Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Buchstabenkleben
English translation:
sticking to the letter
Added to glossary by
Joseph Hovan
Jan 16, 2005 01:14
19 yrs ago
German term
30+ Years Experience&Satisfied Customers
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, Italian to English, French to English
Buchstabenkleben
German to English
Art/Literary
Religion
Spiritual text
"Versinken der Kirchen in reinen Zeremonienkult mit wenig Glaubensgrundlage, zweifelhafte Auslegungen der Schrift, sowie auf der anderen Seite das vermehrte ***Buchstabenkleben *** einiger Kirchen (z.B. 6-Tage Genesis)." What could this be in English? THANKS!!!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+4
15 mins
Selected
sticking to the letter
Sticking to the letter of the scriptures — literal interpretation rather than discernment of the message behind them?
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Note added at 21 mins (2005-01-16 01:36:44 GMT)
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You would no doubt have to recast to fit it in context:
...increased tendency of some churches to stick to the letter (or to interpret literally)
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Note added at 21 mins (2005-01-16 01:36:44 GMT)
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You would no doubt have to recast to fit it in context:
...increased tendency of some churches to stick to the letter (or to interpret literally)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I picked this because it is the closest to the author's original, but added "literal interpretation" in parentheses. Thanks all!!!"
+2
20 mins
Regine MacKenzie
Native in German
Also Acupuncturist/Herbalist
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German to English
literal interpretation
sticking to a literal interpretation of the Bible, i.e., when it says in Genesis that the world was created in 6 days, then that's what happened (that's what the author means with 6-Tage Genesis).
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
BrigitteHilgner
: As an expression, I find this more elegant than "sticking to the letter" - but maybe the author wanted the comment to sound crude?
6 hrs
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| agree |
Armorel Young
: with Brigette - and "sticking to the letter" usually goes with the phrase "of the law", whereas what is referred to here isn't law but description
8 hrs
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8 hrs
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
23
increasing numbers of uncritical parishioners in some churches
another option
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Note added at 8 hrs 34 mins (2005-01-16 09:49:51 GMT)
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\"Bible-says-it, I-believe-it, end-of-discussion attitude\"
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Note added at 8 hrs 34 mins (2005-01-16 09:49:51 GMT)
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\"Bible-says-it, I-believe-it, end-of-discussion attitude\"
11 hrs
stickler for the scriptures
Hope this helps you!
19 hrs
Kurt Beals
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Professional quality, reasonable prices
Native in: English (Variants: US, US South)
Works in: German to English
Biblical literalism
Biblical literalism is definitely a standard term in Christianity (my father's a [non-literalist] minister, he's run into it in some of his parishoners). If other religions are addressed too, you could use the more general term "scriptural literalism" (also common).
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