Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
(Aus-)Wahl
English translation:
tool of choice (intentional double entendre)
Added to glossary by
David Williams
Jul 27, 2009 15:30
14 yrs ago
German term
Germany
Scientific & technical expertise
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English
(Aus-)Wahl
German to English
Science
Education / Pedagogy
Research funding
Context:
"(Universitärer Berufungsverfahren als) Instrument der (Aus-)Wahl"
http://tinyurl.com/mdadml
Obviously this is a bit of a play on words in German that will be impossible to render 100% in English, but perhaps there's some way of getting this double meaning across nevertheless?
"(Universitärer Berufungsverfahren als) Instrument der (Aus-)Wahl"
http://tinyurl.com/mdadml
Obviously this is a bit of a play on words in German that will be impossible to render 100% in English, but perhaps there's some way of getting this double meaning across nevertheless?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | tool of choice ... (intentional double entendre) |
Deborah Shannon
|
| 3 | (pre)selection |
Birgit Gläser
|
| 3 | assortment of choice |
Lirka
|
| 2 | (S)election |
Annett Kottek (X)
|
Proposed translations
+1
53 mins
Deborah Shannon
Germany
Germany
Native in English
Specializes in field
Germany
Published academic translator DE-EN (GB)
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
143
Selected
tool of choice ... (intentional double entendre)
Maybe just point out the word play rather than trying to reproduce it, as it's not very playful to start with...
Prof. X spoke of university appointment procedures as the tool of choice (an intentional double entendre).
Prof. X spoke of university appointment procedures as the tool of choice (an intentional double entendre).
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks! I liked '(S)election' too, but since professors are appointed, not elected, I decided against that in the end."
55 mins
(pre)selection
just sprang into my mind, but should cover it in about the same way.
1 hr
assortment of choice
may be even too poetic for the original, but nevertheless, it gives you a choice...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Armorel Young
: given that Auswahl in this context is selection, how does assortment come into it? Assortment of what?
1 hr
|
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choice
|
2 hrs
(S)election
I'm not sure if it works, maybe some native speakers could leave some feedback.... The best candidates get elected from a selection of candidates. How that selection should take form was on of the topics at the meeting. The German words 'Auswahl' and 'Wahl' are pretty much synonymous too. (Agree with Deborah above, the original is not very playful to start with.)
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-07-27 18:28:27 GMT)
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Or should that be: the candidates get selected from....??
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-07-27 21:22:26 GMT)
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'Aus' (From) 'Wahl' (Election) = 'Selection' ??
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-07-27 21:25:28 GMT)
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'Aus' (From) + 'Wahl' (Election) = 'Auswahl' (Selection) ??
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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-07-27 18:28:27 GMT)
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Or should that be: the candidates get selected from....??
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2009-07-27 21:22:26 GMT)
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'Aus' (From) 'Wahl' (Election) = 'Selection' ??
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-07-27 21:25:28 GMT)
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'Aus' (From) + 'Wahl' (Election) = 'Auswahl' (Selection) ??
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Lirka
: depends on what you want to say: elect and select are two different things :) For instance, you elect a president or MPs, and select candidates for admission to school
2 hrs
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Yes, that's my problem also. The same applies for the German: 'Auswahl'=selection, 'Wahl'=election. Maybe the wordplay is not as clever as it first appears? Or am I missing sth.? Emphasis should be on selection. Thanks for the comment.
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