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Strang
Glaseinträger

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

sich stellen und die Tat zugeben

English translation:

to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)

Added to glossary by Bernhard Sulzer
Jun 28, 2013 22:33
10 yrs ago
4 viewers *
German term

sich stellen und die Tat zugeben

German to English Art/Literary Journalism Everyday language
to turn oneself in and admit the crime

Is there a fancier/gehobenere yet concise way of saying it?

"Der 47 Jahre alte Dieb hatte sich gestellt und die Tat zugegeben..."

http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/bremen-bischofsring-na...

Not that a high-register expression is needed in this particular case.

The Q is more out of interest. Ta.
Proposed translations (English)
3 to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)
3 +2 to concede/conceding to authority, divulging/embracing one's guilt
4 give oneself up and admit committing the offence
3 +1 turned himself in, admitting to the theft
3 to surrender to the constabulary and fess up
3 turn in and take the cop
3 ...had come forward and admitted to the crime
Change log

Jul 4, 2013 02:15: Bernhard Sulzer Created KOG entry

Discussion

Cilian O'Tuama (asker) Jun 30, 2013:
Jeeves How would someone like Jeeves express it?
Cilian O'Tuama (asker) Jun 29, 2013:
Nothing is too gehoben yet. Thanks Helen.
Helen Shiner Jun 28, 2013:
Oh, and ... ... meant to add this: http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/theft_act_offences/
Helen Shiner Jun 28, 2013:
Vague suggestion Journalistic reporting often has people 'presenting' themselves at police stations. 'Admitting culpability' springs to mind for the second part of the term. Too gehoben?

Proposed translations

7 hrs
Selected

to submit oneself to the authorities and volunteer a full confession (of his/her crime)

or also: .... and provided a full confession (of his crime) of his own accord
shorter: submitted to the authorities of his own accord and confessed to his crime



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Note added at 7 hrs (2013-06-29 06:26:20 GMT)
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.... longer:

elected to present/submit himself to the authorities and proceeded to provide a full confession of his crime/ proceeded to confess to his crime
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Bernhard's contributions were the "most helpful" - thanks all."
32 mins

to surrender to the constabulary and fess up

Not sure about the first bit, though.
Note from asker:
Indicate the way to my abode...
Peer comment(s):
agree Maja_K
13 hrs
disagree Lonnie Legg : "Confess the deed" would be the standard expression. Even if asker doesn't require "high register": "Fess up" is informal, "zugeben" isn't.
15 hrs
I am glad to see that someone is taking this seriously. The clue is in the intro: "The Q is more out of interest. Ta."
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1 hr

turn in and take the cop

slangy 1

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:13:41 GMT)
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but I prefer Andrew's "fessb up" for that part

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:15:40 GMT)
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maybe: turn himself in and bite the bullet

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:17:41 GMT)
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literally "admitted the crime"

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:18:41 GMT)
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your German is good enough to sort this out :)

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:20:06 GMT)
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and in your question should read "admit the crime" of course

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:22:40 GMT)
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"turned himself in and came clean"

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:24:22 GMT)
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not too formal but there we go

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:27:26 GMT)
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more formal: presented himself to the police and admitted the crime

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-06-29 00:28:46 GMT)
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"took the cop" is a bridge too far as you well know

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:37:33 GMT)
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but as it's not that important as you yourself say you mif¿ght go for a combination of Andrew'w and mine :)

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:38:54 GMT)
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might and Andrew's (all butterfingers today lol)

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Note added at 2 hrs (2013-06-29 00:44:06 GMT)
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and just to finish up: presented himself to the police and confessed (the crime)

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:05:33 GMT)
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np understand :)

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:13:34 GMT)
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the temptation

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:15:22 GMT)
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tomorrow will be another day

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Note added at 3 hrs (2013-06-29 02:16:50 GMT)
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doesn't add much to the translaton but just empathizing

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Note added at 4 hrs (2013-06-29 02:42:15 GMT)
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night now and have good luck :)
Note from asker:
I'm fatigued and I wish to retire :-)
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

give oneself up and admit committing the offence

He gave himself up and admitted committing the offence
Example sentence:

He gave himself up and admitted committing the offence

Something went wrong...
15 hrs

...had come forward and admitted to the crime

The subtle difference is that 'to surrender' implies he was wanted (could have well been the case) while 'to come forward' means the thief's identity was unknown until he decided to turn himself in.
Something went wrong...
+1
1 day 1 hr

turned himself in, admitting to the theft

"The 47-year old man turned himself in, admitting to the theft (burglary)."

The most straightforward way of translating this, in my opinion. It also sounds more natural in English if you use a specific object that fits the context (theft) rather than a more general one (offense). There's no loss in meaning by doing so..
Peer comment(s):
agree Nicole Schnell : That's how we read it in the paper every day. AFAIK, the Spiegel does not have a British-only edition.
2 hrs
Thanks, Nicole!
Something went wrong...
+2
10 hrs

to concede/conceding to authority, divulging/embracing one's guilt

Hmmmm, risky business, here

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Note added at 3 days9 hrs (2013-07-02 08:27:05 GMT)
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Or turn it around:

succumbing to the burden of guilt, (one) bring(s)/surrender(s) oneself to justice.
Peer comment(s):
agree Lancashireman : ... to embrace, flaunt and celebrate one's guilt
8 hrs
mea culpa, hallelujah!
agree Bernhard Sulzer : explained that he couldn't perish the thought of living with such egregious, concealed guilt any longer, having committed a crime most foul, and turned himself in at the local police station, exclaiming: Take me away, Constable! Jeeves is not concise :)
2 days 5 hrs
I deliver myself up to your most sagacious judgement! Thank you, Bernhard!
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