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80% of their communication and information product development activities

English translation: interpretation

15:07 Oct 28, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management / Web
English term or phrase: 80% of their communication and information product development activities
The majority of program representatives identified that on average 80% of their communication and information product development activities are planned

I assumed that it means 80% of the activities related to the development of information products and communication products.

Is it also your take of it? Or, are there other readings?

Thanks in advance
Michel A.
Local time: 23:56
Selected answer:interpretation
Explanation:
my interpretation:

80% of the actiivities that involve (a) communication and (b) information product development

Given the inherent ambiguity of the wording, your interpretation is potentially possible but IMO less likely.


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Note added at 43 mins (2007-10-28 15:50:44 GMT)
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On second thought, it could be development of communication products and information products. You (or we) need to know more about what the persons/companies do if you want to resolve this ambiguity (a typical example of the ambiguity that results from combining complex compound nouns, which is fashionable these days in PR and biz-speak).
Selected response from:

Ken Cox
Local time: 05:56
Grading comment
Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +4development of information products and communication products
NancyLynn
4 +3interpretation
Ken Cox


  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
cf. below
development of information products and communication products


Explanation:
yes, if I read your question right - "cf. below" does not mean much in English, I'm afraid, dear Michel!

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 23:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dylan Edwards: I agree 100% with Michel's interpretation.
12 mins
  -> Thanks Dylan!
agree  Tony M: Yes, seems more likely to me, though it is ambiguous; however, I'd even say that these are not 2 groups of products, but products covering two purposes, as Ken and Dylan have suggested.
29 mins
  -> thanks Tony!
agree  Ken Cox: Yep, I have to take back my comment on what is more likely. As many others have said, English lends itself especially well to forming syntatically valid but interently ambiguous constructions, which makes it both wonderful and treacherous.
43 mins
  -> exactly, exactly Ken! and we translators need not fear for our jobs for that very reason :-)
agree  Deborah Workman: Yes. I came across lots of sentences like this in my nearly 20 years in the telecom field. I agree 100% with Michel's interpretation.
8 hrs
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39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
cf. below
interpretation


Explanation:
my interpretation:

80% of the actiivities that involve (a) communication and (b) information product development

Given the inherent ambiguity of the wording, your interpretation is potentially possible but IMO less likely.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 43 mins (2007-10-28 15:50:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On second thought, it could be development of communication products and information products. You (or we) need to know more about what the persons/companies do if you want to resolve this ambiguity (a typical example of the ambiguity that results from combining complex compound nouns, which is fashionable these days in PR and biz-speak).

Ken Cox
Local time: 05:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dylan Edwards: On grounds of likelihood, I agree with your 2nd thought. I believe "communication and information products" goes together as a chunk. This is written by someone who thinks in chunks.
12 mins
  -> and who probably doesn't realise that the wording is ambiguous...
agree  NancyLynn: agree with Dylan here
16 mins
agree  Sheila Wilson: I read it that way too, but it could be poorly written
40 mins
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