Re: to turn a spy En>De

Einde O'Callaghan wrote:
> 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.
>

Umdrehen.

Bettina