This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
New property and interests, modification and aggravation of risk
bubble

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

1,600-pound gorilla

German translation:

1600-Pfund-Gorilla / 800-Kilo-Gorilla

Added to glossary by Brigitta Lange
Jul 7, 2005 19:13
18 yrs ago
English term

1,600-pound gorilla

English to German Other Business/Commerce (general)
Imagine having such a great impact on the world that two major
publications believe, simultaneously, that two totally unrelated divisions
of your company are worthy of front-cover stories. This truly makes
Microsoft the world's first 1,600-pound gorilla.
Proposed translations (German)
3 +1 1600-Pfund-Gorilla / 800-Kilo-Gorilla
3 +1 King Kong

Discussion

silfilla Jul 7, 2005:
1,600 lb gorilla is not only unpredictable, it's uncontrollable and can do whatever it wants, so the connotations are negative as well.
jccantrell Jul 7, 2005:
1600 lb gorilla has something arbitrary about it (old joke: Where does the 1600 lb gorilla sit? Anywhere he damn well pleases!) Titan is almost there, to my mind, but lacks this unpredictability. Just my thought.
Non-ProZ.com Jul 7, 2005:
Was haltet ihr von: "Das macht Microsoft in der Tat zu einem wahren Titan der Software-Branche." ?
silfilla Jul 7, 2005:
with jcc! LOL...
jccantrell Jul 7, 2005:
I can't wait to see what this is in German, too.

Proposed translations

+1
20 mins
Selected

1600-Pfund-Gorilla / 800-Kilo-Gorilla

Official translation as per Microsoft glossary. :-)
Reference:

http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q=pfund-gorilla+microsoft&btnG=Suche&meta=lr%3Dlang_de

http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q=kilo-gorilla+microsoft&btnG=Suche&meta=lr%3Dlang_de

Peer comment(s):
neutral silfilla : they probably used a machine; conveniently omits the negative connotations ;-)
34 mins
agree dorisinlondon : I think the term gorilla is also used in German business articles and it is known who is referred to when called gorilla. I would give the weight too as it indicates that Microsoft is more powerful and threatening then ever.
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
16 mins

King Kong

just an idea

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2005-07-07 19:32:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ein 1600-Pfünder ;-))

Koloss von Micros.....
Peer comment(s):
agree silfilla : good idea, conveys the negative connotations too
37 mins
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search