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Instrumentalisierung der Gewalt

English translation: application (or use) of power

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Instrumentalisierung der Gewalt
English translation:application (or use) of power
Entered by: Roddy Stegemann

00:14 May 9, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary / historical
German term or phrase: Instrumentalisierung der Gewalt
im Mittelalter verwendet
Ilse Flick (X)
Local time: 04:12
application (or use) of power
Explanation:
It is one thing to have power, it is quite another to apply it.

Instrumentalize means to make use of something as a tool to achieve an end -- in this case power.

As has already been suggested by someone else, the English word 'instrumentalize' is a perfectly good substitute.
Selected response from:

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 02:12
Grading comment
Danke I think application is meant in this case
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6the leveraging of power
Kim Metzger
4 +3instrumentalized violence
Johanna Timm, PhD
4 +2instrumentalization of force / power
swisstell
4 +1application (or use) of power
Roddy Stegemann
4ruling power or violence
Joy Christensen
4use violence as a means to an end
gangels (X)
4surgical strike
jerryk (X)


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
instrumentalization of force / power


Explanation:
seems the meaning but really more context might help

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 11:12
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in pair: 3377

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Roddy Stegemann: Yes, and why not? No special knowledge required here.
1 hr
  -> thanks, Hamo, so right you are.
agree  Сергей Лузан
4 days
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
instrumentalized violence


Explanation:
I believe Instrumentalisierung in this context means "justification";
a pragmatic view of violence,according to which violence is justified as a means to achieve political goals

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 02:12
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 7773

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Steven Swapp: If so, then I propose "justified violence" or "justification of the use of force."
1 hr
agree  Beate Lutzebaeck: Spot on! Instrumentalize has a different connotation to justify and is often used in these contexts (=> check Google for some classic examples)
1 hr
neutral  gangels (X): I think it means to give violence an appearance of legitimacy
12 hrs
agree  Сергей Лузан
4 days
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ruling power or violence


Explanation:
Yes, the question is, which kind of "Gewalt"? Probably "ruling power" is meant -- the manner in which a ruler made use of the power invested in his/her person.

But "Gewalt" in the sense of violence could also be imagined --- a method to incite violence, as in the encouragement of soldiers to kill.

What about force? I can't get that together with the two given words

Joy Christensen
Local time: 11:12
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 24
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
the leveraging of power


Explanation:
According to the Duden Universalwörterbuch, instrumentalisieren is: als Instrument benutzen (2) missbrauchen. Eine Minorität für machtpolitische Zwecke instrumentalisieren.
I can't think of a better word than leveraging to express this idea, but there ought to be one.

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Note added at 2002-05-09 00:55:50 (GMT)
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The use of power as a political tool


    Duden Universalw�rterbuch
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 03:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
1 hr
agree  Ursula Peter-Czichi
2 hrs
agree  Kathi Stock: sounds best
4 hrs
agree  pschmitt
6 hrs
agree  jerrie
6 hrs
agree  Сергей Лузан
4 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
application (or use) of power


Explanation:
It is one thing to have power, it is quite another to apply it.

Instrumentalize means to make use of something as a tool to achieve an end -- in this case power.

As has already been suggested by someone else, the English word 'instrumentalize' is a perfectly good substitute.

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 02:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 285
Grading comment
Danke I think application is meant in this case

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан
4 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
use violence as a means to an end


Explanation:
is the equivalent

gangels (X)
Local time: 03:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 5559
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
surgical strike


Explanation:
I think this may be the closest modern analogy in English to this concept.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-09 01:51:14 (GMT)
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In the military sense, of a very rapid and precise application of military power to destroy an enemy.

jerryk (X)
PRO pts in pair: 128
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