New to the group, and searching for help.

That's the noun "shrug", CK, if I'm not mistaken. Two possible translations thereof, both saying "an x of the shoulders."

#8 -- Right you are, shilgia. But "shrug it off" sounds fine to me, "shrug it off my shoulders" doesn't.

OP, would be OK with something that meant more or less "Will I shrug off the world?" Even if "shrug" didn't specificaly mean shrug of the shoulders? Or would you rather have something like "Will I shake the world off my shoulders?" Not that I can help in any case.

And, umm, what is this supposed to, you know, mean, anyway?

#10 Right you are, but I was just trying to spare OP unnecessary tat-harsh. Choosing between υψώ τουσ ώμουσ and υψώνω τουσ ώμουσ would mean a possible 14 painful letters, while my original selection would involve a maximum of 13. See?

CK

bilwander is Greek. And he's here from time to time. I've emailed him a link to this thread.

Atlas shrugged, Vinny, but I guess it's too late to ask Ayn Rand what it means.

To shrug something off has only one meaning to me: to minimize its importance, or disdain it.

I can imagine Atlas shrugging, but not shrugging anything off.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>i always let them do all my german housework and my teacher never noticed.<hr></blockquote>But your teacher would be unlikely to notice your housework, Mathilda, unless classes were in your home. Your homework, of course, would be another matter. (Imagine smiling emoticon here.)

NorthAmerican, wouldn't it just be easier to break down and put in a :-) ?

Perhaps not.

#9 -- I'm so slow. I just figured out who lives in Unterbruecke. I don't think OP is of that species myself.

Thanks to everyone for helping me out with this one. The only reason I show such concern is that a cousin of mine used a translator for a tatoo of his. Instead of the tatoo reading "wise one" as he hoped it would, it turns out that it really means "pretty lady". Seeing as how my cousin is a male rugby player, he wasnt too excited to find out that he had pretty lady inked on his arm. Razzak, you're right one with what my tatoo means. I just finished reading Atlas Shrugged and I think it is an outstanding book. I would highly recommend it to everyone. And to everyone, yes shrug can be used transitively with an object other than shoulder[s]. While it might be incorrect, it is used commonly in that way. I am a native speaker and hear it all the time. As for all of the pain and such, it doesnt really matter. The tatoo is going to be so large that I wont get it done all in one sitting and I am getting a HUGE discount so 13 vs. 14 letters is no big deal. Thanks to everyone. I really appreciate it!

P.S - Vinny, it is OK with be - I do not think I will encounter too many greeks in my life time, let alone take my shirt off in front of them. Although I wouldnt mind. Ha.

ΚΑΙ ΘΑ ΑΠΟΤΙΝΑΞΩ (ΞΕΦΟΡΤΩΘΩ) ΤΟΝ ΚΟΣΜΟ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥΣ ΩΜΟΥΣ ΜΟΥ

thanks razzak for remembering and calling me to carry out another dirty job as usual,
for ...Dirty_PO7 (!?!) this time... ´-)

bilwander, what does the part in the parentheses mean?

re housework: you know teachers are very badly paid in this part of the world and to supplement his salary mine comes round once a week to scrub the floors and pick up what has fallen behind the sofa in the villa adjoining my 7 hectare large estate (read: 12 square metre apartment shared by two other people, with the plumbings laid exteriorly). but i can say it was five in the morning here so i got confused.