather chilly. Although I was surprised by the relatively low temperature for the time of year, the locals weren’t. Apparently this particular week of June has a reputation for producing sudden cold snaps. In fact, they have a special name for the phenomenon – Schafskälte (‘sheep’s cold’) – a regional farming reference."
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2010-06-23 20:11:27 GMT)
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Sorry, wrong box.
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2010-06-23 20:33:52 GMT)
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Because when you're giving a literal translation in brackets, there should be no compromise to make it sound more sensible.
"Despite the fact that we are now into June, the weather was rather chilly. Although I was surprised by the relatively low temperature for the time of year, the locals weren’t. Apparently this particular week of June has a reputation for producing sudden cold snaps. In fact, they have a special name for the phenomenon – Schafskälte (‘sheep’s cold’) – a regional farming reference."
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2010-06-23 20:11:27 GMT)
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Sorry, wrong box.
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Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2010-06-23 20:33:52 GMT)
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Because when you're giving a literal translation in brackets, there should be no compromise to make it sound more sensible.
Note from asker:
| Andrew, why don't you write the whole article for me ;-) Here I would say "sheep's chill" though. It makes the image of those freezing lambs just that bit more vivid. |
1 day 17 hrs
Alison MacG
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Patents and related material specialist
Native in: English (Variants: Scottish, UK, British) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Swedish to English, and 4 more.
Reference:
Scottish equivalent - yow-trummle (ewe tremble)
Diana, you won't be able to use this, but I couldn't resist posting it!
As used in the Hugh MacDiarmid poem The Watergaw
Ae weet forenicht i' the yow-trummle
(One wet-dusk in the ewe-tremble)
Okay, you ask, so what's a ewe-tremble? It's apparently a Scots expression, at one time well-known, which means a cold spell in summer after sheep shearing.
Only the Scots could ever have decided there was the need for a word which means a cold spell after the sheep shearing...
http://tomconoboy.blogspot.com/2007/08/yow-trummle.html
Clarifying the meaning of 'watergaw' as a shimmering or indistinct rainbow, or the 'yow-trummle' as the spell of cold weather common in Scotland after the summer sheep-shearing, however, reinforces for the reader MacDiarmid's belief in Scots as capable of expression unattainable in English.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/arts/writingscotland/writers/h...
As used in the Hugh MacDiarmid poem The Watergaw
Ae weet forenicht i' the yow-trummle
(One wet-dusk in the ewe-tremble)
Okay, you ask, so what's a ewe-tremble? It's apparently a Scots expression, at one time well-known, which means a cold spell in summer after sheep shearing.
Only the Scots could ever have decided there was the need for a word which means a cold spell after the sheep shearing...
http://tomconoboy.blogspot.com/2007/08/yow-trummle.html
Clarifying the meaning of 'watergaw' as a shimmering or indistinct rainbow, or the 'yow-trummle' as the spell of cold weather common in Scotland after the summer sheep-shearing, however, reinforces for the reader MacDiarmid's belief in Scots as capable of expression unattainable in English.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/arts/writingscotland/writers/h...
Note from asker:
| Alison, you made my day! I will start using your wonderful Scottish term to make it better-known as it really fits very well. English English does lack such colourful expressions, but there's nothing to stop us adopting them, is there? |
| "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" |
Discussion
Thanks for your imput.Re the Disagree itself : In the context of the text I am writing (to people in U.K. and U.S., incidentally) it would be clear that I am talking about something that is characteristic for German/Swiss/Austrian weather because the event I took part in was over here.
But there are quite a few hits for 'European (summer) monsoon'