der Paragrafenreiter
Translation
stickler for the rules, pedant, bureaucrat, pettifogger
Examples
Mein Chef ist ein echter Paragrafenreiter.
My boss is a real stickler for the rules.
Er gilt als pedantischer Paragrafenreiter.
He is considered a pedantic stickler.
Grammar Patterns
to be a stickler for the rules (ein Paragrafenreiter sein) My boss is a real stickler for the rules.
Similar Words
Synonyms: bureaucrat, pedant, nitpicker. Antonyms: Pragmatiker (pragmatist)
Etymology
From 'Paragraf' (paragraph, section of law) + 'Reiter' (rider). Literally a 'paragraph rider', someone who rigidly follows the letter of the law.
Memory Tips
Imagine a person on a horse, meticulously 'riding' along the lines of a law book, never deviating.