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sinnstiftend

English translation: synergistic

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:sinnstiftend
English translation:synergistic
Entered by: Thijs van Dorssen

21:06 Jan 29, 2002
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial
German term or phrase: sinnstiftend
Der Erfolg von Firma X basiert auf der sinnstiftenden Kombination einzelner Komponenten: innovative hochleistungsölen kombiniert mit dem einzigartigen Motoren-Regenerationssystem.

Just am drawing an absolute blank on this. Any suggestions much appreciated!
Beth Kantus
United States
Local time: 22:16
direction-giving (or pointing)
Explanation:
Sinn sometimes means direction.
This may help you or others get a start.

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Note added at 2002-01-29 21:13:56 (GMT)
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I think of \"synergistic\" but I\'m not sure it works.
Selected response from:

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 20:16
Grading comment
I have decided to go with synergistic - but thanks to all for your suggestions.

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1useful; appropriate; effective; suitable; meaningful
Beate Lutzebaeck
4 +1synergic / synergetic
Eva Blanar
4sensible/meaningful combination
Kim Metzger
4direction-giving (or pointing)
Dr. Fred Thomson


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
sensible/meaningful combination


Explanation:
That's how I'd do it, Beth. Don't see any need to get into the stiftend part.

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 20:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
direction-giving (or pointing)


Explanation:
Sinn sometimes means direction.
This may help you or others get a start.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-01-29 21:13:56 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think of \"synergistic\" but I\'m not sure it works.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 20:16
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 5861
Grading comment
I have decided to go with synergistic - but thanks to all for your suggestions.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
useful; appropriate; effective; suitable; meaningful


Explanation:
Hi Beth,

This translation is straight out of Collins, but it seems to me as a native speaker that "sinnstiftend" (literally "making sense") is only a high-falutin way of saying "sinnvoll" which would certainly fit your context => useful, appropriate, effective, suitable => "...the company's success is based on an effective combination of individual components..."



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Note added at 2002-01-29 21:23:22 (GMT)
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Oops - only \"meaningful\" is out of Collins for sinnstiftend,
the rest ist auf meinem eigenen Mist gewachsen ... ;-)


    Collins, German dico
Beate Lutzebaeck
New Zealand
Local time: 14:16
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 2079

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jccantrell: I like appropriate in this context.
2 mins
neutral  Klaus Herrmann: As a native speaker, I would feel that a "sinnvoll" combination includes parts that are meaningful by themselves. "Sinnstiftend" is suggesting the value derives from combining these (otherwise not that meaningful) parts.
9 mins
  -> I don't quite agree as the individual components, ie innovative Hochleistungsöle and einzigartiges Motoren-Regenerationssystem, are valuable (and therefore "sinnvoll/meaningful") in their own right
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
synergic / synergetic


Explanation:
I am not sure which one would be better, but I think this is the best way to describe that the components in this combination shall strengthen each other.

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Note added at 2002-01-29 22:39:52 (GMT)
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I agree with the second input of Fred Thomson, synergistic is even better than synerg(et)ic (cooperating, working together): synergism is \"interaction ... such as the the total effect is greater than the sum of the individual effects\" (Merriam-Webster)

Eva Blanar
Hungary
Local time: 04:16
Native speaker of: Hungarian
PRO pts in pair: 247

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dr. Fred Thomson: Yes, this is what I suggested above. "Synergistic" and "synergetic" are synomyms.
10 mins
  -> Oh, sorry, I did not look at the notes, just the title lines and I was not really convinced by direction-giving! Yes, synergistic is much better!
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