English translation: show the extent of one\'s abilities
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Explanation: Şi tranzitiv și intranzitiv, la fel ca în română.
"Buzzword might not be as exciting as some of his rivals, but he had no chance to show the extent of his ability when third in the Group One at Longchamp on Arc day, having been caught in a pocket at a crucial stage."
However, 'The Deevil's Waltz' (1946) began to show the extent of his ability. A comic novel, 'Carotid Cornucopius' followed in 1947 and in a manner ... www.scran.ac.uk/000-000-000-643-L
MEASURE UP TO ONE'S ABILITIES
A se ridica la înălțimea propriilor capacități. Relativ sinonim. Prima expresie are nuanța de revelare a capacităților, a doua de a le proba în fapt, de a la da măsura împlinirii.
Alexandra, expresia "sa ne dam masura" e figurativa, nu inseamna deloc 'a masura, a se compara cu sau a da valoare. Iata o definitie clara din Dex:
A- și da măsura = a-și manifesta talentul, priceperea în realizări concrete; arăta totalitatea resurselor de care dispune, a dovedi că este capabil să facă, să realizeze ceva http://dexonline.ro/definitie/măsură
I did not say it is not correct. Just the context seem different. I guess the idea with the value was good, measure might be too ok, just I wanted to see how you put it in the whole sentence. Maybe is right anyways, I wrote myself in that way...so, many thanks.
I would not say "give a measure to" if it is about a "capacity". I think the problem lies in the word "capacity" because you need to show how we can assess or evaluate this abstract idea. Why is "To measure" incorrect?
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Answers
37 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
We can measure our own capacity to XXX
Explanation: You cannot say "we can give our own measure". English does not say "to GIVE measure" - this is incorrect.
We say "to measure" or "to be measurable", although the first one is better.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-30 09:21:46 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"Give our own measure" is not impossible but it has completely different meaning than the one in your Romanian phrase for translation. It is an intentional structure which is giving emphasis for a different idea - ie. it is a different concept than the required source text.
We not "measure to.." we can measure a quality such as "Measure our strength..." "measure our abilities" etc see:
"In the early stage of his life, a child measures his strength with his compatriots in wrestling bouts ..." http://www.parachinar.net/sports.htm
We say "to measure our efforts" "to measure our capacity" etc. This is a very common expression in UK English, here in England we say it all the time. You could possibly say to "Evaluate" our capacities, but this may have a slightly different nuance.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-30 09:24:25 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"Measure" - In English we can say "to measure + object" wihthout using a preposition. You cannot say "measure to....", this would be incorrect usage and would break the rules of grammar.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-30 09:28:07 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
IE. "Give a measure/give our own measure" is a very figurative way of using the word measure. It is probably being used in a very discursive way regarding a specific issue.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-30 09:33:25 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"Give a measure to" seems to be a play on words for the expression "to give a value to". Here the noun, "value" has been replaced by "measure" to add a certain emphasis and nuance to the idea which is being discussed. In terms of the translation phrase here, it would be out of context and would appear to be a little too fanciful for both the subject matter and the register.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2011-04-30 09:59:17 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-04-30 11:40:58 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"To give a value to" is not the same thing as "to measure". The phrase is an ideological play on words to convey a meaning for a specific context which would not work in your context. "To give a value to" suggests worth, merit, cost, quality for example. However "to measure...(verb)" suggests sizeable dimensions or an amount of area (figuratively) and these ideas are still present in the usage.
"To give a value to" to a "capacity" does not suggest the "amount of" idea which is present in "da măsura". The phrase you have found has used this play on words (ie. exchanging value for measure) in order to make an emphatic statatement. However, it does not contain the correct elements of meaning for "measuring capacity". ie. the "value" of a capacity is not the same as taking measurements of a capacity.
Example sentence(s):
"WE MEASURE OUR success by what we help our clients achieve… not the names in our Rolodex".
"HE MEASURED HIS strength against that of his opponent"
Explanation: Şi tranzitiv și intranzitiv, la fel ca în română.
"Buzzword might not be as exciting as some of his rivals, but he had no chance to show the extent of his ability when third in the Group One at Longchamp on Arc day, having been caught in a pocket at a crucial stage."
However, 'The Deevil's Waltz' (1946) began to show the extent of his ability. A comic novel, 'Carotid Cornucopius' followed in 1947 and in a manner ... www.scran.ac.uk/000-000-000-643-L
MEASURE UP TO ONE'S ABILITIES
A se ridica la înălțimea propriilor capacități. Relativ sinonim. Prima expresie are nuanța de revelare a capacităților, a doua de a le proba în fapt, de a la da măsura împlinirii.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +6
