doch wie großartig

J

jchap

New Member
English - United States
Hallo noch mal,

Ich need help translating "doch" in the following context: The preceding sentence reads "In interessanter und fesselnder Weise schilderte Dr. Tannenberg die Tagungen in Erlangen...". The following sentence reads "Doch wie großartig und imposant müssen die Tage in Nürnberg gewesen sein!".

"Die Tagungen in Erlangen" und "die Tage in Nürnberg" refer to the same event (the Reichsparteitag 1936) taking place over multiple locations around Nürnberg.

What is an appropriate translation of "doch" in this context? Does "But how grand ... " work?
 
    • elroy said:
    How so? Why “but”? I don’t see a contradiction or contrast. Can you elaborate?
    Click to expand...
    A was fine, but how grand must have been B?

    The contrast is between good and outstanding. In German, this "doch" or "aber" feel very idiomatic and are interchangeable.

    Die Sonne ist schon weit entfernt. Aber/doch wie weit entfernt müssen erst andere Galaxien sein?
     
    That makes sense. I didn’t realize the writer was making a contrast between Erlangen and Nürnberg.
     
    Compare:
    It would have be even clearer and with a stronger contrast in:
    "Doch wie großartig und imposant müssen erst die Tage in Nürnberg gewesen sein!".
    This "erst" emphasizes the contrast more than "doch".
    The base meaning is the same. As well "erst" and "doch" will get their content only due to context in the sentence.

    It is a contrast as between good and very/extremely good.
     
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