schlicht (here)

English translation: unadorned

10:04 Aug 26, 2021

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / I'm definitely not happy with simple

German term or phrase: schlicht (here)

Er fuhr mit der Hand über sein schlichtes Haar.

Jo Bennett KudoZ activity Questions: 107 (2 open) (1 without valid answers) (15 closed without grading) Answers: 101 United Kingdom
Local time: 04:38

English translation:unadorned

Explanation:
I am not sure that either 'smooth' or 'slick' are viable translations of 'schlicht' no matter what the context.

Compare with this:

"The thick-set figure, betraying his Doric origin, the simple spartan cloak, the unadorned hair of the head and beard,..."
https://books.google.com/books?id=4mgoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA248&lpg=...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2021-08-26 13:40:55 GMT)
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https://www.dict.cc/?s=unadorned

Selected response from:

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 23:38

Grading comment

Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

slick (slicked back)

Lancashireman

3 +2

smooth

Gordon Matthews

unadorned

Michael Martin, MA

3 +1

ordinary-looking / plainly styled

Sarah Bessioud

3 +1

straight

Johanna Timm, PhD

kempt hair

Adrian MM.

Summary of reference entries provided

Possible context?

writeaway

Some ideas

Kim Metzger

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

52 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

smooth

Explanation:
It isn't obvious to me that 'schlicht' would mean 'thinning'. I think it has more to do with his hair being tidy. 'smooth' also has connotations in terms of personality, which may (or may not) be appropriate in the context.

Gordon Matthews
Germany
Local time: 05:38
Native speaker of:

English

3 hrs confidence:

unadorned

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 23:38
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 43

Grading comment

Thank you!

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

ordinary-looking / plainly styled

Explanation:
I think this is more about the plain appearance of the man's hair, meaning that it is just ordinary, run-of-the-mill hair - no snazzy style, not gelled back or up, no ribbons or bows ;-)

Sarah Bessioud
Germany
Local time: 05:38
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

12 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

straight

Explanation:

Schlicht
[...]
c) glatt
Beispiele:
schlichtes Haar
das Haar schlicht zurückgekämmt tragen
https://www.dwds.de/wb/schlicht#d-1-1-3

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 20:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 69

14 hrs confidence:

schlichtes Haar kempt hair

Explanation:
More kempt than dowdy and hair rather than hairs.

Example sentence(s):

kempt (kɛmpt) adj (of hair) tidy; combed. See also unkempt
Wie perfekt ist diese schlichte und elegante geflochtene Frisur? - New Site, Wie perfekt.

Reference: http://de.pons.com/übersetzung/englisch-deutsch/dowdy
Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kempt

Adrian MM.
Austria
Native speaker of:

English

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

slick (slicked back)

Explanation:
https://www.google.com/search?q="slick hair"&oq="slick hair"...

slick: to pull (hair) back and make it look smooth or shiny by using water or some wet substance (such as hair gel)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick back/down

schlicht and slick are possible cognates

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Note added at 9 hrs (2021-08-26 19:59:09 GMT)
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Another cognate that fits the context:
sleek
adjective
UK /sliːk/ US /sliːk/
(especially of hair, clothes, or shapes) smooth, shiny, and lying close to the body, and therefore looking well cared for; not untidy and with no parts sticking out
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sleek

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Note added at 15 hrs (2021-08-27 01:30:13 GMT)
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My third and hopefully last attempt!
On the basis of the contribution from Anne Schulz and in light of your quest for an "appropriate literary EN word", I would suggest
lank
Definition here: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/lank
"completely straight and thin"
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lank
"If someone's hair is lank, it is long and perhaps greasy and hangs in a dull and unattractive way."

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Note added at 2 days 15 hrs (2021-08-29 01:43:54 GMT)
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Asker: "I'm definitely not happy with simple"
He ran his hand across/over(through?) his simple hair.
The points leader on +2:
He ran his hand across/over(through?) his smooth hair.
Next on +1:
He ran his hand across/over(through?) his straight hair.
He ran his hand across/over(through?) his ordinary-looking hair.
I'm not sure that the visitors casting their votes have taken the quoted context into account.
Suggestion:
He smoothed back his lank hair.
6 examples of this precise wording here:
https://www.google.com/search?q="smoothed back his lank hair...

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 159

Reference comments

13 mins peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: Possible context?

Reference information:
Der Mann schien tief gekränkt durch die Worte des Barons, eine hohe Röte überflog sein Gesicht, und ein bitteres Wort schwebte auf seinen Lippen, aber er unterdrückte es und fuhr mit der Hand über sein schlichtes Haar, als wollte er seinen innern Unmut wie feine Haare glätten. „Halten zu Gnaden, Herr Baron“, antwortete er; „wenn man mir Aufriß und Berechnung einer Maschine vorlegt und dazu Räderwerk und Schrauben so genau verzeichnet sind, so will ich eine Maschine zusammensetzen, wenn ich sie auch nie zuvor gesehen.
https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Seite:De_Wilhelm_Hauff_Bd_3_1...

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

1 hr peer agreement (net): +3

Reference: Some ideas

Reference information:
Wahrig: ungekünstelt, bescheiden. Das Haar schlicht und zurückgekämmt tragen

Duden: ohne Zierrat oder überflüssige Beiwerk
einfach und bescheiden, unbetont

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Note added at 1 hr (2021-08-26 11:21:27 GMT)
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Das Haar schlicht zurückgekämmt tragen

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 213

Note to reference poster

Asker: Thanks, this is helpful. Now I'm hunting for a list of appropriate literary EN words for ungekünstelt and bescheiden.

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schlicht (here)

English translation: unadorned

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English translation: unadorned

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