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frei gegriffen

English translation: pulled out of thin air

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:frei gegriffen
English translation:pulled out of thin air
Entered by: Chris Rowson (X)

15:06 Nov 10, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: frei gegriffen
'Es ist zudem vermieden worden, den Mandanten über das Unterbleiben einer Prüfung und Fundierung des Unternehmenswertes aufzuklären. Die Beklagten haben die Werte für die Beteiligungen "frei gegriffen" und eine Prüfung, Fundierung und Aufklärung hierüber systematisch vermieden.'

I guess that means they made the numbers up. But what would be an equivalent phrasing that the lawyer would use in this formal document?

(Wondering if I should put this under the category Art/Literary :-)
Chris Rowson (X)
Local time: 07:14
"pulled the out of thin air"
Explanation:
I think the fact that the phrase is in inverted commas in German means that you can be a bit liberal in your translation.

HTH

Alison

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Note added at 5 mins (2003-11-10 15:11:56 GMT)
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\"pulled the figures out of thin air\" - is what I meant to write.....

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Note added at 30 mins (2003-11-10 15:36:02 GMT)
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If you want to make it sound like it\'s a creative person making up the figures, then why not say that they the figures used in the assessment were \"creative\" .....
Selected response from:

Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 07:14
Grading comment
Yes, I think the quote marks are determinative - it is what the Defendants themselves said at the time. I actually used "freely estimated" because it worked well in my document, but I would think that in general the "out of thin air" idea would be more precise. Thanks everyone!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1assigned arbitrary values
Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.
4 +1"pulled the out of thin air"
Alison Schwitzgebel
4allowed themselves a great deal of latitude in concocting the figures
Anil Kelkar
4another idea
Monika Leit


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"pulled the out of thin air"


Explanation:
I think the fact that the phrase is in inverted commas in German means that you can be a bit liberal in your translation.

HTH

Alison

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2003-11-10 15:11:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"pulled the figures out of thin air\" - is what I meant to write.....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2003-11-10 15:36:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you want to make it sound like it\'s a creative person making up the figures, then why not say that they the figures used in the assessment were \"creative\" .....

Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 07:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 26
Grading comment
Yes, I think the quote marks are determinative - it is what the Defendants themselves said at the time. I actually used "freely estimated" because it worked well in my document, but I would think that in general the "out of thin air" idea would be more precise. Thanks everyone!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mario Marcolin
17 hrs
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
allowed themselves a great deal of latitude in concocting the figures


Explanation:
Hint of sarcasm, perhaps, but it might cover what is required.

Anil Kelkar
Local time: 10:44
Native speaker of: Native in MarathiMarathi, Native in EnglishEnglish
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
another idea


Explanation:
figures were invented or chosen at random

Monika Leit
Local time: 07:14
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
assigned arbitrary values


Explanation:
x

Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.
United States
Local time: 01:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ellen Zittinger
14 hrs
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