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  3. Engineering (general)

auf unsicheren Beinen

English translation: Is communication breaking down?; Are there communication breakdowns?

10:14 Jun 24, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Engineering (general)
German term or phrase: auf unsicheren Beinen
Steht ihre Kommunikation auf unsicheren Beinen?

Satz in einem Text über Software die Kommunikationsprobleme im Unternehmen lösen soll.
Tanja Kaether (X)
Local time: 10:00
English translation:Is communication breaking down?; Are there communication breakdowns?
Explanation:
I don't think you can say "Is your communication on wobbly legs" in English! But "communication breakdown" is a pretty common sort of term - indeed, there was even a song by that title, though I can't remember offhand who sang it now.

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Note added at 10 mins (2004-06-24 10:25:06 GMT)
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Some other ideas:

Are there poor levels of communication in your company?

Do you and your colleagues really understand each other? (Good understanding is a kind of byproduct of good communication.)
Selected response from:

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 20:00
Grading comment
I think I'll use "suffering from poor communication". Thanks Rowan, thanks Klaus Herrmann and thanks to everybody.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2Is communication breaking down?; Are there communication breakdowns?
Rowan Morrell
4 +1Are you happy with the communication system
Edhild
4Is your communication a bit wobbly?
Dr. Fred Thomson
4perhaps
gangels (X)
3insecure
Derek Gill Franßen
3Is communication at risk in your company?
Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
3on a shaky basis
Alarch Gwyn
3securing, shoring up, stronger foundations
jerrie


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
insecure


Explanation:
My suggestion in this context; it's not quite as depictive as the German expression though.

Derek Gill Franßen
Germany
Local time: 10:00
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 46

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Rowan Morrell: Insecure communication? Sounds a little odd to me ...
1 min
  -> I was thinking more like: "Are your communications insecure?" - "insecure communication" doesn't just sound odd, it is odd.
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Is communication breaking down?; Are there communication breakdowns?


Explanation:
I don't think you can say "Is your communication on wobbly legs" in English! But "communication breakdown" is a pretty common sort of term - indeed, there was even a song by that title, though I can't remember offhand who sang it now.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2004-06-24 10:25:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Some other ideas:

Are there poor levels of communication in your company?

Do you and your colleagues really understand each other? (Good understanding is a kind of byproduct of good communication.)

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 20:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 35
Grading comment
I think I'll use "suffering from poor communication". Thanks Rowan, thanks Klaus Herrmann and thanks to everybody.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Derek Gill Franßen: Or, "Communication Breakdown?" ...havin' a nervous breakdown... (Led Zepplin)
10 mins
  -> Thanks dzgill. Actually, the song I was thinking of might have been by Roy Orbison.
neutral  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): Cannot see breakdowns, it just says it's "unsicher".
16 mins
  -> "Auf unsichere Beine" suggests that communication is weak or nonexistent, so I think "communcation breakdown" is not entirely beyond the realms of possibility. "Poor communication" might be safer though.
agree  Klaus Herrmann: Now that I read your comment, how about "Suffering from poor communication?"? That's pretty much the tone of the original IMHO
3 hrs
  -> Yes, that's rather good - thanks Klaus.
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Is communication at risk in your company?


Explanation:
...

Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
Germany
Local time: 10:00
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 20
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
on a shaky basis


Explanation:
or shaky foundations

Alarch Gwyn
Local time: 10:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
securing, shoring up, stronger foundations


Explanation:
Does your communication (do your lines of/means of communication) need securing/shoring up/stronger foundations?

Are they on shaky ground?

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Is your communication a bit wobbly?


Explanation:
Or: on shakey legs?

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 02:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 123

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Derek Gill Franßen: I'm neutral to this but the word "wobbly" is just awesome! It always reminds me of "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down"! :)
11 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
perhaps


Explanation:
Are your communications on unsteady legs

(or wobbly underpinnings)

gangels (X)
Local time: 02:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 104
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Are you happy with the communication system


Explanation:
in your company?

would not go with the negativ expressions but rather turn this around - sounds like a sales pitch is coming - anyway

Edhild

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Derek Gill Franßen: Also a good way of working around the problem.
10 hrs
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