Talk:German court jails rail worker over Bad Aibling disaster

Misleading translation?
The dispatcher jailed in the trial is quoted in the article as having said “I know that I cannot undo what has happened, even if I wish I could.”

I am not a native speaker of English but I feel that this translation could be misunderstood as to the feelings of the condemned. Maybe “much as I wish I could” would be more precise?

I found the following quotation of the original statement in German:


 * “Ich weiß, dass ich das nicht mehr rückgängig machen kann, auch wenn ich mir nichts anderes wünschen täte”.

While the German “auch wenn” could, in theory, mean “even if” here it clearly means “even though.” I would literally translate the second clause by “even though I would wish for nothing else.” I realise that this is not a literary translation.

-- Renardo la vulpo (talk) 19:50, 23 August 2021 (UTC)


 * In my opinion the translation is an acceptable rendition of what has been said. The second sub-clause is set in a subjunctive mood („täte“). The speaker pictures the scenario that his wishlist contains one item only („nichts anderes“), to wind back all events, yet acknowledges that this isn’t sufficient („auch wenn“). There are certainly more idiomatic expressions, yet the translation conveys the basic idea. It isn’t awfully off, no libel, so I’d keep it as it is; no posting of a necessary. ‑‑Kays (talk) 22:00, 20 December 2021 (UTC)