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Explanation: The quote, as far as I know, is not from Thomas Edison but from Sean-Paul Thomas: "It's better to fail trying than never have tried at all"
Please don’t regret asking the question, as it was an interesting one. You can always award points to Ramey for suggesting a well-known English idiom expressing a similar sentiment and/or for locating the likely Edison quote, while still using something else to keep your client happy (stating source unknown, anon, etc. if necessary)
If you are looking for comparable English sayings found all over the web in a similar way (try image searches and you will see what I mean), the closest I can find are: Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction [Just start] Imperfect action is better than perfect procrastination Done is better than perfect
I will decide what I will do. I have my own criteria. I really don't want any more time taken up with this. I'm starting to regret ever asking the question
I don't think any *single* person here was "most helpful," so why not give credit to a decent translation? Regarding your client, I would prefer that they attribute the odd literal quote to "old English saying," change it to the similar and more recognizable saying by Sean-Paul Thomas or change it to the "I didn't fail... " quote that Edison is famous for. BTW I was absolutely insulted when the asker of a question came back to the forum after consulting the client and told everyone what the translation for X *should be for everyone* (it's in the glossary), when she had based her decision and probably her client's decision solely on the "English version" of the instructions for a medication (of different strength) that was probably written or translated by someone not native in English or German.
Yes, as I said, I understand. Not trying to prolong the discussion needlessly. I was merely a bit surprised and tried to offer an alternative (if feasible).
We've established that this isn't a real quote, I think, which was the question you had when this all started.
The only other thing I seem to remember goes something like this: An imperfect solution is better than no solution at all.
Best of luck to you.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
@Ventai
11:25 Aug 15, 2018
The suggestion I proposed is attributed to Sean-Paul Thomas, so it is a direct non-translation of a native-speaking English idiom.
Hi Björn It's not really that important. It's just a heading to a section on a website, which people will probably take no notice of. Whatever I use, it will actually be wrong since the quote does not exist. There were a whole host of issues with this project - invented words, typing errors and missing parts of sentences. I cannot fight for them all considering how much I will actually get paid.
Is there no way to convince the client to use the quote of which Ramey posted a part?
I can understand your situation, but translating a book about an American(!) author into English and using a quote no ENS seems to know reflects poorly on the research skills of the author. I mean it's not like I can look it up later.
In fact, it's the closest translation I could find. All books I saw using your quote were, with one exception, written after 2010 (and, as far as I can tell, by non-ENS). This seems to be a bad case of internet meme addiction.
Hi. Thanks for your help everyone. Sorry I've been busy on the rest of the translation, including numerous other quotes from the likes of Neil Armstrong and John Ruskin which do happen to exist. Would those who proposed an answer in the discussion like to post their version as an answer? I discussed it with the client and they asked for a direct translation
Sounds a bit like the Microsoft-Apple story. I really wish Germans had resisted the urge to adopt the new way of doing journalism in the U.S. and make every news article sound like an op-ed. That started around 10 years ago.
just a comment on your comment. Edison not favored by modern Americans? Where do you get such information... from this awful video? Another case of 'net-disinformation'. Maybe some "creative' millennials.. who have no respect for anything or anyone older than they are .... but as far as I can tell, Edison's reputation and respect for his achievements are alive and well... at least on the east coast.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
@Björn
06:04 Aug 15, 2018
Yes, that's Edison!And can be found all over the net along with other quotes attributed to him. But this one? No chance!
For the record: I am aghast to see that quote posted on several German websites and used in several books in German. There's no one putting any kind of spin on it; it sounds awful in German. I have no idea how that quote came to be.
Pretty sure it's a mis-attribution or a German spin on it.
I certainly prefer the fortune cookie version of similar meaning: Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly. OR the one we know and hate to love (your suggestion).
Is he going on a trip? Thinking about going on a trip? Not sure if he's thinking about going on a trip? Throwing his clothes willy-nilly into a suitcase? Must be a misinterpretation or a fake.
http://www.sophilius.com/ "It is better to pack imperfectly than to hesitate" Thomas A. Edison (1847 – 1931, inventor and entrepreneur)
(I don't recognize it!)
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Ignore it...
15:26 Aug 14, 2018
and it will go away :-)! Better to champ at the bit than chew the cud. Better to go for it than watch it go. Better to take the leap than fall into the gulch (Texas talk). Better to gung-ho than ho-hum...
... to start imperfectly than to hesitate perfectly
is one of the "rules" in a book by Schaefer called "The Laws of the Winners" - but, interestingly, that book is itself a translation from the German and as far as I can see it makes no attempt to ascribe the saying to Edison.
revealed several sites some of which I judge to be unreliable. Asker should query whether this actually is a quote from Edison or just translate into sensible English.
Yes, I thought tackle was less likely because it had no subject, but if it were a sporting reference, it wouldn't need one. Assuming this is a fake quote, the asker has to decide how important it is. If it's a document that will be read by only a few people (if any), it doesn't matter. But I've taken them out of big companies' annual reports.
Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Hi Phil!
13:52 Aug 14, 2018
Then you had better luck than I did. I also have my doubts. By the way, I would think 'tack' is meant to be 'tackle'.
I found this attributed to Edison: "It is better to tack imperfectly than to hesitate perfectly.” Tack must be a mistake for attack, but this was on only one website. The internet is riddled with fake quotes ascribed to real people (often Einstein, in my experience),and I'd take this with a pinch of salt.
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Answers
32 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +6
It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all
Explanation: The quote, as far as I know, is not from Thomas Edison but from Sean-Paul Thomas: "It's better to fail trying than never have tried at all"
Ramey Rieger (X) Germany Local time: 04:35 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 70