Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
ein Rückgang kaum festzustellen
English translation:
hardly any decrease can be noted
German term
kaum festzustellen
In Ländern wie Frankreich und Spanien, die Gewalt sowohl in der öffentlichen Debatte als auch justiziell nicht in vergleichbarer Weise ächten, ist dagegen ein Rückgang kaum festzustellen.
My translation:
However in countries such as France and Spain, where violence is not similarly proscribed either by public debate or judicially, it is difficult to determine whether there has been a decrease.
Nov 14, 2010 11:48: Lancashireman changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"
Non-PRO (3): Helen Shiner, Cilian O'Tuama, Lancashireman
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Proposed translations
there is hardly any decrease/decline of violence
...from the German phrase it sounds more as if violence simply decreases only marginally in those countries where violence is more commonly accepted, rather than it is (more) difficult to determine if it decreased...
agree |
Evelyn Enderle
1 min
|
Many thanks, Evelyn!!
|
|
neutral |
writeaway
: leaves out the concept of feststellen
30 mins
|
You are right -- I focussed on explaining the original meaning of the German phrase ... I think Susan will find a perfect translation as the ambiguity is eliminated...
|
|
agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: im Sinne von "nichts davon zu sehen"
2 days 11 hrs
|
there is little sign or evidence of violence receding or being on the decline
agree |
writeaway
: imo translates what the German actually says
11 mins
|
agree |
Annett Kottek (X)
1 hr
|
agree |
Steffen Walter
3 hrs
|
agree |
Helen Shiner
: but I can't understand this being posted as a PRO question. @ Bernhard - nothing that a native speaker/translator should not be able to handle really.
8 hrs
|
agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: @Helen: although the meaning might be clear, there are many ways to say it. Sometimes it takes a "pro" to render a great translation.:)
9 hrs
|
. . . it is . . . hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.
disagree |
Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
: No sorry, 'kaum/hardly' does not refer to the possibility/ability but to the decrease/decline itself!!! See my explanation at 11 min
14 hrs
|
hardlly possible to detect
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-14 15:48:43 GMT)
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. . . it is hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.
Apologies for 2 ells in hardly. I'm afraid it's hardly possible for me to write clearly today so I will now log out.
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Note added at 21 hrs (2010-02-15 10:31:15 GMT)
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This was a note based on my inability to type and not a translation comment
disagree |
Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
: No sorry, 'kaum/hardly' does not refer to the possibility/ability but to the decrease/decline itself!!! See my explanation at 11 min
14 hrs
|
Discussion
Anyhow, the Proz system takes care of the Pro/Non-Pro: three "no" votes, and it switches to non-pro. I don't think it's worth losing sleep over. All of us are still learning our profession--you never get translation perfect (including because languages change!)