Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun

English translation: "There is only one proof of ability,--action."

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun
English translation:"There is only one proof of ability,--action."
Entered by: Lynda Hepburn

08:01 Dec 14, 2010
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun
I am looking for an official translation of this quote from Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach if such exists or, if not, a good rendering.

Any help much appreciated, the translation of these quotes is definitely not my forte!

TIA
Stephen
Stephen Sadie
Germany
Local time: 07:17
"There is only one proof of ability,--action."
Explanation:
See http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/marie_ebnereschenbach...
Selected response from:

Lynda Hepburn
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:17
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3"There is only one proof of ability,--action."
Lynda Hepburn
3 +1"There is only one proof of ability: action."
Allison Wright (X)
4The only proof of knowing, is doing
Ramey Rieger (X)
4There's only one (valid) prove of ability: the completed deed itself
Thayenga
3Ability is what you're capable of doing
casper (X)
3Those that can, do
Colin Rowe
3No other proof for skill but doing
Horst Huber (X)
2In the action only lies the proof of ability
franglish


  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
„Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun.“
In the action only lies the proof of ability


Explanation:
Googling has provided 3 translations:

There is only one way to prove ability: to do it, doing it or
There is only one way to prove ability - action.

None of them convince me, nor are they "official" translations.

franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 07:17
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: nor are they idiomatic
7 hrs
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun.
Ability is what you're capable of doing


Explanation:
Well, not an "official translation" of the quote, but an approximation.

casper (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: isn't that just stating the obvious
7 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
„Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun.“
"There is only one proof of ability,--action."


Explanation:
See http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/marie_ebnereschenbach...

Lynda Hepburn
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:17
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lesley Robertson MA, Dip Trans IoLET
17 mins

agree  Nicola Wood
1 hr

agree  Rebecca Garber
6 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
„Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun.“
"There is only one proof of ability: action."


Explanation:
Before finding the above on the Internet, I was going to suggest

"Ability has but one proof: action".

Back in 1880 when "Aphorismen" was first published, there was a a great deal of scientific enquiry going on, and experiments required "proofs". It would be nice to retain this sense in English.


    Reference: http://www.angelfire.com/weird/Calindy/sq.html
Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 06:17
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lesley Robertson MA, Dip Trans IoLET
17 mins
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The only proof of knowing, is doing


Explanation:
Freely translated, yes. But I think it hits the mark.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 07:17
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 70
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Those that can, do


Explanation:
Not a direct translation, perhaps, but it certainly conveys the meaning here.

Often followed by "those that can't, teach"...

Example:
"The converse is also assumed true: Educators could not possibly understand what running a business is like. "Those that can, do; those that can't, teach," business people have often said with an air of disparagement."

http://www2.educationworld.com/a_curr/voice/voice141.shtml

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 07:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 63
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
„Für das Können gibt es nur einen Beweis: das Tun.“
There's only one (valid) prove of ability: the completed deed itself


Explanation:
:)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2010-12-14 11:44:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course it is "poof" and not "prove"

Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 07:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Susan Welsh: typo: proof, not prove
3 hrs
  -> Of course! Thank you, Susan.
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
No other proof for skill but doing


Explanation:
Maybe to brief?

Horst Huber (X)
United States
Local time: 02:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 11
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