Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Schwalben schlugen Kapriolen
English translation:
(the swallows were) cavorting (in the air)
Added to glossary by
swisstell
Jan 15, 2011 00:20
13 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term
Diaphenia (X)
Kapriolen schlagen
German to English
Other
Zoology
Die Schwalben schlugen ihre Kapriolen....
The swallows were making their turnes in the air...(?)
The swallows were making their turnes in the air...(?)
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jan 21, 2011 00:40: swisstell Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
31 mins
Selected
(the swallows were) cavorting (in the blue sky/in the air)
or: the swallows were swooping and looping
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Note added at 32 mins (2011-01-15 00:53:28 GMT)
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About 334,000 results (0.43 seconds)
Search ResultsBrisingr, or, The seven promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira ... - Google Books Result
Christopher Paolini - 2009 - Juvenile Fiction - 800 pages
... turned to watch a pair of swallows cavorting in the blue sky. In profile, his delicate, slanted features reminded Eragon of a hawk or a sleek cat. ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0375854819...Rookwood Iris vase, swallows , Reed, 1896, 589 F, Jun 6, 2004 ... Early Iris Glaze 7 3/8 inche vase decorated with swallows cavorting around the shaded blue and gray background by Olga Reed
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Note added at 32 mins (2011-01-15 00:53:28 GMT)
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About 334,000 results (0.43 seconds)
Search ResultsBrisingr, or, The seven promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira ... - Google Books Result
Christopher Paolini - 2009 - Juvenile Fiction - 800 pages
... turned to watch a pair of swallows cavorting in the blue sky. In profile, his delicate, slanted features reminded Eragon of a hawk or a sleek cat. ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0375854819...Rookwood Iris vase, swallows , Reed, 1896, 589 F, Jun 6, 2004 ... Early Iris Glaze 7 3/8 inche vase decorated with swallows cavorting around the shaded blue and gray background by Olga Reed
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Lancashireman
: Skylarking? I've just put "cavorting with" into everyone's favourite search engine and Page 1 suggests "with the enemy", "with strangers" and "with the Devil". Unfortunate associations...
4 mins
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looking at swallows cavorting, no negative meaning comes to my mind.
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| agree |
British Diana
: Andrew, look in the Oxford Dict: "jump or dance around excitedly" the negative meaning is an additional one which not everyone will associate with this lovely old English word! The Asker could use "to curvet" with the same meaning and noone wd understand.
6 hrs
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thank you, Diana!w
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Liebe Kollegen, vielen Dank für die hilfreichen Antworten!"
+1
32 mins
Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Canada
Native in German
Canada
Friendly, fast & certified!
Native in: German (Variants: Swiss, Platt / Nieder (Low German), Austrian, Germany) 
Works in: English to German, German to English, German
Related KudoZ points
:
8
looping
or soaring
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-01-15 02:43:18 GMT)
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Hi Andrew.
On a splendid summer day last that I spent frolicking in the lovely rolling hills of East Sussex, UK - what did I see: two distinctly British swallows looping and soaring around the roofs of those lovingly restored thatched cottages. That’s exactly what they did. Cutting capers. Doing loop-de- loops. How’s that for a reference :-)
Redewendung “Kapriolen schlagen”
Bedeutung/Anwendungsgebiet:
vor Erregung/Freude umherspringen
Herkunft/Ursprung:
Das italienische Wort "capriola" bedeutet "Bocksprung".
http://www.woher-stammt.de/details-Kapriolen-schlagen-id-73-...
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-01-15 02:43:18 GMT)
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Hi Andrew.
On a splendid summer day last that I spent frolicking in the lovely rolling hills of East Sussex, UK - what did I see: two distinctly British swallows looping and soaring around the roofs of those lovingly restored thatched cottages. That’s exactly what they did. Cutting capers. Doing loop-de- loops. How’s that for a reference :-)
Redewendung “Kapriolen schlagen”
Bedeutung/Anwendungsgebiet:
vor Erregung/Freude umherspringen
Herkunft/Ursprung:
Das italienische Wort "capriola" bedeutet "Bocksprung".
http://www.woher-stammt.de/details-Kapriolen-schlagen-id-73-...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Lancashireman
: Soaring only? Or plummeting too? // I frolicked gaily as a lamb … When all at once I saw a couple … A pair of grey-blue swallows … Looping and soaring in the eaves (Wordsworth?)
5 mins
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| agree |
Helen Shiner
: This would be my preference - it keeps the original intent of the Kapriolen.
6 days
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Thanks:-)
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4 hrs
Gabriella Bertelmann
Native in German
&
English
Certified Translator/Reviewer 35Y f.t.
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: German to English, English to German, French to English, and 5 more.
swallows flitting through the air
another option
11 hrs
adamgajlewicz
Native in: Polish
Works in: German to English, English to German, Polish to English, and 1 more.
(swallows) frolicking in the air
http://www.google.pl/search?q=birds frolicking in the air&hl...
"birds frolicking in the air"
A flock of swallows and gamebirds frolicking and flying throughout the airport vicinity waiting for an engine ingestion which will make your approach much more challenging.
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Note added at 11 hrs (2011-01-15 12:02:24 GMT)
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another option
"birds frolicking in the air"
A flock of swallows and gamebirds frolicking and flying throughout the airport vicinity waiting for an engine ingestion which will make your approach much more challenging.
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Note added at 11 hrs (2011-01-15 12:02:24 GMT)
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another option
Example sentence:
A flock of swallows and gamebirds frolicking and flying throughout the airport vicinity waiting for an engine ingestion which will make your approach much more challenging.
Birds are singing impossible tunes and frolicking in the air.
12 hrs
Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Germany
45 years experience
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
swirling
and plunging
+1
12 hrs
were flaunting their acrobatics
They are show-offs!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Horst Huber (X)
: This answer (also the asker!) has noted the operative word, "their", meaning, they are doing what they by nature and habit do. The rest is ad lib.
12 hrs
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Thanks, Horst! Have a nice Sunday, the sun is shining over Germany for once!
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13 hrs
cutting capers
"It was courting during our entire stay, and we frequently saw one bird feeding another solidtously, two birds prancing about together in the snow, or several birds cutting capers high in air. " see ref 1
So, maybe a literal translation would work here:
"The swallows were cutting capers in the air"
Kapriole means caper.
According to Leo: to cut a caper" = "einen Luftspring machen"
See explanation below from wiki.
It seems to be a very old expression that isn´t used very much these days, but on the other hand the meaning seems to be the same in German and English.
So, maybe a literal translation would work here:
"The swallows were cutting capers in the air"
Kapriole means caper.
According to Leo: to cut a caper" = "einen Luftspring machen"
See explanation below from wiki.
It seems to be a very old expression that isn´t used very much these days, but on the other hand the meaning seems to be the same in German and English.
Example sentence:
Cut a caper: 1.To frolic or romp; to dance about in a frantic or ridiculous manner.
+1
15 mins
circling /wheeling / performing aerobatics
Try googling "the swallows were" and see what other combinations you come up with.
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Note added at 16 mins (2011-01-15 00:36:57 GMT)
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'turns' without an 'e'
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Note added at 20 mins (2011-01-15 00:41:27 GMT)
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turning cartwheels
frolicking (though more appropriate to newborn lambs)
...
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Note added at 6 days (2011-01-21 23:37:36 GMT) Post-grading
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It was good that you came back to thank us for our suggestions. It would have been even better to get some feedback on why you chose 'cavorting' over all the other options on offer.
Since this question was closed, I came across this definition of 'cabriole':
cabriole, ballet jump, formerly performed only by men, in which the dancer beats the calves of the legs together in the air, with a scissors-like movement. When the beat occurs, the legs are extended at either a 45° or 90° angle to the body at the front, side, or back. The dancer may land on one foot, then bring the second foot down to fifth position—cabriole fermée (“closed cabriole”)—or may complete the step with the second foot in the air—cabriole ouverte (“open cabriole”).
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/87738/cabriole
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Note added at 16 mins (2011-01-15 00:36:57 GMT)
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'turns' without an 'e'
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Note added at 20 mins (2011-01-15 00:41:27 GMT)
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turning cartwheels
frolicking (though more appropriate to newborn lambs)
...
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Note added at 6 days (2011-01-21 23:37:36 GMT) Post-grading
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It was good that you came back to thank us for our suggestions. It would have been even better to get some feedback on why you chose 'cavorting' over all the other options on offer.
Since this question was closed, I came across this definition of 'cabriole':
cabriole, ballet jump, formerly performed only by men, in which the dancer beats the calves of the legs together in the air, with a scissors-like movement. When the beat occurs, the legs are extended at either a 45° or 90° angle to the body at the front, side, or back. The dancer may land on one foot, then bring the second foot down to fifth position—cabriole fermée (“closed cabriole”)—or may complete the step with the second foot in the air—cabriole ouverte (“open cabriole”).
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/87738/cabriole
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
swisstell
: circus artists?
25 mins
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Yes, all eight of us.
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| agree |
Kim Metzger
: Frolicking works for me. http://www.tankaonline.com/TG Archive Fielden 08 1.htm
2 days 22 hrs
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Yes, maybe I was confusing it with 'gamboling' (lambs).
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Discussion