its from a song in the book hannibal rising.
2007-12-22 20:13:24 · 6 answers · asked by Kate 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
It's the diminutive of 'Mantel', like Frau > Fraulein (with appropriate umlaut.)
2007-12-22 20:35:02 · answer #1 · answered by JJ 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The main portion of the word appears tobe mantel which ,means a coat in all the European languages.The portion following it 'lein' appears to be a dimunitive like frauline in German.As August Moon says its use is to indicate a dimunitiive character(a little man identified by his dimunitive size of the coat he is wearing.)
2007-12-23 04:42:26 · answer #2 · answered by Prabhakar G 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe it means "little man". Check the link I left with this. There is a woman who is Dutch who has made a post that translates the entire song from German to English. According to her the song translates as follows:
A little Man stands in the Forest
A little man stands in the forest, saying nothing,standing still,
He has a purple cloak on.
Tell me; who is that little man, that stands silent in the forest,
with his purple cloak?
The little man stands in the forest, on one leg,
He has on his head a little hat (or maybe cap),
Tell me, who is that little man, that stands on one leg,
with his little black hat?
She goes on to say: "This is the correct translation. The actual meaning is that the man in this song, is a mushroom. And probably has something to do with gnomes and such. It's a German lullaby. So I think in the book or movie, the actual point is that the man will not see another morning again when he dies."
Hope that helps. :)
2007-12-23 04:30:43 · answer #3 · answered by . 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
in German: Mäntelein means coat in a belittled form (from Mantel - coat)
2007-12-23 04:21:27 · answer #4 · answered by Rain 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
A small coat.
2007-12-23 05:00:21 · answer #5 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
freetranslation.com
2007-12-23 04:16:51 · answer #6 · answered by breenie 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋