Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Zures
English translation:
in trouble, in dire straits
Added to glossary by
Eleanore Strauss
Oct 3, 2017 09:18
6 yrs ago
German term
United Kingdom
33 years of experience
Native in: English
Works in: Arabic to English, German to English
Zures
German to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
German of 1940s
I am translating a series of heart-rending letters between members of an extended Jewish family variously located in the Lemberg ghetto, French internment camps, Vienna, London and Zurich 1940-1945. The word "Zures" comes up repeatedly in different letters and obviously means something like "troubles/difficulties" eg. "Ueberall Zures" "mir geht's sehr schlecht, ich bin auf Zures". I realise it could be a family word or derive from Ukrainian, Hebrew or Yiddish. But just in case it's a dialect German (Austrian?) word... Many thanks for your ideas, greatly appreciated as always.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 | in trouble, in dire straits |
Eleanore Strauss
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| 3 | very bad |
philgoddard
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Change log
Mar 14, 2018 16:13: Eleanore Strauss Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
3 hrs
Eleanore Strauss
Native in German
&
English
Specializes in field
Connecting cultures and through language
Native in: German (Variant: Swiss) 
, English
Works in: German to English, French to English, English to German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
in trouble, in dire straits
As per comment entered. Originates from the Hebrew word zarot (modern Hebrew) and old pronunciation zores, which means in pain, in trouble, enduring misfortune. Comes from the root word 'zaar' which is pain, literally zores means in pain, so it has come to mean in a painful situation.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2017-10-03 12:22:44 GMT)
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occasionally also used to describe a physical condition
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Note added at 3 hrs (2017-10-03 12:22:44 GMT)
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occasionally also used to describe a physical condition
Example sentence:
I am in trouble. or I am in a woeful situation.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Great explanation, thank you!"
5 mins
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
44
very bad
'Dort muss sie eine Nachricht erreicht haben, denn Ida berichtet am 30. Januar 1940 in einem Brief an ihre Ziehtochter Fanny Schreck in Palästina: „Tante Frieda und Onkel und das kleine Mädele sind in Polen **auf Zures“** (was soviel bedeutet wie: es geht ihnen äußerst schlecht).'
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: yes, but it's a noun
2 hrs
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It doesn't matter - you can translate nouns with adjectives. If I understand it correctly, it's an adjectival noun.
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| neutral |
Eleanore Strauss
: yes, it's a noun. In trouble, or in a bad way. Your explanation es geht ihnen ....schlecht is correct. Response: not quite, and as far as I know it is not an adjectival noun.
2 hrs
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Thanks. Did you mean to agree with my answer?
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Discussion