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Dutch to English translations [PRO] Government / Politics / statutory documents
Dutch term or phrase:krachtlijnen
General context:
Belgian text regarding wastewater treatment in Flanders.
Specific context:
'Ook de bouw van deze gemeentelijke rioleringsstelsels is aan een aantal voorwaarden gekoppeld. Deze voorwaarden staan beschreven in de “Krachtlijnen voor geïntegreerd rioleringsbeleid in Vlaanderen”.'
From a bit of googling, I have the impression that 'krachtlijnen' could be translated as 'principles' in this context, but I'd appreciate other opinions.
Explanation: Van Dale Groot Woordenboek Ned. Taal (14e editie): krachtlijn (fig.) = belangrijke doelstelling: de doelstellingen van een beleid.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 days 21 hrs 59 mins (2005-11-14 10:50:17 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
@writeaway/3/18/29(2): Thanks again! Based on the information given by Kenneth and yourself, I think your initial answer of 'guidelines' could well be the intended meaning in this case. In my opinion, however, the author should then have used a term like 'richtlijnen', for example, instead of 'krachtlijnen' (at least in Dutch -- I don't know about Flemish). If the use of 'krachtlijnen' in the way the author has used the term here is indeed generally accepted, I think Van Dale should know about it. This discussion could be a good bit of input for them. Thanks again...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 days 22 hrs 32 mins (2005-11-14 11:23:40 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
@Deborah (3/19/36): Besides a being a matter of specific Flemish use, could 'krachtlijnen' be intended as a stronger alternative voor 'richtlijnen', meaning something like 'aanbevolen richtlijnen' (slightly stronger), 'dwingende richtlijnen' (stronger still) or perhaps even something just short of an official regulation?
PS: IMO this issue -- if it could be called that -- is developing into a very worthwhile discussion, but Kudos seems to offer only limited ways of conducting it.
Thanks for the help. My impression is still that 'krachtlijn' has a spectrum of meanings (and like much bureaucratic jargon and many fashion words, it is sometimes used with intentionally vague meaning). '(Belangrijke) doestelling' seems to fit at least some contexts, but I'm not convinced it fits all. For one thing, I wonder what difference (if any) there is between 'krachtlijnen van iets' and 'krachtlijnen voor iets' (particularly 'krachtlijnen voor een toekomstige beleid'). In some contexts the krachtlijnen appear to be the elements of the policy (perhaps the means by which the policy exerts its force). And I found one quite serious text in which a list of items described as 'principes' is followed by a paragraph in which they are referred to as 'deze krachtlijnen'. That doesn't necessarily mean the terms are synonymous, but it suggests a close relationship. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
final note (no space elsewhere): a month later and I am doing a text where the meaning of the term is definitely policy objectives (of a company). but as clearly indicated by the (con)text here (plus ref provided), here it really does mean guidelines.
Ah yes, written communication is such a poor substitute for oral communication (how do you convey tone of voice in writing?). I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes (no matter how long they may be), and I certainly didn't intend my first comment to be a rejection of anyone's answer.
FWIW, I hid my initial answer at 2 minutes in ERROR, was under pressure with a job and when I had time to come back, saw it had been reanswered, with valid Belgian refs and so just added a peer agree.
When an answer is dismissed outright,not even taken into consideration,despite peer agrees,despite refs to back it,then hiding it shouldn't bother anyone, should it? fwiw,I apologised to the peers-I don't usually do that but I felt I had no choice.
Thanks Jack. I agree with you on the hidden answers. IMO it should not be possible to hide an answer that has received peer comments, and hiding should be used with utmost restraint (for '2 + 2 = 5' answers, for example).
Your query, the various responses and your own observations could be interesting material for Van Dale, Kenneth. I don't want to offend anybody, but I really think it's a pity some of the input was hidden...
Sorry for the clumsy fingers. I wanted to say that I forgot to add the glossary entry (why is that disabled by default?). My suggestion is 'policy goals/objectives; objects of a policy'.
De code van goede praktijk kan worden besteld bij de VMM (De Maelstraat 96, 9320 Erembodegem. Tel: 053/72.62.11) en is gratis te verkrijgen op de gemeentelijke milieudienst."
Het geeft meer uitleg over de materialen die moeten worden gebruikt, de veiligheidsaspecten, de grootte van het reservoir en aan welke voorwaarden een goede regenwaterinstallatie moet voldoen.
"Krachtlijnen voor gentegreerd rioleringsbeleid in Vlaanderen. Code van goede praktijk voor hemelwaterputten en infiltratievoorzieningen" is een boekje uitgegeven door de VMM (Vlaamse milieumaatschappij).
I paid an early-bird price of 204.00 Euro's for my limited edition, incl. the CD-ROM and the Grote Spellinggids 2005. I believe the regular price is 15.00 E higher. See http://www.vandale.nl/producten/1001004002523496 PS: I don't have Van Dale stock ;-)
The new limited luxury edition comes with the CD -can't remember offhand as I bought it last month but even with delivery down to Portugal, I know it was under 300
For the sake of politeness I'll wait the 24 hours for grading, but Jack's answer puts a big smile on my face and cements my resolve to buy the new edition of the GWNT. Besides, as Van Dale says it's 'spotgoedkoop' (or does that just mean the bilingual dicos on CD-ROM are painfully expensive?).
I realise that 'krachtllijnen' can be (and is) translated as 'guidelines', but a bit of googling suggests that at least in some contexts, the meaning is more like 'key features' or 'principal aspects'. To my way of thinking, 'guidelines' means 'general instructions' or (less commonly) 'general boundaries'.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
2 hrs confidence:
policy objectives
Explanation: Van Dale Groot Woordenboek Ned. Taal (14e editie): krachtlijn (fig.) = belangrijke doelstelling: de doelstellingen van een beleid.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 days 21 hrs 59 mins (2005-11-14 10:50:17 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
@writeaway/3/18/29(2): Thanks again! Based on the information given by Kenneth and yourself, I think your initial answer of 'guidelines' could well be the intended meaning in this case. In my opinion, however, the author should then have used a term like 'richtlijnen', for example, instead of 'krachtlijnen' (at least in Dutch -- I don't know about Flemish). If the use of 'krachtlijnen' in the way the author has used the term here is indeed generally accepted, I think Van Dale should know about it. This discussion could be a good bit of input for them. Thanks again...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 days 22 hrs 32 mins (2005-11-14 11:23:40 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
@Deborah (3/19/36): Besides a being a matter of specific Flemish use, could 'krachtlijnen' be intended as a stronger alternative voor 'richtlijnen', meaning something like 'aanbevolen richtlijnen' (slightly stronger), 'dwingende richtlijnen' (stronger still) or perhaps even something just short of an official regulation?
PS: IMO this issue -- if it could be called that -- is developing into a very worthwhile discussion, but Kudos seems to offer only limited ways of conducting it.
Jack den Haan Netherlands Local time: 10:40 Native speaker of: Dutch, English PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks for the help. My impression is still that 'krachtlijn' has a spectrum of meanings (and like much bureaucratic jargon and many fashion words, it is sometimes used with intentionally vague meaning). '(Belangrijke) doestelling' seems to fit at least some contexts, but I'm not convinced it fits all. For one thing, I wonder what difference (if any) there is between 'krachtlijnen van iets' and 'krachtlijnen voor iets' (particularly 'krachtlijnen voor een toekomstige beleid'). In some contexts the krachtlijnen appear to be the elements of the policy (perhaps the means by which the policy exerts its force). And I found one quite serious text in which a list of items described as 'principes' is followed by a paragraph in which they are referred to as 'deze krachtlijnen'. That doesn't necessarily mean the terms are synonymous, but it suggests a close relationship.
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