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DA I

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Nägel mit Köpfen. Mit klugen Köpfen.

English translation:

Getting IT together. Smart thinking

Oct 28, 2010 11:13
13 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

Nägel mit Köpfen. Mit klugen Köpfen.

German to English Marketing Telecom(munications)
I'm looking for a suitable advertising slogan for presenting a technology forum. The full sentence reads:

Wir machen Nägel mit Köpfen. Mit klugen Köpfen, versteht sich.

I had thought of "putting our money where our mouth is" but realise that having a "smart mouth" is not a good thing. Perhaps there's something with "dotting t's and crossing i's" but I can't think of anything further. Any help would be appreciated.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 Getting IT right...
3 (We're) spot-on and on the spot!
3 We hit the nail on the head. And of course, we use our heads to do it.
Change log

Oct 28, 2010 11:32: Nesrin changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (3): Colin Rowe, Ingo Dierkschnieder, Nesrin

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Discussion

Lancashireman Oct 28, 2010:
... where our mouths are ... Works better with organs that come in pairs: eyes, ears, feet etc
Andrea Garfield-Barkworth (asker) Oct 28, 2010:
How do you think this sounds?

We put our money where our mouths are. Smart thinking!
Andrea Garfield-Barkworth (asker) Oct 28, 2010:
The forum concerns innovations and IT technology networks. It has nothing to do with ironmongery or such like but is addressing professors and heads of managment, hence the "kluge Köpfe". I am looking for something that ties in "we're getting things done" with "we're a clever bunch", only, obviously, a little slicker.
Helen Shiner Oct 28, 2010:
Query What does this company manufacture? Just Nägel mit Köpfen? If so, do we need to retain the first bit of this slogan and then find something suitable for the second bit?
Devika Fernando Oct 28, 2010:
im amerikanischen englisch sagt man umgangssprachlich auch to fish or cut bait. das ist natürlich schwer mit dem anhang "klug" zu verknüpfen. genereller gesagt würde auch to do the job properly passen, das hört sich jedoch nicht so schnittig an. denkbar wäre auch noch das etwas unbekanntere to go the whole hog. "go" kann man relativ gut mit adjektiven wie "smartly" kombinieren.
Colin Rowe Oct 28, 2010:
Doesn't one cross t's and dot i's?! I thought crossing one's *eyes* meant something different!

Proposed translations

+2
2 hrs
Selected

Getting IT right...

...springs to mind, but with the caveat that it is bound to have been used before!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 13:43:24 GMT)
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"We can do IT!"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 13:54:35 GMT)
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"We tele IT as IT is!"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 13:55:10 GMT)
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"Managing IT"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 13:55:36 GMT)
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"Getting IT together!"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 14:06:24 GMT)
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Yes, in the context of a forum, I also thought the "together" worked quite nicely.
"Smart thinking" tagged on afterwards sounds OK to me.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 14:08:59 GMT)
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"We know what IT's (all) about!"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 14:09:19 GMT)
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"We are where IT's at!"

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-10-28 14:09:43 GMT)
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"We know what IT's all about!"

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Note added at 20 hrs (2010-10-29 07:24:24 GMT)
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"This is IT!"
Note from asker:
I like the "Getting IT together" perhaps with "Smart thinking" added after it?
Some great suggestions there Colin. Many thanks.
Peer comment(s):
agree gangels (X) : Like all of them
1 hr
Many thanks! However, looking back, I realize that I had one idea twice!
agree franglish : Another one: "It's IT, it's smart, it's us!" or smart/IT/us. I like your proposals, you're inspired today!
2 hrs
Many thanks!
neutral British Diana : Sorry, I find these puns a bit laboured (perhaps I'm just not brainy enough to appreciate them, though?)
5 hrs
Laboured?! Conservative, more like! (Sorry, more puns...) :-)
neutral Lancashireman : Well, Diana has a point. They probably sound nagelneu to non-native ears, though.
5 hrs
Oh well, can't please everyone!
neutral Bernhard Sulzer : caution: we're getting it together reminds me of "come on, get it together now" as in: come on, you better get it right/together, you've been trying this far too long. "Getting your act together" is another one, hinting at not having succeeded so far
8 hrs
Possibly, but not necessarily. Interesting point though, thanks!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I think this sums up the whole collaboration aspects of a forum beautifully. Thanks"
2 hrs

(We're) spot-on and on the spot!

a suggestion
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

We hit the nail on the head. And of course, we use our heads to do it.

one possibility
Peer comment(s):
neutral British Diana : sorry, but that has painful connotations if you use your heads to hit the nail..!
2 hrs
neutral Colin Rowe : Ouch!
2 hrs
neutral Helen Shiner : really painful as an image.
7 hrs
Something went wrong...
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