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. German to English
  3. Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting

aufgeben

English translation: to pose a question/problem/present s'one with a question/riddle/problem

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:aufgeben
English translation:to pose a question/problem/present s'one with a question/riddle/problem
Entered by: davidgreen

12:41 Feb 15, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / art installation description
German term or phrase: aufgeben
I have no idea what the sentence means. I'd also be grateful for any comments on the rest of the section if you think I've misunderstood anything.

Neben den großen, gleißendhellen Flächen der Lichtquellen sind es kleine, unscheinbare, plötzlich erspähte kahle Bereiche. Manche von diesen tragen ein Kreuz als Markierung - das Kreuz als ein Hinweis für die Künstler, hier sei noch etwas zu ergänzen, oder wie ein Pflaster, das notdürftig eine Verletzung bedeckt? Sie halten das Papier zusammen, als müssten sie den Riss in der dargestellten Wirklichkeit verbergen und offenbaren gleichzeitig die schnöde Wirklichkeit des bloßen Papiers. Sie stellen mit ihrem Zyklus auch die Grenzen der Abbildbarkeit dar. So manche Rätsel *geben* auch die unzähligen Schriftzeichen *auf*: Manche davon sind als Sätze oder Wörter lesbar, fungieren wie z.B. "Schrauben" bzw. "Mutter" als Beschriftung der Regale oder Schubladen, stehen als Spruch auf kleinen Tafeln oder sind in die Möbel graviert.


Some of these are marked with a cross - the cross as a reminder to the artists that there's something here that still needs to be finished, or is it like makeshift plaster to cover a wound? They hold the paper together as if they were hiding a rip between represented reality and the disdainful reality of mere paper. Their series also illustrates the limits of reproducibility. Thus some puzzles *forgo* the innumerable characters: Some of these are legible as sentences or words, function for example as "screws" or "nuts" as inscription on shelves or drawers, are slogans on small boards or are engraved in the furniture.
davidgreen
to pose a question/problem
Explanation:
The literal translation of "jemandem ein Rätsel aufgeben" is "to give/ask sb a riddle". In this context, I would rather use "pose a question" ("Also the innumerable characters pose several/some questions...")
Selected response from:

Ute Bartsch
Germany
Local time: 09:37
Grading comment
Thanks guys/gals, never heard this expression before.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2to pose a question/problem
Ute Bartsch
3present with
shineda
2offer up
rjbemben


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to pose a question/problem


Explanation:
The literal translation of "jemandem ein Rätsel aufgeben" is "to give/ask sb a riddle". In this context, I would rather use "pose a question" ("Also the innumerable characters pose several/some questions...")

Ute Bartsch
Germany
Local time: 09:37
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks guys/gals, never heard this expression before.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Susan Geiblinger
8 mins
agree  BrigitteHilgner: makes a lot of sense (unlike a lot of the text to the uninitiated).
21 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
offer up


Explanation:
"Similarly, there are also word puzzles that offer up innumerable characters: some of these are legible as sentences or words..."

Just a guess: Note my confidence level here! I'm thinking of those puzzles that are squares or rectangles filled with alpha characters, and you try to find the words hidden in them.

rjbemben
Local time: 03:37
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
present with


Explanation:
Also the innumerable characters present us with quite a few riddles.

(..God did not present us with riddles when he gave us..)

(..being good science fiction. It presents us with riddles and rules..)

shineda
Netherlands
Local time: 09:37
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
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