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drempelverlaging

English translation: moral decline/lowering of standards


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:drempelverlaging
English translation:moral decline/lowering of standards
Entered by: Lawyer-Linguist
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

15:34 May 2, 2005
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Business/Commerce (general) / Annual Report
Dutch term or phrase: drempelverlaging
Hi,

This may be one of a few postings today the way things are progressing.:-)

I am busy with an annual report for a security firm that works in the supermarket sector.

The shrinkage figures for the year in question have been stated and the comment is made that the outlook for the next year is that a steady increase in the number of cases (of shoplifting etc) is expected.

The next section describes the reasons. I'd be interested to see how collagues understand "drumpelverlaging" in this context.

Oorzaken hiervan zijn de mindere economische tijden en *drempelverlaging* in de samenleving evenals minder personeel op winkelvloer die toezicht kan houden.

- do you think this is a tolerance threshold that is said to lower (i.e. in fact increased tolerance of this type of crime due to worsening economic conditions) or that people are less likely to hesitate these days before turning to shoplifting because of the economy? I'm finding the term a bit abstract to come to terms with at the moment.

TIA
Debbie
Lawyer-Linguist
Portugal
Local time: 07:47
moral decline
Explanation:
Hi Debbie, this is just a shot at what they may be referring to. 'Lowering of standards' may be another solution. Hope this helps!
Selected response from:

Christopher Smith
United Kingdom
Grading comment
Many thanks for all the prompt and excellent suggestions
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5moral decline
Christopher Smith
4 +1lowering social standardsFred ten Berge
4decreased moral thresholdPierre Grabowski
4lowering values of the society
Zeljko Susljic
3lower inhibitory /inhibitive levels (in society)
Jack den Haan


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
moral decline


Explanation:
Hi Debbie, this is just a shot at what they may be referring to. 'Lowering of standards' may be another solution. Hope this helps!

Christopher Smith
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
Many thanks for all the prompt and excellent suggestions

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  xxxFullCircle: I'd go for moral decline
3 mins
agree  Kate Hudson
41 mins
agree  xxxjarry: Lowering of standards
1 hr
agree  Allison Klein: with JArry
2 hrs
neutral  Fred ten Berge: this 'shot' wijkt wel errug af van originele Nederlandse tekst, in negatieve zin
8 hrs
  -> Looking at your soluton, I can't see your problem.
agree  Siobhan Schoonhoff-Reilly: moral decline
15 hrs
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
lowering values of the society


Explanation:
It is this one: people are less likely to hesitate these days before turning to shoplifting because of the economy

Zeljko Susljic
Belgium
Local time: 08:47
Works in field

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Fred ten Berge: Mind skipping 'the'?
9 hrs
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
decreased moral threshold


Explanation:
I believe the message here is that the moral threshold is decreased, in other words: offenders are more likely to commit this kind of crime (due to changed morals, worsening economic circumstances,..)

Pierre Grabowski
Local time: 10:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FlemishFlemish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ljiljana Malovic
0 min
disagree  Benno Groeneveld: I'd go for "lower moral threshold"
5 hrs
neutral  Fred ten Berge: Enorm taalkundig bezwaar tegen 'decreased' versus ''decreasing' and the like!!
8 hrs
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
lower inhibitory /inhibitive levels (in society)


Explanation:
I agree with peer interpretations that moral decline, lower moral values etc. in society is probably what is meant, but this IS a matter of interpretation. Perhaps this alternative is less interpretative. Trying to restrain that warning Calvanist finger, but having a bit of a problem with that ;-)

Jack den Haan
Netherlands
Local time: 08:47
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 64

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Fred ten Berge: would have agreed if original text were 'lager' and not 'verlaging' // Remember 'progressive aspects' of old Randolph Quirk, Zandvoort etc.?
8 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
*drempelverlaging in de samenleving*
lowering social standards


Explanation:
Perhaps more literal translations, including the original metaphore are worth considering:

lowering the threshhold of (social) standards (of society)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 41 mins (2005-05-03 00:15:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Some slight attention to the progressive/continuous aspect of \'verlaging\' (versus \'verlaagde\') in the original Dutch text might not do any harm - -

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 46 mins (2005-05-03 00:20:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IGM / EMF Declaration of Berlin
... Deregulating and lowering social standards do not automatically guarantee
social coherence and economic growth, but rather lead to economic crisis, ...
www.emf-fem.org/info_press/press/EN/PR050603_en.cfm - 33k - In cache - Gelijkwaardige pagina\'s

some 60 googles for \'lowering social standards

Fred ten Berge
Local time: 08:47
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Christopher Smith: you need an 'of' in this this to make it good English.
1 hr
  -> Always pleased to learn! Thanks for this hint! // Sorry for this mistake! / / We - like several others, perhaps no 'inboorlingen' - considered 'to lower' a transitive verb. Incorrect assumption?)
agree  Allison Klein: with Christopher - see format used in Jarry's agree to Christopher's answer above........
7 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Allison! Especially also for your comment!!
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