Motivlage

English translation: it is a mystery why/for reasons unbeknownst

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Motivlage
English translation:it is a mystery why/for reasons unbeknownst
Entered by: Ramey Rieger (X)

12:33 Jan 12, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / G20/ Agenda 2030/UN
German term or phrase: Motivlage
Original sentence is "Andernorts – auch in vermeintlich demokratischen Staaten – ist die Motivlage unklar, wenn das Engagement ausländischer NGOs administrativ so organisiert wird, dass bei Einhaltung aller Regeln und Normen eine normale Arbeit zum Erliegen kommen müsste."


My translation so far:

"Elsewhere - including in supposedly democratic states - (ist die Motivlage unklar) if the involvement of foreign NGOs is administratively organised so that if they abide by all the rules and guidelines their work would inevitably come to a standstill.

(for context, the sentence after is "Neue Erfolgsbeispiele hingegen finden sich wenige" - which I translated as "New examples of success on the other hand are few and far between")

Could it just be "situation"? State of affairs ? Conditions?
Markus Heinrich
Ireland
it is a mystery/for reasons unbeknownst why...
Explanation:
... the rules and guidelines governing foreign NGOs is organized to ensure that their work comes to a standstill

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Note added at 20 hrs (2017-01-13 08:38:41 GMT)
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Of course, Markus! Speed kills.
Selected response from:

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 07:23
Grading comment
Thank you Ramey :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2motivation
Julia Burgess
4 +1it is unclear why
Michael Martin, MA
3 +2it is a mystery/for reasons unbeknownst why...
Ramey Rieger (X)
3policy
Martin Ris
2agenda/real agenda
Teangacha (X)


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
motivation


Explanation:
as in "basis for their motives"

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Note added at 7 mins (2017-01-12 12:40:43 GMT)
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Or simply, "motives"! http://en.langenscheidt.com/german-english/motivlage

Example sentence(s):
  • their motivation is unclear
  • it is unclear what their motivation is
Julia Burgess
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Stephan Elkins: I would go with motives
4 mins

agree  Noelle Crist-See: Yes, but I don't disagree with Ramey's version either.
3 days 23 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
policy


Explanation:
Motivlage seems to address the general (political) thinking, not a personal motivation. Policy implies intention in the sense of both, why and wherefore.

Also, this might be read as "given that", not "if" - but you would have more context.


Example sentence(s):
  • the policy is unclear, given that/if the involvement of foreign NGOs ....
Martin Ris
United States
Local time: 02:23
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
agenda/real agenda


Explanation:
I know this isn't the direct translation and 'motive' would be better as direct translation, but the word 'agenda' keeps coming to mind in this context.

Southern is a story of rail failure. But the real agenda is to crush the ...
https://www.theguardian.com › Opinion › Rail transport
Jul 19, 2016 - But the real agenda is to crush the unions.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2017-01-12 16:55:29 GMT)
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If one googles 'real agenda' there are other examples which have similar contextual meaning, I feel.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2017-01-12 16:58:52 GMT)
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I am also basing my opinion of context on the previous question and content Markus gave with regards this article, as a whole.

Teangacha (X)
Ireland
Local time: 06:23
Native speaker of: English
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it is unclear why


Explanation:
Mystery is too emphatic and motivation too specific. All that's needed here is to indicate there is no clear-cut rationale for these requirements..

"Elsewhere - even in supposedly democratic states - it is unclear why the activities of foreign NGOs are hamstrung by administrative schemes that practically ensure that normal work would come to a standstill if all rules and regulations were observed."

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 02:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 76

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Whitney Maslak
6 days
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
it is a mystery/for reasons unbeknownst why...


Explanation:
... the rules and guidelines governing foreign NGOs is organized to ensure that their work comes to a standstill

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2017-01-13 08:38:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course, Markus! Speed kills.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 07:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thank you Ramey :)
Notes to answerer
Asker: Would it not be "...are organised to ensure..."?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: Agree. Not possible to use 'motives' here without specifying whose.
1 hr
  -> Exactly, Andrew. Good 2017, by the way.

agree  Björn Vrooman: I'd say: rules+guidelines=are; their=[] (unclear reference b/c of all the plurals) or their work = their observance/adhering to [observing] them brings work to a halt // Prefer yours over a thousand "ifs."
2 hrs
  -> Yes, Björn, how Markus structures it is up to him. He naturally has a different style.// Now WHY doesn't that surprise me ;-)?
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