Re: to turn a spy En>De

Richard Loebner wrote:
> The message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> from "Nick Worley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> contains these words:
>
>
> > How do you say in German "to turn a spy"? As far as I understand the term,
> > turning a spy involves getting a spy to change his/her allegiances.
> > So how, for example, would you say in German "Many spies were turned during
> > the cold war"?
> > Thanks
>
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Sorry, but I wouldn't.
> "To turn a spy" means to become a spy.

You obviously have read any espionage novels. "To turn spy" may mean "to 
become a spy", but to "turn *a* spy" really does man "to make a spy 
change his allegiance" or "to make him become a double-agent".

> You are confused by the connotation of "turncoat" which describes a
> person changing his/her allegiance.
No the OP isn't confused, it really does mean what he says.

However, I haven't read enough espionage novels in German to know what 
the German equivalent is.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan