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Kraftknoten

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Strenge Rechnung gute Freunde

English translation:

Friendship is friendship, but accounts must be kept.

Added to glossary by Elvira Schmid
May 25, 2011 15:14
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

Strenge Rechnung gute Freunde

German to English Marketing Advertising / Public Relations
Gibt es dafür eine Entsprechung im Englischen?
Danke
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 Friendship is friendship, but accounts must be kept.
4 +2 even reckoning makes long friends
3 proper billing keeps the friendship
3 Pay fast and stay fast friends
3 honest accounts/ keep friends (friends)/make friendship last
2 Good fences make good neighbors
Change log

May 26, 2011 07:46: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Marketing"

Discussion

oa_xxx (X) May 25, 2011:
even reckoning makes long friends I have heard of this tho more with 'lasting friends' and 2 of 3 germans I asked dont know the german proverb, or only a variation of it. Its a very strange choice for an AGB - wpuld definitely ask about it, if they want an archaic little known proverb theres a few to choose from, but Andrews suggestion seems much more fitting!
Lancashireman May 25, 2011:
Proverbs in the AGBs? The register is entirely wrong. 'Prompt settlement of accounts' is more likely in the context. Or was that the erste Überschrift?
philgoddard May 25, 2011:
Please give us some proper context - otherwise we can't help you. What does it say underneath? What is an old and little-known proverb doing as a heading in a hotel's terms and conditions of business, assuming that's what AGB stands for?
Elvira Schmid (asker) May 25, 2011:
Hotel beschreibung. Hier im Abschnitt "AGB" als zweite Überschrift.
Nicole Schnell May 25, 2011:
Worum geht es denn? :-)

Proposed translations

+1
11 hrs
Selected

Friendship is friendship, but accounts must be kept.

Mind you, this is a Chinese proverb, not British or American, but its meaning seems to fit the bill, as does its rhythm !

BTW, >9000 google hits für "Strenge Rechnung, gute Freunde" means that it is not that obsolete (vorwiegend in Österreich gängiges Sprichwort.)

Es bedeutet ganz schlicht, dass Geschäft und Freundschaft tunlichst auseinanderzuhalten sind; eine etwas bekanntere deutsche Variante wäre „Beim Geld hört die Freundschaft auf“
Peer comment(s):
agree Nicole Schnell
14 hrs
Danke, Nicole :-)
Something went wrong...
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Danke euch allen!"
+2
7 mins

even reckoning makes long friends

Even reckoning makes long friends
Similar English and Irish sayings:
• Short reckonings make long friends
• Short debts (accounts) make long friends
• Prosperity makes friends, and adversity tries them
http://www.english-sayings.com/even-reckoning-makes-long-fri...

Short reckonings make long friends.
Prov. If you borrow something from a friend, pay it back as soon as possible so that the two of you remain friendly. Now that you've finished using Bert's saw, take it right back to him. Short reckonings make long friends.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Short reckonings make lo...
Peer comment(s):
agree Colin Rowe
9 mins
agree Inge Meinzer
19 mins
neutral philgoddard : This sounds odd - it's not a well-known saying, and its meaning will not be clear to most people.
1 hr
Yes, looks like a bad translation from the Chinese.
neutral Helen Shiner : long friends? Long friendships maybe. I have to agree with phil. I don't recognise any of these phrases and I don't think their meaning is at all clear. Sorry, Kim.
1 hr
Good friends or good friendships.
neutral John Hein-Hartmann : I agree with Helen and Phil, but the problem may be British English as opposed to American English. The nearest British equivalent tunrs the saying on its head: lend your money and lose your friend.
3 hrs
neutral Lonnie Legg : with phil.
22 hrs
lasting friends
Something went wrong...
8 mins

Good fences make good neighbors

What occurred to me first off.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Colin Rowe : Me too! :-)
4 mins
neutral Susan Welsh : Me three!
2 hrs
neutral Lancashireman : Even fences make long neighbours
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
10 mins

proper billing keeps the friendship

There may be an "established" version. It makes you think of Frost's "Good fences make good neighbors."
Peer comment(s):
neutral Lancashireman : Improper invoicing eliminates amicality
3 hrs
Well thank you, naturally.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

Pay fast and stay fast friends

In the context given that we are dealing with something in an hotel.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

honest accounts/ keep friends (friends)/make friendship last

It's a bit odd.....wish I had more time

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2011-05-25 19:15:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

friendships
Peer comment(s):
neutral Lancashireman : Time is of the essence (old English proverb)
4 mins
To keep up with time, I have to keep running.
Something went wrong...
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