Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
abstrahieren
English translation:
to abstract / prescind (take the essence of a body of text)
Added to glossary by
Gauri Shringarpure
Nov 8, 2007 18:05
16 yrs ago
6 viewers *
German term
abstrahieren
German to English
Marketing
Telecom(munications)
I know abstrahieren means abstract. But that won't work here. Any ideas in this context? Would conceptualize work?
TIA
Context: marketing text on services offered by a mobile communications company.
Sentence:
Die unterschiedlichen Bedürfnisse des Einzelnen verlangen dabei massgeschneiderte Lösungen. Wir bieten sie, indem wir *abstrahieren*, komplexe Probleme zerlegen und gemeinsame Nenner erkennen. Von der Industrielösung bis zum Unterhaltungsportal: Wir liefern qualitativ hochstehende und individuell angepasste Lösungen.
TIA
Context: marketing text on services offered by a mobile communications company.
Sentence:
Die unterschiedlichen Bedürfnisse des Einzelnen verlangen dabei massgeschneiderte Lösungen. Wir bieten sie, indem wir *abstrahieren*, komplexe Probleme zerlegen und gemeinsame Nenner erkennen. Von der Industrielösung bis zum Unterhaltungsportal: Wir liefern qualitativ hochstehende und individuell angepasste Lösungen.
Proposed translations
(English)
3 | abstract / prescind | Gauri Shringarpure |
4 | analyze or conceptualize | Dr. Fred Thomson |
3 | simplifying | Amphyon |
3 | extract the essence (if a case or issue) | Ken Cox |
Change log
Nov 13, 2007 17:20: Gauri Shringarpure Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
7 mins
Selected
abstract / prescind
Hi Suzie,
I'd still go with abstract here - it's the secondary meaning of the word, which means to single out / sort / draw out the core meaning/essence.
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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2007-11-09 19:56:53 GMT)
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I see what you mean, Suzie - I often follow the rule, "when in doubt, don't!" :)
I'd still go with abstract here - it's the secondary meaning of the word, which means to single out / sort / draw out the core meaning/essence.
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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2007-11-09 19:56:53 GMT)
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I see what you mean, Suzie - I often follow the rule, "when in doubt, don't!" :)
Note from asker:
I dunno...somehow I have a rough time with "abstracting" in this case. Sounds a bit weird to me...that's why I'm still considering conceptualizing instead... |
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
Ken Cox
: sorry, I overlooked that you had given essentially the same paraprhase -- but IMO 'abstract' is not commonly used as a verb in English
2 hrs
|
That's alright. Why would you say abstract isn't a common verb? In fact, I suspect abstrahieren here might be taken from the English at another point of time. In any case I agree, if there's a simpler term with the same meaning, it should be used. Thx, K!
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Gauri! After giving this due thought, I eventually went with a combination of yours and Ken's answer and chose "abstracting the essence"...."
55 mins
simplifying
...why not?
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Carmen Archouniani
: i like it.
34 mins
|
Thanks, Carmen.
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disagree |
Gauri Shringarpure
: wouldn't necessarily mean abstracting, IMO. It's possible to simplify keeping the current length & to abstract keeping the complexity.Much as it precedes "komplexe Probleme...", it's a standalone phrase and isn't 'simplifying' complex problems, IMO.
4 hrs
|
2 hrs
extract the essence (if a case or issue)
Not quite the same, but IMO 'abstract' is only used in as a verb in the sense intended here (to arrive at a sort of general principle or the like by abstraction from specific instances) in mathematics and perhaps philosophy.
Of course, you could also paraphrase it as above.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-11-08 20:46:33 GMT)
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*of* a case or issue
Of course, you could also paraphrase it as above.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-11-08 20:46:33 GMT)
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*of* a case or issue
4 hrs
analyze or conceptualize
Works for me
Discussion