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  3. Economics

freilich ohne ihn schon in sein Gegenteil zu verkehren

English translation: although they have not succeeded in reversing it

20:40 Oct 9, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Economics / Asia crisis
German term or phrase: freilich ohne ihn schon in sein Gegenteil zu verkehren
Hi all,

having difficulty wording this (the end of the sentence) well:

"Immerhin ist es aber den internationalen Organisationen und den Industrieländern gelungen, den "Teufelskreis" zu durchbrechen, freilich ohne ihn schon in sein Gegenteil zu verkehren."

Also, I don't think I really understand what is meant by the latter part of the sentence.

Any help is appreciated.
Bianca Jacobsohn
France
Local time: 01:28
English translation:although they have not succeeded in reversing it
Explanation:
However, international organizations and the industrialized nations have been successful in disrupting the vicious circle, although they have not succeeded in reversing it.
Selected response from:

Renate FitzRoy
Local time: 00:28
Grading comment
Vielen Dank, Renate!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2although they have not succeeded in reversing it
Renate FitzRoy
4 +1admittedly without transforming it into its opposite
Richard Benham
4 +1alas, without being able to reverse it
KARIN ISBELL
4however without being able to convert it [the vicious circle] into a Circle of Virtue
desiderata (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
freilich ohne ihn schon *in sein Gegenteil zu verkehren*
although they have not succeeded in reversing it


Explanation:
However, international organizations and the industrialized nations have been successful in disrupting the vicious circle, although they have not succeeded in reversing it.

Renate FitzRoy
Local time: 00:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Vielen Dank, Renate!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: Or even "transforming it into its opposite". And how about "admittedly without"?
8 mins
agree  Hilary Davies Shelby: or "in reversing the trend"
1 hr
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
admittedly without transforming it into its opposite


Explanation:
Better is probably "admittedly without reversing it", but "reversing it" has already been suggested. The idea is, I assume (without sufficient context to be certain) that there is some kind of positive feedback loop going on. Positive feedback can be either good or bad, and in this case, given "Teufelskreis", it is obviously bad. So they have stopped things getting worse, but have not created a positive feedback loop in the other direction, so that things keep getting better.

There is nothing wrong with the other answer (which I can't see without losing what I've typed); I am just offering an alternative and, more importantly, an explanation.

Richard Benham
France
Local time: 01:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ken Cox: As a small quibble, does a vicous circle automatically change into a 'benign circle' if you reverse its direction? If the context admits, 'downward spiral' might be a better metaphor.//No quibble with the translation, just the metaphor..
10 mins
  -> Well, if going one way is making you poorer, then going the other way should make you richer.//Of course, a "downward spiral" is another metaphor for a positive feedback loop, as is "upward spiral" (e.g. wage-price spiral).
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
alas, without being able to reverse it


Explanation:
Actually, all of the suggestions submitted appear correct -- only our styles are different.

KARIN ISBELL
United States
Local time: 16:28
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nicole Y. Adams, M.A.
17 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
however without being able to convert it [the vicious circle] into a Circle of Virtue


Explanation:
"Engelskreis" is the opposite concept alluded to. I don't kinow how you might want to translate it, but I have heard of "circle of virtue".



    Reference: http://www.franz-renggli.ch/de/TeufelskreisInEngelskreisUmwa...
desiderata (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Richard Benham: We also say "virtuous circle" sometimes, but it is not really the same thing and is less idiomatic than the German expression.
11 mins
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