Valters Feists Apr 11, 2014:

Focus/concentration vs. remembering/memory Keeping focus on the things that one does WHILE doing those things seems more logical and more probably the author's intention than retaining memories. Memories come later. That's how I came up with "When doing something, I am able to keep my mind on it." (or "can").

And the original forward translation (into Lithuanian) might have been unidiomatic and a bit imprecise.

Arturas Bakanauskas Apr 10, 2014:

disregard my answer I found the construction strange, but thought it had to do with retaining memories, as clearly pointed out in my answer. With the rest of the context, obviously my idea was wrong and the author just wanted a synonym for 'focus' as Lithuanians are taught that is good writing in all situations. Please disregard my answer.

Gintautas Kaminskas (asker) Apr 10, 2014:

Artūrai, there are three more questions about concentration, none about memory.

Mano mintys lengvai nuklysta.
Aš galiu gana gerai susikaupti.
Reikia labai daug pastangų, kad galėčiau kam nors susikaupti.

The rest are about other things, e.g.
Aš jaučiuosi sveikas(-a)
Aš jaučiuosi fiziškai galintis(-i) nedaug ką nuveikti.
Aš jaučiuosi labai aktyvus(-i).
Aš jaučiuosi galintis(-i) užsiimti įvairia malonia veikla.
Aš jaučiuosi pavargęs(-usi).
Aš manau, kad per dieną daug nuveikiu.
Aš galiu fiziškai daug nuveikti.
Aš baiminuosi, kai man reikia ką nors padaryti.
Aš manau, kad per dieną mažai ką nuveikiu.
Aš esu pailsėjęs(-usi).
Aš jaučiuosi blogos fizinės būklės.
Aš turiu daug planų.
Aš greitai pavargstu.
Aš mažai ką nuveikiu.
Aš nemanau, kad nieko neveikiu.
Aš jaučiuosi puikios fizinės būklės.

Arturas Bakanauskas Apr 10, 2014:

context How about the context? What are the other questions about? Are they about maintaining focus or about remembering what happened?

Gintautas Kaminskas (asker) Apr 10, 2014:

Valters, I am starting to think the question might be about focus/attention (rather than memory), but the text is a back translation from English, and if the original English was about attention/concentration, I wonder why the LT translator didn't use the verb „susikaupti“? But without guessing the original English, do you think the words „išlaikyti mintis“ are about focus/attention (rather than memory)?

Gintautas Kaminskas (asker) Apr 10, 2014:

"Retain thoughts about it" or "keep my mind on it" That's why I asked this question. I wasn't sure whether „Kai aš ką nors darau, galiu išlaikyti mintis apie tai.“ means "Retain thoughts about it" or "keep my mind on it". Any more comments? This is a question in a medical questionnaire. The original was in English, the LT sentence quoted is a translation.Is „mintis išlaikyti“ idiomatic Lithuanian? What does it mean: to focus on something (keep one's attention on it) or to remember something after you've done it (to remember that you have done it)?

Gintautas Kaminskas (asker) Apr 8, 2014:

Thanks. The phrase "retain thoughts about it" sounds reasonable.