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help with phrase (slogan)

English translation: my 2 pfennige

20:12 Oct 24, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
German term or phrase: help with phrase (slogan)
One (final, I hope) question on Dresden.

"Offenheit und Mut zu Neuem standen auch Pate für den neuen Slogan, mit dem die Stadt auf der Messe für sich wirbt – „Dresden. Platz für Ideen. Stadt für Investitionen. Raum zum Leben."

All I can come up with is:
"Dresden. Room for Ideas. City for Investments. Space for Living."

The only part I think sounds pretty good is the room for ideas. City for investments sounds so blah to me. Perhaps someone can come up with something a bit peppier?
Also, I'm concerned about the last part. I don't want to create any associations with the whole Lebensraum thing,
and would appreciate input from colleagues.

TIA, Beth
Beth Kantus
United States
Local time: 04:53
English translation:my 2 pfennige
Explanation:
Dresden. The place for ideas. The hub for investments. And a great spot to live,

The town I was born and still in my heart
Selected response from:

gangels (X)
Local time: 02:53
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you for your helpful ideas and comments.
This was really one of those beautiful vs. faithful issues, and after much back and forth and hand-wringing, I finally ended up using "Dresden. Good Ideas. A Sound Investment. A Great Life." The best sounding ideas I felt strayed further from the original (admittedly choppy ) German, and my instincts argued against that this time. I have no idea if the client will keep it or throw it out for something they perhaps have already established or prefer. But thanks once again to you all for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4Dresden - where ideas, investments and individuals have space to grow
KiwiSue
5 +2Dresden. Room for Ideas. Space for Business. Home.
Rolf Klischewski, M.A.
4 +2my 2 pfennige
gangels (X)
3 +2Dresden: Room for Ideas. City for Ventures. Center with flair
Johanna Timm, PhD
4Room enough for ideas, investments and living
Ron Stelter
4Dresden. Open for ideas. City to invest in. Place to be.
Karl Apsel
3Dresden. To have ideas. To invest. To LIVE.
Klaus Dorn (X)
3The city of Dresden is open to ideas, investments, and lifestyles
Nancy Arrowsmith
3For Innovation, For Investment, For the Good Life-Where but in Dresden?
Jonathan MacKerron
3City of Ideas, Head for Business, Heart of Gold
Nicole Tata
1A great place for ideas, a great place to invest, and a great place to live
TonyTK


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Dresden. Room for Ideas. Space for Business. Home.


Explanation:
Dresden. Room for Ideas. Room for Business. Home.

I like the homey bit. (C;

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-10-24 21:25:39 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Nur zum Vergleich am Rande: das Motto meiner *hust* Wahlheimat Essen lautet: \"Essen - Die Einkaufsstadt\". (C;

Rolf Klischewski, M.A.
Local time: 10:53
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 112

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters: I like that! :-)
59 mins
  -> Cheers. (C:
agree  Melissa Field: a big yes to the first suggestion! I was thinking, maybe you could put in "a place to call Home" or even "a place for Home" ??
3 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Dresden. To have ideas. To invest. To LIVE.


Explanation:
is my suggestion...getting away from the nouns...

Klaus Dorn (X)
Local time: 11:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 1514
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Room enough for ideas, investments and living


Explanation:
I've taken a few liberties, but I think it sounds pretty catchy.

Ron Stelter
Local time: 03:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 198
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Dresden: Room for Ideas. City for Ventures. Center with flair


Explanation:
Meine Assoziationen mit "Raum zum Leben" sind Offenheit, Unvoreingenommenheit und ja, auch das: Eleganz.

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 01:53
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 7773

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  TonyTK: That's better than mine. How about: Room for Ideas. A Place for Business. A City with Flair.?
33 mins
agree  Chris Rowson (X): The word "elegance" certainly suits the city.
6 hrs
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
A great place for ideas, a great place to invest, and a great place to live


Explanation:
Reading it again, it's a bit too USA - not really suitable for staid old Dresden.
Sounds like this'd be a good question for the creative geniuses on Flefo. <g>

TonyTK
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1094

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Rowson (X): Dresden is not at all staid, it is wonderfully alive. But more varied than just "great".
5 hrs
  -> I bow my head in shame. "Elbflorenz" and all that ...
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Dresden - where ideas, investments and individuals have space to grow


Explanation:
I would like to see the world lifestyle in there somewhere, but I think the three "i" words have merit with the growing idea extended across all 3 nouns.

KiwiSue
Local time: 20:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 161

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rolf Klischewski, M.A.
0 min
  -> Thanks Rolf
agree  TonyTK: betterer and betterer
11 mins
  -> flatteringer and flatteringer...
agree  Daniela Mühling: this is absolutely the best suggestion of the lot. Alliteration is great, and it gets away from the choppy sentence fragments which work in german, but don't quite work in english.
4 hrs
  -> Too kind. Thanks Daniela.
agree  yeswhere: like this one best! "room for ideas" etc. is too much like "room for improvement"!
4 hrs
  -> Good point. BTW I like your name - opp of nowhere?
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
my 2 pfennige


Explanation:
Dresden. The place for ideas. The hub for investments. And a great spot to live,

The town I was born and still in my heart

gangels (X)
Local time: 02:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 5559
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you for your helpful ideas and comments.
This was really one of those beautiful vs. faithful issues, and after much back and forth and hand-wringing, I finally ended up using "Dresden. Good Ideas. A Sound Investment. A Great Life." The best sounding ideas I felt strayed further from the original (admittedly choppy ) German, and my instincts argued against that this time. I have no idea if the client will keep it or throw it out for something they perhaps have already established or prefer. But thanks once again to you all for your help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters: I like that, too
7 mins
agree  Chris Rowson (X): Except I would much prefer "place" to "spot". The town I was looking for for forty years.
5 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Dresden. Open for ideas. City to invest in. Place to be.


Explanation:
I think this slogan is based on the keywords:

Dresden - Platz - Stadt - Raum (Leben)

therefore my attempt here:

Dreseden. Open for ideas. City to invest in. Place to be.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-10-24 23:08:22 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Dresden. Open TO ideas ...

Karl Apsel
Ireland
Local time: 09:53
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 94
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
The city of Dresden is open to ideas, investments, and lifestyles


Explanation:
This isn't all that peppy, but the open part is good, and it brings all the elements together.

Nancy Arrowsmith
Local time: 02:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 474
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
For Innovation, For Investment, For the Good Life-Where but in Dresden?


Explanation:
just more malarky

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 5577
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
City of Ideas, Head for Business, Heart of Gold


Explanation:
or even ... City of Dreams?

Here is yet another variation, probably not accurate enough but it sounds good.
hth

Nicole Tata
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 1326
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