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auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen

English translation: test them to their limits

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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen
English translation:	test them to their limits
Entered by:	Steffen Walter

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10:31 Jan 15, 2009

German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

German term or phrase: auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen

CONTEXT: "Damit ihre Unternehmung eine Orientierung hat, muss die Geschäftsleitung eine Einheit bilden, ein Team, das sich gemeinsam auf die Reise macht. Dabei kann es nicht ausbleiben, dass etliche Fragestellungen und anstehende Entscheidungen dieses Team auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen werden."

Thanks in advance

mattsmith KudoZ activity Questions: 182 (1 open) (6 closed without grading) Answers: 5 Germany
Local time: 18:31

test them to their limits

Explanation:
... will test this team to its limits...

Selected response from:

Manuela Junghans
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:31

Grading comment

Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +6

test them to their limits

Manuela Junghans

4 +3

will be put to a critical test

SpreeSarah

will put them decisively to the test

Helen Shiner

put to an endurance test

casper

be severely tried

Stefan Hollstein

Discussion entries: 6

Answers

3 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen will be put to a critical test

Explanation:
http://dict.leo.org/ende?lp=ende&lang=de&searchLoc=0&cmpType...

figuratively speaking a Zerreißprobe is a critical test (see Leo)

SpreeSarah
United States
Local time: 12:31
Native speaker of:

English

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen

test them to their limits

Explanation:
... will test this team to its limits...

Manuela Junghans
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:31
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 16

Grading comment

Thanks!

10 mins confidence:

put to an endurance test

Explanation:
endurance:
# The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship or stress
# The state or fact of persevering
http://www.answers.com/topic/endurance

casper
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

20 mins confidence:

Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen be severely tried

Explanation:
*... it is inevitable that the effectiveness of the team will be severely tried by ...*

To my mind, *be severely tried* (or *be severely put to the test*) usually occur with abstract qualities, such as patience, conviction or principles etc., rather than people or things

Stefan Hollstein
Germany
Local time: 18:31
Native speaker of:

German

11 mins confidence:

Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen will put them decisively to the test

Explanation:
The English expression is generally 'to put someone to the test', but I think the addition of 'decisive' in needed to render the meaning of the German.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2009-01-15 10:45:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

THE LAW AGAINST BETTING TO BE PUT TO A DECISIVE TEST.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9800E3D91139E...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2009-01-15 10:52:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another example of 'to be put to a decisive test'

Our convention had more than national significance. The Fourth International, as a whole, like all other organizations in the labor movement, was put to a decisive test by the outbreak of the war. Fortuitous political circumstances have delayed the entry of US imperialism into the war. This provided our party with a more favorable opportunity for a free and democratic discussion of the issues posed by the war crisis than was enjoyed by any other section of our International.
http://www.marxists.org/archive/cannon/works/1940/split.htm

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:31
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 66

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Changes made by editors

Jan 22, 2009 - Changes made by Steffen Walter:
Edited KOG entry	Manuela Junghans's old entry - "Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen" => "test them to their limits"
Jan 22, 2009 - Changes made by Steffen Walter:
Term asked	Auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen => auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen
Field	Other => Bus/Financial
Jan 22, 2009 - Changes made by Manuela Junghans:
Created KOG entry	KudoZ term => KOG term

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English translation: test them to their limits

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auf eine Zerreissprobe stellen

English translation: test them to their limits

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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