der Paragrafenreiter
Translation
stickler for the rules, pedant, bureaucrat, nitpicker
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
Composed of 'Paragraf' (paragraph, legal section) and 'Reiter' (rider). It literally means 'paragraph rider', implying someone who strictly adheres to written rules.
Memory Tips
Picture a tiny bureaucrat riding a horse over the paragraphs of a legal document, afraid to step off the lines.