This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Economics

more ubiquitous

English translation: ubiquitous

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:more ubiquitous
Selected answer:ubiquitous
Entered by: Roddy Stegemann

00:40 Jun 13, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Economics / Market Presence
English term or phrase: more ubiquitous
In a comparison with regard to foreign presence in a national economy one nation's firms enjoy broader exposure than another and are present in nearly every industry. How would you rate this expression? Is it an oxymoron? Can you think of a different, perhaps less oxymoronic way of capturing the idea of near omnipresence? Or, is it fine, just the way it is?
Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 18:40
ubiquitous
Explanation:
Definitely not "more ubiquitous"--something is either ubiquitous or it's not--you can't use "more". It's not a graded scale.
Selected response from:

KNielsen
Japan
Local time: 10:40
Grading comment
The most useful response to this question was provided by Michael Barnett when he stated that in addition to being contradictory an oxymoron must also be conceptually congruous.

The second most useful answer was provided by George Rabel, when he provided an example in which the phrase "more ubiquitous" could actually be used in a meaningful way -- i.e., exhibit the ridiculousness of an idea. Unfortunately, I had difficulty with most everything he said.

I am awarding my points to KNielsen because of his/her clarity of expression and firm stance. It will make a very good glossary entry and serve as a warning to others to be wary about the use of oxmoronic expressions.

My thanks to everyone else for their terrific and not so terrific input!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +3had a greater presence (than even)
Robert Forstag
5 +2ubiquitous
KNielsen
5existing more, everywhere
zax
4 +1Expand its presence
George Rabel
3exceeded/pervaded more
Mwananchi


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ubiquitous


Explanation:
Definitely not "more ubiquitous"--something is either ubiquitous or it's not--you can't use "more". It's not a graded scale.

KNielsen
Japan
Local time: 10:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
The most useful response to this question was provided by Michael Barnett when he stated that in addition to being contradictory an oxymoron must also be conceptually congruous.

The second most useful answer was provided by George Rabel, when he provided an example in which the phrase "more ubiquitous" could actually be used in a meaningful way -- i.e., exhibit the ridiculousness of an idea. Unfortunately, I had difficulty with most everything he said.

I am awarding my points to KNielsen because of his/her clarity of expression and firm stance. It will make a very good glossary entry and serve as a warning to others to be wary about the use of oxmoronic expressions.

My thanks to everyone else for their terrific and not so terrific input!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jarry (X)
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Jarry!
agree  Romanian Translator (X)
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Awana!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
had a greater presence (than even)


Explanation:
*More ubiquitous* is not an ocymoron, but simply redundant, like "very unique*.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2006-06-13 11:25:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hamo:

"Ubiquitious" means "present everywhere". Either someone or something is present everywhere or he/she/it is not. It is an adjective that does not admit distinctions of degree. That is why "more ubiquitous" is redundant (just like "very unique") and why it would here make more sense to write "had a greater presence".

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 21:40
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: But the firm is not ubiquitous, it is simply more present and nearly ubiquitous. Where is the redundancy in this?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexander Demyanov
1 min
  -> Thank you, Alex.
agree  Alexandra Tussing
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Alexandra.
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
11 hrs
  -> Thank you, Marju.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
existing more, everywhere


Explanation:
more present

zax
Local time: 21:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
exceeded/pervaded more


Explanation:
One nation's products exceeded the products of the other. They were more pervasive.

Mwananchi
Kenya
Local time: 04:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwahiliSwahili
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Expand its presence


Explanation:
Not an oxymoron, but a redundancy


I personally would avoid using the expression "more ubiquitous", but it can be used to add emphasis to the expression, as in "Can Microsoft be more ubiquitous than it already is?"

It depends of the type of document, and the register used. It is is a business document, such as a corporate statemtne of purpose, "vision", and the like, I'd probably use something less pretentious, like "expand its presence".


Good luck!




Adjective
S: (adj) omnipresent, ubiquitous (being present everywhere at once)

Oxymoron
putting two contradictory words together
www.english.uwosh.edu/roth/poetry-terms.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 hrs (2006-06-13 17:35:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi, it is no t really a contradiction. It is just more of the same thing. A contradiction would be "sweet torture", or "poor rich", or "silent" noise. Ubiquitous already means omnipresent, or present in all places simultanaously. To say "more" does not contradict "ubiquitous". it is just hyperbole. In can also be used sarcastically, as in Orwell´s Animal Farm:
All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others.


George Rabel
Local time: 21:40
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like your example with Microsoft, because it uses the contradiction implied by the term, to exaggerate a particular condition. Why do you not consider the idea of being "more ubiquitous" not oxymoronic? Ubiquitous means everywhere and more in this situation means not everywhere yet? Is this not a contradiction?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexandra Tussing
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Alexandra
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search