German term
Tunnelpassagier
- Wenn nicht Musik, was dann?
Wenig, Ich bin ein stark besessener Tunnelpasagier wenn es um Musik geht aber in den kurzen Pausen in denen sich meinen Leben nicht um Musik drehen möchte liebe ich es Menschen zu beobachten, Skateboard zu fahren und fremde Länder zu bereisen.
I've never come across 'Tunnelpasagier' before. It seems like he's obsessed with music, I'm just not sure if there's another, better way of translating the phrase.
Thanks.
| 3 | fanatical |
Andrea Garfield-Barkworth
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| 3 +7 | tunnel vision |
Ramey Rieger (X)
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| 3 +1 | obsessed |
Peter Ward
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| 4 | one-track minded |
Sarojini Seeneevassen
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Non-PRO (1): Edith Kelly
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Proposed translations
Germany
Reach a wider audience
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English
fanatical
tunnel vision
| agree |
Björn Vrooman
: Like your second option (one-track mind); tunnel vision reminds me too much of drug use.//RE what you told Phil: This is less of an ENS/non-ENS issue. Maybe I just haven't come across it much, except for http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4874938.stm
36 mins
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Well, a one-track mind would be fatal for a musician unless he's a one-hit wonder, which would immediately imply he did not have tunnel vision when it came to creating new sounds! hihi
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| agree |
Darin Fitzpatrick
1 hr
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I see the light (at the end of the tunnel)
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| agree |
philgoddard
: I think this must be the meaning, but I can't see why he uses this word. And I don't agree with Björn - tunnel vision fits perfectly.
1 hr
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Maybe it'S a translation of a translation? That's the only explanation I can find. You must remember that Björn is not a native speaker, certain metaphors have a different impact in German.
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| agree |
Edith Kelly
7 hrs
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Doesn't Cyclops also suffer from tunnel vision?
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| agree |
Steffen Walter
7 hrs
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My oh my, it's dark in here!
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
1 day 1 hr
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A fatal attribute for translators!
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| agree |
Herbmione Granger
: "Tunnel vision for music" is very nice, especially preceding Menschen beobachten and so on.
1 day 19 hrs
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I see you!
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United Kingdom
Fast, reliable, technical, IT experience
Native in: English (Variants: UK, US, Wales / Welsh, British, Scottish)
Works in: German to English
obsessed
Mauritius
Native, my main target language
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Creoles & Pidgins (French-based Other) to English
Discussion
Interesting that you think it is unusual German as this was the impression I had when reading the text. However, the interviewee is German, as is the client (who conducted the interview), so it's not a case of being a non-native speaker, or a translation of a translation (that I am aware of). It could be that neither the interviewer or interviewee were particularly bothered about getting things 'right' (there are a couple of spelling mistakes). I don't *think* the person is particularly young, so it's not that. It could simply be that the interviewee was a little nervous and couldn't get their words out properly. I don't have a good explanation, I'm afraid!
- I second that, Anne. Here I was thinking maybe I'm the only one who finds this a bit odd.
(also @Steffen)
Going out on a limb here, I guess, but doesn't the second bit sound awkward to you, too? The one I put in quotes below. To be frank, the use of those words in that order seems translated, especially "bereisen"; it's an interview...all of it sounds a bit stilted.
Maybe Nick should say something.
"Their visual field is constricted." You said it!
The only explanation I can come up with is that the interviewee is a bit like myself and a friend of mine: He thinks in images.
Here's an ex.:
"Darin erfuhr man vor allem, daß Angst vor rauher See und Tabletten gegen Seekrankheit hinfort der Vergangenheit angehörten. Dennoch wurde dem Tunnelpassagier für die Fahrt im Autowaggon neben einem Blick auf die Landkarte und dem Vertreten der Füße ein Klobesuch anempfohlen."
https://www.zeit.de/1994/19/tunnel-wer-braucht-einen-tunnel
Metaphorically speaking, people riding on a train inside the Eurotunnel have no choice but to focus on the trip ahead. Their visual field is constricted.
It's more like a pictogram than an actual metaphor. I can't provide references, because there aren't any.
Starting to think this person is either quite young or this is a translation. Just my opinion, but...err...this bit "liebe ich es Menschen zu beobachten, Skateboard zu fahren und fremde Länder zu bereisen" sounds a bit awkward (to me, that is).
Best wishes
Now, do you have some of your lightning-fast references for Phil? The term Tunnelpassagier seems unusual to me, too.
https://www.antenne.de/nachrichten/sport/titel-tunnelblick-b...
Neither does this: https://www.fr.de/rhein-main/branche-mittunnelblick-11863916...
Or this: https://www.dewezet.de/region/weserbergland_artikel,-fehlein...
In fact, I'm not sure most GNS would agree with me either. But this also means that "certain metaphors have a different impact in German" is not a good argument to make. I don't speak for all Germans; they aren't a monolithic group and neither are ENS.
When I was younger (ha ha), the only time I've ever heard Tunnelblick/tunnel vision used was when someone got drunk. I'm sure a lot of people haven't.
Oddly enough, though, I can't seem to find as good a reference for "tunnel vision" as I could for "one-track mind"--and I thought it was a nice play on words, too. Thus, my comment.
Best wishes
"'It’s not a thought; it’s the only thing that we do and that we want to do,' Oscroft says. 'It’s pretty one track mind when you’re creative. We’re always creating.'"
https://move.themaneater.com/stories/music/mothxr-bring-new-...
ENS quote:
"'But it gave me the opportunity to focus on my music, just fall in love with my music," continues Shaddix. "All I did was think, live, eat, sh*t, breathe music. I just had a one track mind – reinventing ourselves.'"
https://www.campuscircle.com/review.cfm?r=350
And another one:
"'I've got a one track mind,' confesses John Michael Montgomery. "I can't be doing too many things at one time. If I'm on the road touring, I'm totally focused on that. So it's hard enough to pay attention to things going on in my life, much less thinking about going into a studio to record between dates on the road.'"
http://missy3.tripod.com/country.html
Similar:
"For the next couple of days we had a one-track mind. The Highland Mountain Medley Music Compilation was all anyone around us would hear about."
http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/building-a-festival-one-b...
https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tunnelblick
Also, the definition in Collins:
"If you say that someone has tunnel vision, you disapprove of them because they are concentrating completely on achieving a particular aim, and do not notice or consider all the different aspects of what they are doing."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/de/worterbuch/englisch/tun...
Same in Cambridge:
"disapproving the fact that someone considers only one part of a problem or situation, or holds a single opinion rather than having a more general understanding"
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/de/worterbuch/englisch/tunn...
Same in Oxford:
"(disapproving) an inability to see or understand all the aspects of a situation, an argument, etc. instead of just one part of it"
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/englis...
M-W doesn't say that in so many words, but the examples aren't very flattering either:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tunnel vision
Ofc, use it how you see fit. But that isn't any different in German. I said "reminds me"; just my personal opinion.
Best