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  2. German to English

gradlinig

English translation: always maintain straight lines

16:41 Jan 13, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering
German term or phrase: gradlinig
description of an item of furniture 'immer schoen gradlinig bleiben klar, kubistisch'
English translation:always maintain straight lines
Explanation:
It's advisable to always maintain straight, clear, cubistic lines
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 08:49
Grading comment
thank you for your help
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5always maintain straight lines
Kim Metzger
5 +1Comment
Ursula Peter-Czichi
5always to ensure a straight-line style, clear and cubist...
John Kinory (X)
5always keeping to straight lines, of course, after the Cubist manner
Hermeneutica


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
always maintain straight lines


Explanation:
It's advisable to always maintain straight, clear, cubistic lines

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 08:49
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192
Grading comment
thank you for your help

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Olav Rixen
21 mins
agree  Susan Starling: another good suggestion!
35 mins
agree  Elvira Stoianov
1 hr
agree  Kathi Stock
1 hr
agree  Ursula Peter-Czichi: This could very well be it, although there is another possibility. From this sentence alone, it is impossible to tell.
1 hr
neutral  John Kinory (X): ... always to maintain ..., if at all.
1 hr
  -> The split infinitive question is no longer an issue in the US.
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Comment


Explanation:
'immer schoen' hints at a very colloquial style. - No matter what, there needs to be a comma before 'klar'.

The word 'klar' in a conversation (mostly at the end of a sentence or standing alone, followed by a question mark), has the value of 'you hear?', remember (you better!)?

Therefore, this may be alternatives:
Better stay with the straight lines, you hear, cubistic. or:
Remember to stay with the straight lines, cubistic.
(The word geradlinig in this sentence also conveys a suble double-meaning.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-01-13 17:28:51 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

subtle, not suble

Ursula Peter-Czichi
United States
Local time: 10:49
PRO pts in pair: 242

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Yes, of course. I didn't see that at first. I suppose my version is also possible, if the German punctuation wasn't carefully done.
39 mins
  -> Thanks, Kim! It's true: There is no way to be sure.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
always to ensure a straight-line style, clear and cubist...


Explanation:
With all the above-mentioned provisos re punctuation (and source-text sytnax, generally).

'Straight-line' is a very common way of modifying all kinds of things in English: styles, layouts etcetera etcetera etcetera, as Yul Brynner would have said.

John Kinory (X)
Local time: 15:49
PRO pts in pair: 290

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Kim Metzger: ensure is a poor choice for bleiben
47 mins
  -> I do not do literal translations, where avoidable. Re split infinitive no longer being an issue: my US colleagues would be surprised to hear this. Anyway, it IS an issue in this here backward, primitive Great Britain.
agree  Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X): Perfect
52 mins
  -> Thanks:-)
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
always keeping to straight lines, of course, after the Cubist manner


Explanation:
All other explanations etc. are correct, I am proposing this as a more marketing oriented style.

Hermeneutica
Switzerland
Local time: 16:49
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 106
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