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Sep 25, 2007 22:27
16 yrs ago
German term

kann eventuell

German to English Tech/Engineering General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"Dieser Vorgang darf NIEMALS unterbrochen werden. Findet trotzdem eine Unterbrechung statt, kann der Vorgang evtl. wiederholt werden."

Does "kann eventuell" mean here that it may be possible to repeat the process, or simply that the process can be repeated?

Proposed translations

+10
1 hr
Selected

can be repeated

Your second idea is correct. It simply means that the process can be repeated.

Okay, but what is "eventuell" doing there in the first place, you ask? IMO, the word 'eventuell' here expresses the idea of "if necessary" or "if required" - in other words, "notfalls". Literally, the German means this: "However, if an interruption does occur, the process can be repeated, if necessary." As you can see, the concept is hard to work into an English sentence without it sounding stilted. It's actually superfluous information. If you repeat the process, then it only stands to reason that this is a "necessary" step! Just drop the "eventuell" and say that the process can be repeated. That will convey the message.
Peer comment(s):

agree Johanna Timm, PhD : great explanation
6 mins
Thanks, Johanna! ;-))
agree Brigitte Albert (X)
23 mins
agree hchetty (X)
7 hrs
agree Maria Knaier (X)
7 hrs
agree Steffen Walter : Nothing more to say...
7 hrs
Then I'll say no more...
agree writeaway
7 hrs
agree Norbert Hermann
7 hrs
agree Ken Cox : genau
8 hrs
;-)
agree Maki Ahn (X)
9 hrs
agree Julia Lipeles
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+4
5 mins

can possibly

the procedure can possibly be repeated
Peer comment(s):

agree Sibylle Gray
1 min
danke Sibyll
agree Dr. Fred Thomson
17 mins
Danke Herr Fred
agree Stefanie Reinhold
1 hr
Danke Stefani
agree Vanja R B
6 hrs
Danke Vanja
Something went wrong...
13 hrs

may

Without further context, I am not sure about the meaning of "kann" in your sentence, but I think you could easily reproduce the ambiguity in English by using "may be repeated".
Peer comment(s):

neutral Paul Cohen : So, your suggestion is to add a bit of ambiguity? / It says "kann" - not "könnte" in the German.
12 mins
Well, how do you know from this phrase, as it stands, the one and only interpretation of "kann" (and of "evtl." = falls erforderlich, by the way) ?
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