This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Government / Politics

Civic life

English translation: activities that further the good of the community

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Civic life
Selected answer:activities that further the good of the community
Entered by: Anthony Indra

03:40 Oct 31, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Government / Politics / Government Statement
English term or phrase: Civic life
The context:
Public spaces, including parks and plazas, streets, laneways and community facilities are for everyone. These spaces provide critical forums for participation in civic, cultural, social and political life.

What is exactly a "civic life"?
I mean, what kind of activities are they?
Anthony Indra
United States
Local time: 06:03
activities that further the good of the community
Explanation:
Often municipal government activities such as highway cleanups, fundraisers to build a park, secular charities.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2006-10-31 03:53:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It has to do with your duties as a good citizen, not necessarily related to politics (though voting in elections is considered a "civic duty").

Webster's 10th New Collegiate: Civic means "of or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship, or civil affairs." A civic-minded person is one who is "disposed to look after civic needs and interests."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2006-10-31 03:58:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I don't find it redundant. Examples:
My civic life includes planting flowers along the highway.
My cultural life includes teaching square-dancing to schoolchildren AND singing in the philharmonic chorale.
My social life includes attending birthday parties for my friends' children.
My political life includes taking part in a radio debate on whether Puerto Rico should go to a one-chamber government.

Of course, they overlap--the volunteer square-dance teaching could be a social and civic activity as well as a cultural one, and voting could be both civic and political. If the birthday party is in a public park that I helped clean up, that's social and civic. But though they overlap, each of the types of "life" mentioned has its own special emphasis.
Selected response from:

JaneTranslates
Puerto Rico
Local time: 09:03
Grading comment
thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +2activities that further the good of the community
JaneTranslates
3 +3community life
Robert Forstag


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
civic life
community life


Explanation:
In this context, it simply means participating in the life of the community of which one is part. It is actually redundant in that it encompasses "social", "political" and cultural".

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 09:03
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Lambert: I think this answer is more encompassing and exhaustive as well as concise.
8 hrs
  -> Thank you, Paul.
agree  Alexander Demyanov: On all points.
11 hrs
  -> Thank you, Alexander.
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 15 hrs
  -> Thank you, Marju.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
civic life
activities that further the good of the community


Explanation:
Often municipal government activities such as highway cleanups, fundraisers to build a park, secular charities.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2006-10-31 03:53:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It has to do with your duties as a good citizen, not necessarily related to politics (though voting in elections is considered a "civic duty").

Webster's 10th New Collegiate: Civic means "of or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship, or civil affairs." A civic-minded person is one who is "disposed to look after civic needs and interests."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2006-10-31 03:58:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I don't find it redundant. Examples:
My civic life includes planting flowers along the highway.
My cultural life includes teaching square-dancing to schoolchildren AND singing in the philharmonic chorale.
My social life includes attending birthday parties for my friends' children.
My political life includes taking part in a radio debate on whether Puerto Rico should go to a one-chamber government.

Of course, they overlap--the volunteer square-dance teaching could be a social and civic activity as well as a cultural one, and voting could be both civic and political. If the birthday party is in a public park that I helped clean up, that's social and civic. But though they overlap, each of the types of "life" mentioned has its own special emphasis.

JaneTranslates
Puerto Rico
Local time: 09:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ErichEko ⟹⭐: On your 18 mins note: very well explained for a thing whose facets are so intermingled one another! (Read: a thing = life)
23 mins
  -> Thank you, Erich. Yes, life is a many-splendored thing, isn't it? That's one reason why we need to be as precise as possible with our language. And, in the end, it's not possible, but we have to try. (Philosophy after midnight!)
agree  Robert Fox
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Robert
neutral  Alexander Demyanov: I believe "activities that further the good of the community " is too narrow
11 hrs
  -> I see your point, and Forstag's, but IMO, this context calls for a narrower interpretation, since it lists "cultural, social and political" separately. Thank you for your comment.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search