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Off topic: Konkurrenz vs. Mitbewerber? German Context
Thread poster: Liala Stieglitz (X)
Liala Stieglitz (X)
Liala Stieglitz (X)
Local time: 16:54
German to English
+ ...
Apr 24, 2009

Hello everyone!

I hope this is the right forum to post this. I had my Thursday's English course last evening and we were talking about stocks and the influence of competition (among other things). In any case, I had to explain what competition means. Because I describe unknown words in English, a student bursted out "Mitbewerber" and yet another "Konkurrenz". A (short) disscussion in German started about how the word "Konkurrenz" is being more and more replaced by "Mitbewerber" and ... See more
Hello everyone!

I hope this is the right forum to post this. I had my Thursday's English course last evening and we were talking about stocks and the influence of competition (among other things). In any case, I had to explain what competition means. Because I describe unknown words in English, a student bursted out "Mitbewerber" and yet another "Konkurrenz". A (short) disscussion in German started about how the word "Konkurrenz" is being more and more replaced by "Mitbewerber" and that you shouldn't be using "Konkurrenz" any more.

Has anyone made the same experience? What do you think? "Mitbewerber" simply sounds too "nice"/"polite"/"personal". I could imagine using it for single persons who are after the same thing that I am (i.e. job interviews) but not really for competing companies. Or am I differentiating too much? ▲ Collapse
 
Isabel Severing
Isabel Severing
Local time: 16:54
German to English
+ ...
Mitbewerber HAS replaced the term Konkurrenz Apr 27, 2009

...Konkurrenz is no longer considered 'PC'. In the business world, the term has been completely replaced by Mitbewerber. Which doesn't change anything about the fact that they actually both carry the same meaning.

Just re-read your post - your students said the exact same thing.

Mitbewerber is *NOT* just used for individuals - companies will talk about Mitbewerber, and a completely normal task in any business is the 'Mitbewerberbeobachtung'.
 
Liala Stieglitz (X)
Liala Stieglitz (X)
Local time: 16:54
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Feel of the words Apr 28, 2009

Oh, I don't doubt that my student/s is/are right. I am curious though, about how others, especially native speakers, *feel* about this expression. As I've said, Mitbewerber sounds more personal to me. I'd rather "fight" against a Konkurent than a Mitbewerber. But I guess it really is a personal thing and I'll have to get used to it.
 
wonita (X)
wonita (X)
China
Local time: 10:54
From the grammatical point Apr 28, 2009

Competition is Konkurrenz;
A competitor is ein Konkurrent oder Mitbewerber. Both "Konkurrent" and "Mitbewerber" can refer to companies.

Otherwise I agree with you, a "Konkurrent" is more or less a rival, whilst "Mitbewerber" is neutral by nature.

P.S. I am not a native speaker of German.
 


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Konkurrenz vs. Mitbewerber? German Context






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