Google Translate's translation for
Was denn noch alles?
...is
What else?
...but there has to be more to it. After all, this would be the same translation as for the simpler
Was noch?
What does the denn ... alles add to the utterance?
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In which context does this sentence appear? Which emotions could be involved in that situation?– Roland IlligMay 31, 2018 at 21:32
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2@RolandIllig It get's pretty clear with eyerolls :-P– πάντα ῥεῖMay 31, 2018 at 21:33
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The literal translation "What else then please?" sounds more tight to the implications IMO.– πάντα ῥεῖMay 31, 2018 at 21:34
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I already know that. I hoped that kjo could add that context to the question and thereby answer it already.– Roland IlligMay 31, 2018 at 21:34
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@RolandIllig: All I can tell you is that it's from the dialog of a Tatort episode, but I did not write down the details of the situation.– kjoMay 31, 2018 at 21:36
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3 Answers
Was denn noch alles?
This sentence conveys three statements at once:
Was denn?
What is it, please tell me.
Was alles?
What is it, all of it.
Was noch?
What is it, in addition to what you already told me.
In effect, this is a very rude, impatient way to say:
You just added something new to the pile —again—. Please stop it!
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Rude? Not necessarily. "Was werfen Sie mir denn noch alles vor?" is not impolite, just pretty frustrated and perhaps even desperate. "Was wird denn heute noch alles passieren?" is not rude either. Jun 1, 2018 at 13:28
Two answers already, none of them incorrect, and yet they are missing the fact that this is most often used a rhetorical device called a "rhetorical question", that really doesn't expect an honest answer. It is more a form of protest that adds emphasis with exaggeration by adding a certain degree of hyperbole with "noch … alles".
Noch is here the most important word: it usually places this question into the rhetorical question frame.
Was denn alles? –– would usually be an honest request for complete clarification.
Was denn noch? –– can be an honest request for clarification/additional material, roughly equivalent with What else?, although denn makes this dependent on tone of voice as that word might indicate a little annoyance already.
Combining both into
Was denn noch alles?
might therefore be translated to:
"What else, then, on top of it all?" (… should I have to listen to, do I have to do, etc., [for Jove's sake] ––– "What else, yet/still more?")
But it is important to also convey the disgust and frustration and unwillingness via tone of voice in this case. To keep it as short and precise as the German source the intonation part might be the sole device at your disposal.
The Redensarten-Index concurs with:
oft Ausdruck von Ungeduld / Gereiztheit / Überdruss / Ablehnung
( often an expression of impatience / irritability / weariness / rejection )
The feeling behind
Was denn noch alles? [Mir reichts, ich hab die Schnauze voll!]
is displeasure and/or overstrain (Überforderung). It can also be followed by »!«, »?!« or »!?«.
This statement (which is not meant as a question) is often said by a child to a parent.
»Räum dein Zimmer auf!«
»Jaja.«
»Und bring den Müll runter!«
»Was denn noch alles!«
