det offentlige åtagandet

English translation: public sector obligations/commitment

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:det offentliga åtagandet
English translation:public sector obligations/commitment
Entered by: Anna Herbst

16:33 Aug 25, 2013
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Economics
Swedish term or phrase: det offentlige åtagandet
This is a misnomer, not really a commitment so much as a collective term for what the government does (provides public services, invests in infrastructure, makes welfare payments) or alternatively how it spends its money (public expenditure, investment and transfers combined).

No points for public commitment or, worse, standard-of-service commitment.

I'm going round and round on this one. Any bright ideas please?
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
public sector obligations
Explanation:
"Den offentliga sektorn" is the equivalent of "the public sector" or "the public service" and in this case I would use "obligations" (in the plural) for "åtagande".
Selected response from:

Anna Herbst
Australia
Local time: 06:42
Grading comment
The best option here. Customer insisted on "the public sector commitment" in the end...
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2the official undertaking
George Hopkins
4 +1the state's undertakings
Sven Petersson
4public sector obligations
Anna Herbst
4the provision of public services
Charlesp
3public sector undertakings
JaneD


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the state's undertakings


Explanation:
:o)

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 20:42
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 33
Notes to answerer
Asker: Can I ask you please not to just offer literal translations with no explanation like this. Whether they're right or wrong, they help no-one.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charlesp: I'd go with this.
15 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

57 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
public sector undertakings


Explanation:
I'm happy with "undertakings" in all of the suggestions made so far; it's the first bit that doesn't seem quite right. Maybe a combination of this and Sven's suggestion: "the state's public sector undertakings"? Though that's getting to be a bit of a mouthful!

JaneD
Sweden
Local time: 20:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for you input!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
det offentliga åtagandet
public sector obligations


Explanation:
"Den offentliga sektorn" is the equivalent of "the public sector" or "the public service" and in this case I would use "obligations" (in the plural) for "åtagande".


Example sentence(s):
  • Comprehensive tax reform is advocated for all of the countries to give them the fiscal foundation to carry out their public sector obligations.

    Reference: http://ideas.repec.org/p/qed/dpaper/72.html
Anna Herbst
Australia
Local time: 06:42
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
The best option here. Customer insisted on "the public sector commitment" in the end...
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the provision of public services


Explanation:
As an alternative, I'd say "the provision of public services"

or

"the provision of services by the [municipal/state/federal] government"

or

"the provision of governmental services"

Charlesp
Sweden
Local time: 20:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: That was my instinct too, but unfortunately the Swedish is broader than this so had to abandon that idea

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
the official undertaking


Explanation:
:-

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days18 hrs (2013-08-28 11:24:00 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Regarding the Asker's note to me, ie, Can I ask you please not to just offer literal translations with no explanation like this. Whether they're right or wrong, they help no-one.
Askers can take the cake I offer and do what they like with it. Don't expect jam on it...

George Hopkins
Local time: 20:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 10
Notes to answerer
Asker: Can I ask you please not to just offer literal translations with no explanation like this. Whether they're right or wrong, they help no-one.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mats Wiman
6 mins
  -> Thank you Mats.

agree  JaneD: I think I'd use it in the plural, though. ("If official undertakings are to be maintained at 2013 levels...")
15 mins
  -> Thank you Jane, but the question is in the definite singular form...

neutral  Anna Herbst: Isn't this a question of a "public" (offentlig) rather than an "official" (officiell) undertaking?
9 hrs
  -> Translation is one thing, interpretation is another. I can't read the Asker's mind.
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.

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:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search