Aug 18, 2005 15:55
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term
Stärken sind zu stärken
German to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
XXXX muß sein Potential weiter ausbauen. Hier gilt das Gebot "Stärken sind zu stärken".
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+5
1 hr
Selected
Build on your strengths
perhaps?
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I've gone for this, as it seems to fit best in the context (although I've also used Andrew's "The old adage" suggestion as well. Thanks for all your help and suggestions!"
+5
5 mins
Stefanie Sendelbach
Germany
Germany
Native in German
Germany
IT and marketing translations
Native in: German 
Works in: English to German, German, Portuguese to German
Related KudoZ points
:
4
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
Strengthen the strengths
:-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Lori Dendy-Molz
: or "strengthen the strong points"
7 mins
|
| agree |
Brie Vernier
: actually *your* strengths//but the "command" as it were is "strengthen your strengths", and the impersonal/unspecified "the strengths" is meaningless in this context
8 mins
|
|
oder *his*
|
|
| agree |
Wolf Brosius (X)
8 mins
|
| agree |
franglish
: with briethe, i.e. 'his'
26 mins
|
| agree |
Hilary Davies Shelby
: I was going to say "strengthen *our" strengths" if XXXX is a company and they're talking about their own maxim. Briethe is right about "the" being incorrect.
2 hrs
|
6 mins
(he must) reinforce/strengthen his strengths
in context
8 mins
Pieter Unema, PhD
18 yrs of academic work in NL, D & USA
Native in: Dutch (Variant: Netherlands)
Works in: English to Dutch, German to Dutch
Related KudoZ points
:
4
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
reinforce/strengthen the strengths
google yields 85 hits on the strengthen and 186 on reinforce...
+1
26 mins
jccantrell
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Was nicht ist, kann noch werden.
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
19
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
Play to your strengths
How I would phrase it in the USA.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Hilary Davies Shelby
: i think this is perfect in tone for what seems like management-speak in this context
1 hr
|
| neutral |
Cilian O'Tuama
: this to me suggests compensating for your weaknesses, which I don't see in the German
6 hrs
|
|
I understand it as utilizing your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses, not compensating. Perhaps a USA interpretation.
|
+3
18 mins
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
Accentuate the positive
This is offered because it is a set phrase and a song, though not a 'commandment', and because the literal translations do not sound like natural English prose. Maybe it drifts too far from the theme of 'strength', however...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 42 mins (2005-08-18 16:38:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
PS Re \"Hier gilt das Gebot...\" I would recommend \"That old adage applies here:...\"
(It is not one of the Ten Commandments)
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q="that old adage"&meta...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 42 mins (2005-08-18 16:38:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
PS Re \"Hier gilt das Gebot...\" I would recommend \"That old adage applies here:...\"
(It is not one of the Ten Commandments)
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q="that old adage"&meta...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Hilary Davies Shelby
: "the old adage, "accentuate the positive", applies here.
1 hr
|
| agree |
Diana Loos
: I think this is the best translation because, although it doesn't reproduce the repetitive character of the original, it is a set phrase which creates a similar effect. I don't recognize the original phrase - is it a quotation or a reference?
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Francis Lee (X)
: with Hilary on both counts / and with Diana
15 hrs
|
+3
44 mins
Kathrin Harrison
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in German
United Kingdom
Dipl.-Dolm./Conference Interpreter EN-DE
Native in: German
Works in: English to German, French to German, Finnish to German, and 1 more.
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
(Our aim is to) go from strength to strength.
I know it is slightly off the mark and maybe too Biblical, but I still like the idea.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Nancy Arrowsmith
: I do too
43 mins
|
| agree |
Hilary Davies Shelby
: i like this one too - is there a Biblical connection?
1 hr
|
| agree |
Rachel Ward
: Don't think it's particularly Biblical...
2 hrs
|
15 hrs
German term (edited):
St�rken sind zu st�rken
Consolidate your strengths
Although this could possibly be a tad weak.
I must say I like Andrew's, though, because it does more than just repeat the previous statement about potential.
I must say I like Andrew's, though, because it does more than just repeat the previous statement about potential.
Something went wrong...