KudoZ home » German to English » Philosophy

pseudotheoretische Unterfütterung

English translation: pseudo-theoretical underpinning

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.

15:39 May 15, 2011

German to English translations [PRO]
Philosophy

German term or phrase: pseudotheoretische Unterfütterung

Hi everyone,

I am translating an article about Germany's reaction to the death of Osama bin Laden and I've come a little unstuck with the following sentence:

Dieser Mystiifikation der wirklichen Verhältnisse eignete sich bestens zur pseudotheoretischen Unterfütterung jener weltentrückten Hypermoral, die in Deutschland mittlerweile zu einer Art Staatsreligion avanciert ist.

Please can you give me some idea of what the highlighted terminology means.

Many thanks!

hkeet KudoZ activity Questions: 74 (9 open) (1 without valid answers) Answers: 3
Local time: 13:15

English translation:pseudo-theoretical underpinning

Explanation:
my guess

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2011-05-15 16:18:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

typical Springer-embued propaganda...

Selected response from:

Jonathan MacKerron
Local time: 14:15

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

2 +3

pseudo-theoretical underpinning

Jonathan MacKerron

pseudotheoretical bolstering

Maurite Fober

pseudo-intellectual silver lining

Ramey Rieger

padding out.... with spurious theories

phoeberuth

to support, back up

U. Ali Güray

Answers

17 mins confidence:

to support, back up

Explanation:
Hi there,

I would say that in this context "unterfüttern" means to support, to back up an idea. You could translate it along these lines: This mystification of...was perfectly suited to pseudo-theoretically support...

You can read some example sentences at the below link.

Hope this helps.

Example sentence(s):

Reference: http://www.mydict.com/Wort/unterf%C3%BCttert/

U. Ali Güray
Canada
Local time: 08:15
Native speaker of:

German,

English

37 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

pseudo-theoretical underpinning

Jonathan MacKerron
Local time: 14:15
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 16

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

1 hr confidence:

padding out.... with spurious theories

Explanation:
This mystification .... is perfect for padding out jener weltentrückten Hypermoral with spurious theories - which in Germany has become something of a state religion...

phoeberuth
Local time: 14:15
Native speaker of:

English

13 hrs confidence:

pseudotheoretical bolstering

Explanation:
Combines the notions of supporting and padding out an argument, sometimes also implies trying to lift the standard of one's assertions if the original argument started weakly/aimed too low.

Example sentence(s):

New findings bolster the argument that dark energy is the reason our universe is expanding.

Reference: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/argueparts/log...

Maurite Fober
Australia
Local time: 21:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

German

15 hrs confidence:

pseudo-intellectual silver lining

Explanation:
This mystifying...fits perfectly into the pseudo-intellectual silver lining of a sublimated hyper-moral which Germany has raised to (the status of) a national religion.

And I just WONDER where they got it from?

Ramey Rieger
Local time: 14:15
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

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.

Overview

Latest translation questions

Ask a translation question

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

pseudotheoretische Unterfütterung

English translation: pseudo-theoretical underpinning

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

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.

pseudotheoretische Unterfütterung

English translation: pseudo-theoretical underpinning

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

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.

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.