Prestationsångest

English translation: performance anxiety

01:21 Jan 16, 2009
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Swedish term or phrase: Prestationsångest
This is used by an actor describing he has this. Would it be "stage fright" or more generalized, like "fear of failure" or maybe something else?
Anya Applebee
English translation:performance anxiety
Explanation:
No doubt.

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Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2009-01-19 12:33:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here synonymous with achievement.
Selected response from:

George Hopkins
Local time: 16:03
Grading comment
Thank you! This seems the best way to go on this occasion.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2performance anxiety
George Hopkins
5 +1stage fright
Tara Chace
3 +2butterflies
Peter Linton (X)
4 -1performance angst
Hanne Rask Sonderborg
4 -1analysis paralysis
anneliesp


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
performance angst


Explanation:
My suggestion

Example sentence(s):
  • Actually, there are five fundamental, if not existential, questions that underline the performance angst in both the public performance and private peformance realms:
  • 's when I've put in much blood, sweat, and tears and still haven't sufficiently connected with the audience, nor won them over, despite my seemingly best efforts, that the performance angst begins.

    Reference: http://www.stressdoc.com/thirsting_and_thrusting_for_peak.ht...
    Reference: http://www.the-bright-side.org/site/thebrightside/content.ph...
Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 16:03
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Erik Macki: "Angst" is not the right term at all; it's "anxiety."
19 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
butterflies


Explanation:
An idiomatic and widely used expression is "butterflies in the stomach", a mild version of stage fright. It refers to the fluttering sensation in the stomach that most people experience before making a speech or presentation, appearing on stage, speaking in public etc.

Peter Linton (X)
Local time: 15:03
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tara Chace: Yes, good suggestion! Or nervous jitters.
10 hrs

agree  Erik Macki: For a nonclinical context, I like this option, too.
11 hrs
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
analysis paralysis


Explanation:
trying so hard that nothing gets done, relevant across all situations. Somewhat casual, but still a good way of describing the situation

anneliesp
Local time: 11:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Erik Macki: Huh?
5 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
stage fright


Explanation:
For an acting context, "stage fright" is what we would say in English. In more general contexts it is often translated as "performance anxiety."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2009-01-16 04:23:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Stage fright" is much more widely used in English in an acting context than "performance angst."
Google hits for:
+actor +"stage fright" = 106,000 hits
+actor +"performance angst" = 91 hits

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2009-01-16 21:25:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Google hits for:
+actor +"performance anxiety" = 54,700

Tara Chace
United States
Local time: 08:03
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: This remark was made by an actor/comedian and so could well be "erectile dysfunction" in that case. There is no way of knowing exactly how he meant it!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Hugh Curtis
8 hrs
  -> thank you!

neutral  asptech: "Stage fright" (rampfeber in Swedish) refers to a single performance, whereas "prestationsångest" indicates doubts about one's acting capability in general.
8 hrs
  -> We need more context to know which this actor is suffering from. However, all actors suffer from stage fright at some point. Not all actors suffer from performance anxiety.

disagree  Katarina Lindve: stage fright is also "scenskräck" in Swedish but prestationsångest is much wider- could happen to an author for example who cannot pick up his pen, or a painter who cannot complete his painting - someone who have to force himself in order to complete some
9 hrs
  -> We need more context to know which this actor is suffering from. However, all actors suffer from stage fright at some point. Not all actors suffer from performance anxiety.

agree  Erik Macki: I have to say that the first connotation of "performance anxiety" in (U.S.) English has to do with erectile dysfunction, so unless there is clear context to translate it differently I think "stage fright" is probably the way to go.
19 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
performance anxiety


Explanation:
No doubt.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2009-01-19 12:33:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here synonymous with achievement.

George Hopkins
Local time: 16:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52
Grading comment
Thank you! This seems the best way to go on this occasion.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Katarina Lindve: This is the standard solution for the term. Wide enought to cover the same area as in Swedish. More than just entering the stage - fear of not being able to produce
2 hrs
  -> Thank you lindve.

agree  Anna Herbst: Agree with lindve's comment.
4 hrs
  -> Thank you Anna.

neutral  Tara Chace: This is a very general condition that people suffer from with respect to sexual performance, test taking, public speaking, etc. An actor with performance anxiety probably won't be able to keep acting. Whereas a case of stage fright is temporary and common
11 hrs
  -> Codswallop. Do your comments refer to my answer?

neutral  Erik Macki: The connotation of erectile dysfunction will come to mind first for many readers, so without further, specific context this translation could be a riskier choice than "stage fright."
13 hrs
  -> Codswallop. Do your comments refer to my answer?
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