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  3. Psychology

kaum festzustellen

English translation: hardly any decrease can be noted

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:ein Rückgang kaum festzustellen
English translation:hardly any decrease can be noted
Entered by: Susan Welsh

13:20 Feb 14, 2010
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Psychology
German term or phrase: kaum festzustellen
I have translated this phrase "by the dictionary," but I wonder whether it should not say, instead, that scarcely any decrease has been observed (which makes a bit more sense).

In Ländern wie Frankreich und Spanien, die Gewalt sowohl in der öffentlichen Debatte als auch justiziell nicht in vergleichbarer Weise ächten, ist dagegen ein Rückgang kaum festzustellen.

My translation:
However in countries such as France and Spain, where violence is not similarly proscribed either by public debate or judicially, it is difficult to determine whether there has been a decrease.
Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 15:39
there is hardly any decrease/decline of violence
Explanation:

...from the German phrase it sounds more as if violence simply decreases only marginally in those countries where violence is more commonly accepted, rather than it is (more) difficult to determine if it decreased...
Selected response from:

Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
Germany
Local time: 21:39
Grading comment
I am choosing this, because it really did help me the most, being first. The fact that feststellen was omitted was irrelevant, since I know what feststellen means. The problem was how to put it together. Thanks to polyglot and the others too, for refining the idea. If polyglot had gotten there first, I probably would have chosen that answer.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5there is little sign or evidence of violence receding or being on the decline
polyglot45
4 +2there is hardly any decrease/decline of violence
Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
5 -1. . . it is . . . hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.
hoare-spitall
5 -1hardlly possible to detect
hoare-spitall


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
there is hardly any decrease/decline of violence


Explanation:

...from the German phrase it sounds more as if violence simply decreases only marginally in those countries where violence is more commonly accepted, rather than it is (more) difficult to determine if it decreased...

Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
Germany
Local time: 21:39
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
I am choosing this, because it really did help me the most, being first. The fact that feststellen was omitted was irrelevant, since I know what feststellen means. The problem was how to put it together. Thanks to polyglot and the others too, for refining the idea. If polyglot had gotten there first, I probably would have chosen that answer.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Evelyn Enderle
1 min
  -> Many thanks, Evelyn!!
neutral  writeaway: leaves out the concept of feststellen
30 mins
  -> You are right -- I focussed on explaining the original meaning of the German phrase ... I think Susan will find a perfect translation as the ambiguity is eliminated...
agree  Bernhard Sulzer: im Sinne von "nichts davon zu sehen"
2 days 11 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
there is little sign or evidence of violence receding or being on the decline


Explanation:
this way

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 7

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: imo translates what the German actually says
11 mins
agree  Annett Kottek (X)
1 hr
agree  Steffen Walter
3 hrs
agree  Helen Shiner: but I can't understand this being posted as a PRO question. @ Bernhard - nothing that a native speaker/translator should not be able to handle really.
8 hrs
agree  Bernhard Sulzer: @Helen: although the meaning might be clear, there are many ways to say it. Sometimes it takes a "pro" to render a great translation.:)
9 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
. . . it is . . . hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.


Explanation:
. . . it is hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.


hoare-spitall
Germany
Local time: 21:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator): No sorry, 'kaum/hardly' does not refer to the possibility/ability but to the decrease/decline itself!!! See my explanation at 11 min
14 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
hardlly possible to detect


Explanation:
. . . it is hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2010-02-14 15:48:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

. . . it is hardly possible to detect any decline in the use of violence.

Apologies for 2 ells in hardly. I'm afraid it's hardly possible for me to write clearly today so I will now log out.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 hrs (2010-02-15 10:31:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This was a note based on my inability to type and not a translation comment

hoare-spitall
Germany
Local time: 21:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Harald Moelzer (medical-translator): No sorry, 'kaum/hardly' does not refer to the possibility/ability but to the decrease/decline itself!!! See my explanation at 11 min
14 hrs
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