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enter the field

English translation: Rubén, let me try to explain this again.

11:29 Jan 15, 2003
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
/ european union
English term or phrase: enter the field
For my part, Mr Rasmussen has been an outstanding President of the Council. I would like, on behalf of my party, to congratulate him, coming from - and here I adopt what our President said - not one of the largest European countries. I had said smallest but I obey the President's edict on this. I am bound to say too that my own prime minister may have some personal aspirations for the presidency of the Council if it works on a five-yearly cycle, but I very much hope that Mr Rasmussen has now **entered the field** in that regard.

I'm not sure about the sense of this idiom and couldn't find in any dictionary. I think it means something like "getting down to it", "start working on it", but I'm not sure. Thanks beforehand.
Rubén de la Fuente
Local time: 19:56
Selected answer:Rubén, let me try to explain this again.
Explanation:
In my opinion, all the above answers are wrong because no one has understood the context.

a) Rasmussen (the person in question) is the *ex-President* of the Council.

b) He cannot possibly be a candidate for the Presidency, as the "President of the Council" is *not* an elected position (each country has a turn every seven years or so based on a rota system).

c) Rasmussen has publicly criticised the plans to increase the President's term from six months to five years.

From the text you have provided, I would say that the speaker is not a native speaker of English and has used the phrase "the the field" incorrectly.

In a different context, the (uncommon) phrase "enter the field" *could* mean "enter the race", "throw one's hat into the ring" etc.. But it does *not* have this meaning in this case.

I'm pretty sure that, in this context, it means that Rasmussen has "voiced his opinion", "taken sides", "made his feelings known", "entered the battle" etc.


Selected response from:

TonyTK
Grading comment
thanks indeed, Tony.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +11come into play
Sarah Ponting
3 +5enter the playing field
Nancy Arrowsmith
3 +4become a candidate
EngIndonesian
4 +1Rubén, let me try to explain this again.
TonyTK


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +11
come into play


Explanation:
become an active figure

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-15 11:34:35 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

running for the presidency, it would seem

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-15 11:41:52 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If he\'s running for the presidency, as I suggested above, then of course he\'s become a candidate.

Sarah Ponting
Italy
Local time: 19:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 67

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Norbert Hermann
0 min
  -> thanks, Hermann
agree  EDLING (X)
6 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Marijke Singer: As in 'entered the battle field',
11 mins
  -> that's right! Thanks
agree  Enza Longo
14 mins
  -> grazie, Enza
agree  Marie Scarano
22 mins
  -> grazie, Marie
agree  jerrie: become a contender
35 mins
  -> that's a good one. Thanks, Jerrie
agree  Elena Sgarbo (X): Or "become a player", to maintain the analogy with sports that I believe was intended in "field".
1 hr
  -> yes, that's another possibility. Thanks
agree  airmailrpl: become a player
2 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Jacqueline van der Spek
3 hrs
  -> thanks
neutral  TonyTK: Confused: see below
6 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
15 hrs
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X)
1 day 5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
become a candidate


Explanation:
Might also be that the person has entered the field in the sense of becoming or being put forward as a condidate for the position.
HTH

EngIndonesian
Australia
Local time: 03:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in pair: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  john mason: I think it comes from horse racing. The field is the group of competitors that are 'in the running'.
2 hrs
agree  Refugio: Yes, politics is full of horse racing metaphors
4 hrs
neutral  TonyTK: Confused: see below
5 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
15 hrs
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X)
1 day 5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
enter the playing field


Explanation:
He is now a candidate, has shown that he has the "stuff" to do it, and has entered the field as a candidate. it comes from sports, when a player enters the field, he can then start playing.
All the other answers are right as well.

Nancy Arrowsmith
Local time: 11:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 60

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  john mason
13 mins
agree  Paul Svensson
1 hr
agree  Peter Coles: The first two answers are correct, but this explains why.
1 hr
neutral  TonyTK: Confused: see below
4 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
13 hrs
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X)
1 day 4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Rubén, let me try to explain this again.


Explanation:
In my opinion, all the above answers are wrong because no one has understood the context.

a) Rasmussen (the person in question) is the *ex-President* of the Council.

b) He cannot possibly be a candidate for the Presidency, as the "President of the Council" is *not* an elected position (each country has a turn every seven years or so based on a rota system).

c) Rasmussen has publicly criticised the plans to increase the President's term from six months to five years.

From the text you have provided, I would say that the speaker is not a native speaker of English and has used the phrase "the the field" incorrectly.

In a different context, the (uncommon) phrase "enter the field" *could* mean "enter the race", "throw one's hat into the ring" etc.. But it does *not* have this meaning in this case.

I'm pretty sure that, in this context, it means that Rasmussen has "voiced his opinion", "taken sides", "made his feelings known", "entered the battle" etc.




TonyTK
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 16
Grading comment
thanks indeed, Tony.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jonathan MacKerron: or even "joined our side"?
8 hrs
  -> Could well be, Jonathan.
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