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22:25 Sep 2, 2010
German to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Religion
German term or phrase:eigentlich
So betrachtet dürfen katholischer Theorie gemäß die
in der Reproduktionsmedizin entstandenen überzähligen Frühembryonen, aus denen embryonale Stammzellen abgeleitet werden, eigentlich überhaupt nicht existieren.
I am translating an article about Religion and Stem cell Research and am unsure of the force of 'eigentlich' here. My attempt was to omitt it because I didn't think it added anything to the sentence. My first attempt: "From this perspective, catholic theorie suggests that surplus early-stage embryos used in reproductive medicine to obtain embryonic stem cells should ultimately not exist/should be completely prohibited"
Explanation: To shed some light on what is being said (in my words and not an exact translation, but 100% on the content of the German source text):
"Strictly speaking, if you go by/according to the Catholic theory, the actual surplus early-stage embryos (themselves) accrued in reproductive medicine, from which the embryonic stem cells derive should not exist to begin with."
It's what Trudy and Elisabeth are saying, but since there was no final explanation posted yet...
I think this question is worthy of a 'Pro' rating. Even though the end result might be a 'dictionary translation' of 'eigentlich=actually', there is deliberation necessary to decide if the combination 'eigentlich überhaupt' needs special treatment in this complex sentence - it might not be the best translation to simply take 'actually'. The art of translation, I think.
Yes, I know they exist - they are a more or less unavoidable by-product of IVF! As a stand-alone sentence, without the previous text, I was hazarding a guess that it was a paper dealing purely with the Catholic dogma on the subject, i.e. their opposition to it based on historical teachings, not on their rejection of it in everyday medical practice (See my agree with Jenny Streitparth).
A purely rhetorical point: Let us assume that stem cell research eventually produces a 100 % cure for ailment X, which is currently incurable. The reigning Pope - who also happens to be relatively young and popular - develops or contracts ailment X. What are the Catholic teachings likely to be now?
Thank you for your comments. This is the preceeding text:
Charakteristisch ist ferner, dass in katholisch getragenen Universitäten in aller Regel keine
Reproduktionsmedizin geduldet wird. Seit der Instructio „Über den Beginn
des menschlichen Lebens und die Würde der Fortpflanzung", die die rö
misch-katholische Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre im Jahr 1987 verfasste, darf die künstliche Befruchtung (In-vitro-Fertilisation/IVF) von katholi
schen Paaren, auch von Ehepaaren, nicht in Anspruch genommen werden,
weil sie vom „natürlichen" Prozess der Fortpflanzung in der Ehe abweiche.
Die katholische Lehre erlaubt es der Medizin bzw Ärzten deswegen auch
nicht, IVF anzubieten.
Not knowing the preceding text, I understand it as something like this:
"From this viewpoint, Catholic theories in regard to the surplus early-stage embryos accruing in reproductive medicine, from which embryonic stem cells are derived, should in reality not actually exist."
The embryos cannot "not exist" - they are obtained from a by-product of reproductive medicine!
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): -1
