besitzen

English translation: carry

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	besitzen
English translation:	carry
Entered by:	Kim Metzger

13:33 May 22, 2005

German to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general) / paternity case

German term or phrase: besitzen

I can't find the verb that we'd use when we have a particular allele. We don't "possess" or "own" it.

Hier muss die Klägerin von Vater wie Mutter je ein Allel acP A geerbt haben. Die Zeugin ist mit ihrem Sohn befundidentisch. Da das Allel acP A jedoch sehr selten ist, dürfte das Allel acP A vom Vater stammen. Damit ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit erhöht, das der Verstorbene es *besessen* hat, somit der Klägerin vererbt haben kann und damit einen Hinweis auf die Vaterschaft liefert.

Kim Metzger KudoZ activity Questions: 1189 (none open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 15751 Mexico
Local time: 09:17

possess

Explanation:
... Each "gene" consists of two alleles. An allele is a segment of "genetic ...
Refers to the exact genes and alleles (genetic code) an individual possesses ...
www.mhref.com/color/genetics/glossary.html

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Note added at 10 mins (2005-05-22 13:43:58 GMT)
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Public Health Genetics Unit: Information database: Glossary of ...
... An individual who carries two different alleles of a particular gene. ...
sets of genes, but each pair of genes (alleles) may not be identical. ...
www.phgu.org.uk/info_database/glossary.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages

It seems \'carry\' is also possible:

Welcome to the Genetics & Public Policy Center
... In fact, we all carry five or more \"faulty\" genes or \"alleles\" (alternative
forms of the same gene) that can cause disease. In terms of evolution, ...
www.dnapolicy.org/genetics/geneticsAndDisease.jhtml

Selected response from:

Sandy A Pirie
Local time: 16:17

Grading comment

Thank you very much, everybody. Sandie was the first to suggest "carry."
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

have

Stephen Sadie

Comment

John Jory

bear

IanW (X)

possess

Sandy A Pirie

2 +2

carried (the gene)

Jonathan MacKerron

another comment (possess - besitzen)

MMUlr

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

besitzen (here) have

Explanation:
Kim I see your point. Would the verb to have not fit nicely? ( had it)

Stephen Sadie
Germany
Local time: 17:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 102

5 mins confidence:

besitzen (here) bear

Explanation:
How about "bear"?

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Note added at 6 mins (2005-05-22 13:40:02 GMT)
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Uniparental Disomy

Uniparental disomy refers to the situation in which a child possesses two copies of one of one parent\'s chromosome and no copies of the same chromosome from the other parent. The result is that the child is homozygous for all genes located on that one chromosome. If that chromosome should ***bear an allele*** that causes a recessive condition or disease, the child will be affected, even though one parent is not a carrier of the gene.

http://medicine.ucsd.edu/peds/Pediatric Links/Links/Dysmorph...

IanW (X)
Local time: 17:17
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 35

6 mins confidence:

besitzen (here)

possess

Sandy A Pirie
Local time: 16:17
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

Thank you very much, everybody. Sandie was the first to suggest "carry."

16 mins confidence:

besitzen (here) Comment

Explanation:
Kim, this is a typical example of the widespread incorrect use of "besitzen", which is a legal term.
Nobody would dream of saying "er besitzt einen Schnupfen", but "er besitzt die Frechheit" is generally accepted.
"Besitz" can be disputed legally, inherited, purchased, etc. but should never be used where "haben" is perfectly OK and by far the better choice.

Further hair-raising examples found in Google on the first page:
Welche Charaktereigenschaft besitzt du?
Der Kulturatlas Oberfranken besitzt eine hervorragende Google-Positionierung
Film besitzt Audio und Video aber funktioniert nicht!
Sparbuch besitzt Beweiskraft

John Jory
Germany
Local time: 17:17
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 4

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

besitzen (here) carried (the gene)

Explanation:
just to mix things up

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 185

4 hrs confidence:

besitzen (here) another comment (possess - besitzen)

Explanation:
I tried to find out if John's opinion is reflected in the offical reference books on German vs English usage of "possess" or "besitzen".

For the German part (from http://www.wissen.de/xt/default.do?MENUNAME=Suche&SEARCHTYPE... ):

Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

be|sit|zen [V.143, hat besessen; mit Akk.] 1 etwas b. in Besitz haben, die körperliche Verfügungsgewalt über etwas haben; sie b. ein schönes Haus, zwei Autos und einen Hund 2 über etwas verfügen, etwas haben; er besitzt große Kenntnisse, Fähigkeiten; er besitzt genügend Anstand, Mut, Verstand, um …; er besaß die Unverschämtheit, zu behaupten … 3 [veraltet] jmdn. b., [bes.] eine Frau b. mit jmdm.,[bes.] mit einer Frau Geschlechtsverkehr haben.

I expected to find quite a different definition of possess but this is what I found (http://www.wordreference.com/definition/possess.htm ) --> pls click and see (it's a long entry): These definitions have a great similarity with the German understanding IMO, also regarding "Charaktereigenschaften" or even "Unverschämtheit zu behaupten".

So it is not correct to say, "er besitzt einen Schnupfen", but it is correct to say "Er besitzt große Kenntnisse".

:-)

MMUlr
Germany
Local time: 17:17
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 23

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