This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Other

we can't overemphasize sthg

English translation: we can't overemphasize enough

23:04 Mar 8, 2008
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Other
English term or phrase: we can't overemphasize sthg
Hello!
"We can't overemphasize how difficult deliberately changing organizational cultures may be"
Does it mean:
1)We can't help emphasizing how this difficult is
2)Emhasizing this too much wouldn't be correct
Could you also please explain why from a grammar point of view?
Thx!
Luca
Maverick82 (X)
Local time: 02:48
Selected answer:we can't overemphasize enough
Explanation:
we should emphasize over and over again and it's not going to be enough "how difficult ..." since they are extremely difficult and we should not downplay it by any means.
Selected response from:

Mihaela Ghiuzeli
Local time: 20:48
Grading comment
Thx!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5however much we emphasize it, it can never be too much.
Jack Doughty
3 +5we can't overemphasize enough
Mihaela Ghiuzeli
4 +1it's impossible for us to put too much emphasis on [whatever]
Paul Merriam


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
we can't overemphasize enough


Explanation:
we should emphasize over and over again and it's not going to be enough "how difficult ..." since they are extremely difficult and we should not downplay it by any means.

Mihaela Ghiuzeli
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: Romanian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thx!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nesrin: Actually to rephrase we may need to remove the over-: We can't emphasize it enough. :-)
1 min
  -> Thank you Nesrin.
agree  Phong Le
2 hrs
  -> Thank you Phong Le.
agree  orientalhorizon
4 hrs
  -> Thank you orientalhorizon.
agree  Olga Layer: and with Nesrin
19 hrs
  -> Thank you Olga. Good comment as well.
agree  V_Nedkov: w/Nesrin
1 day 16 hrs
  -> Thank you V_N.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
however much we emphasize it, it can never be too much.


Explanation:
It means that the maxium possible emphasis is required.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:48
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 276

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Margaret Schroeder: Luca, neither your (1) nor (2) quite captures the meaning. What it really means is that this is so difficult that, as Jack says, however much we emphasize it, it would not be too much.
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  orientalhorizon
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Olga Layer
18 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Cristina Santos
22 hrs
  -> Тhank you.
agree  V_Nedkov
1 day 15 hrs
  -> Thank you.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it's impossible for us to put too much emphasis on [whatever]


Explanation:
To overemphasize something is to give it more emphasis than it deserves. The author of this passage believes that regardless of how much emphasis you place on how difficult it is to deliberately change organizational culture, you haven't placed too much emphasis on the issue.

Although this could be parsed to mean that "we" can't overemphasize it (though perhaps someone else could), that's not usual and I wouldn't use that parsing unless something else supports it. This "we can't overemphasize" is a rhetorical device and it is rare to get into discussions of whether it is or is not possible.

Paul Merriam
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  orientalhorizon
3 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search