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incomplete success

English translation: Meaningful in some contexts, but not in all

09:54 Aug 20, 2002
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
English term or phrase: incomplete success
I woudlike to know the explanation of this phrase in English
Julia
Selected answer:Meaningful in some contexts, but not in all
Explanation:
In some situations, "incomplete success" is a meaningul phrase, as when one has a number of goals to accomplish, and the outcome of the effort is that some goals are accomplished, the others not.

In some other situations, the goal is either accomplished or not.

Example: For eleven years, I worked at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. During that time, I observed how in many situations cancer is successfully controlled to the point where the patient would live a rich, meaningful life, possibly with minor discomforts, although the cancer would still be alive. We consider that an incomplete success. To patients, this is a meaningful statement, Logicians notwithstanding.


Fuad
Selected response from:

Fuad Yahya
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +4partial success
Rowan Morrell
5 +2Meaningful in some contexts, but not in all
Fuad Yahya
5partial failure
Herman Vilella
5 -1failure
ttiberia


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
partial success


Explanation:
It basically means that the success was only partial. They did not achieve absolutely everything they wanted to - some things could have been done better. Hope this helps.

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 19:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 227

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lucia lu
38 mins
agree  Antonio Camangi
39 mins
agree  Kanta Rawat (X)
57 mins
agree  AhmedAMS
10 days
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
failure


Explanation:
success is either positive or negative (failure).
"Incomplete" is used only to express "failure" in a tactful, delicate fashion

ttiberia
Italy
Local time: 09:50
PRO pts in pair: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  John Kinory (X): Translating a 50,000-word difficult text and getting one term wrong, is incomplete success.
9 hrs
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46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Meaningful in some contexts, but not in all


Explanation:
In some situations, "incomplete success" is a meaningul phrase, as when one has a number of goals to accomplish, and the outcome of the effort is that some goals are accomplished, the others not.

In some other situations, the goal is either accomplished or not.

Example: For eleven years, I worked at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. During that time, I observed how in many situations cancer is successfully controlled to the point where the patient would live a rich, meaningful life, possibly with minor discomforts, although the cancer would still be alive. We consider that an incomplete success. To patients, this is a meaningful statement, Logicians notwithstanding.


Fuad

Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 893
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  John Kinory (X)
9 hrs
agree  AhmedAMS
10 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
partial failure


Explanation:
From the Department of Oxymoronic Statements: Incomplete success is failure. But not a failure in the minds of the failed. American space engineers have solved it by calling a 50-million dollar rocket burned to a crisp "partial failure". And the rest of the Anglosaxon orb has accepted the term.

Herman Vilella
Local time: 09:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 14

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  John Kinory (X): Is the glass half-empty or half-full?
9 hrs
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