Monday 26 September 2011

Follow-up on Abgebrannt or Burnout

More views of - or at - Cambridge Film Festival 2011
(Click here to go directly to the Festival web-site)


26 September

Quite by chance, in conversation with Punyaketu last night about German film, I learnt that the original title of this film conveys more than one meaning:

The connotation, quite relevant to the film, is 'broke' or 'skint', and it seems, from what I am told, that a native speaker would understand me in saying 'geltlos', but not say that. ('Geltlos' = without any money: 'Gelt' (money) + ending 'los' (meaning 'not having', so fruchtlos for 'fruitless' (plus connotations)).


I should check, but I would think that 'abgebrannt' could be how an arsonist (i.e. a 'successful' arsonist) leaves a building, too.


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