Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
preventive attack vs preemptive
English answer:
preemptive: correct; preventive: spun
Added to glossary by
mbc
Dec 16, 2003 08:05
20 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
preventive attack vs preemptive
Non-PRO
English
Other
I am translating from Spanish and the author uses "preventivo" which I originally translated as preventive attack against Iraq. Now that I have gone back I find that it sounds awkward and have switched to preemptive. I find examples of both on Google, more of preemptive however. My question is what is the real difference and which is more correct when describing the US invasion of Iraq. (Hope my question doesn´t get political)
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Responses
| 4 +4 | preemptive: correct; preventive: spun |
Laurel Porter (X)
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| 4 +5 | "pre-emptive" has a specific military definition |
Susana Galilea
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| 4 +2 | leaving politics aside ("old" Europe!).... |
CMJ_Trans (X)
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| 5 | same but preemption ther term in use for this situation. |
nyamuk
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| 4 | preemptive |
Gilbert Ashley
|
Responses
+4
1 hr
Selected
preemptive: correct; preventive: spun
There was an attempt by the spin doctors of the W. Bush administration to substitute the term "preventive" for "preemptive", with the idea that "preventive" sounded more vague and general, relying less on imminent threat than on eventually evolving risk:
"The Bush administration needed an argument, an argument that would provide the legal underpinning for unilateral American military action against Iraq or other nations that we determine to be a similar threat, and the answer devised by the administration was laid out in September 2002 in the national security strategy document, the so-called Doctrine of Preventive War."
"The Bush administration needed an argument, an argument that would provide the legal underpinning for unilateral American military action against Iraq or other nations that we determine to be a similar threat, and the answer devised by the administration was laid out in September 2002 in the national security strategy document, the so-called Doctrine of Preventive War."
Reference:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/md08_vanhollen/Iraq_Speech.html
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/md08_vanhollen/Iraq_Speech.html
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
i8a4re
1 hr
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thanks
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| agree |
Gordon Darroch (X)
: spot on
4 hrs
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thanks, Gordon
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| agree |
Pippin Michelli
6 hrs
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thanks
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| agree |
Refugio
: By choosing to use the spin-doctored version, the translator may be "true" to the original text, but is false to linguistic precision and a co-conspirator in Newspeak perpetration. Is our loyalty to the paying client or to the integrity of language?
10 hrs
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(Ooh... you can still afford integrity?) Good point, Ruth.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to all of you. Everyone´s ideas were helpful, Laurel´s idea hit the nail on the head though. I ended up using the "spun" using in order to be true to the original text. Saludos a todos y todas, Madeline."
+5
5 mins
Susana Galilea
United States
United States
United States
Customized Translation Services ENG>SPA
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Standard-Spain, US) 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
110
"pre-emptive" has a specific military definition
I have mostly heard "pre-emptive" used in your context. From the dictionary definitions, it would seem "pre-emptive" has a specific military definition, whereas "preventive" is more generic.
Source: The Collins English Dictionary © 2000 HarperCollins Publishers:
pre-emptive [prý'ɛmptýv]
adjective
3 (Military) designed to reduce or destroy an enemy's attacking strength before it can use it
example: a pre-emptive strike
preventive [prý'vɛntýv]
adjective
1 tending or intended to prevent or hinder
2 (Med) a tending to prevent disease; prophylactic
b of or relating to the branch of medicine concerned with prolonging life and preventing disease
3 (in Britain) of, relating to, or belonging to the customs and excise service or the coastguard
Source: The Collins English Dictionary © 2000 HarperCollins Publishers:
pre-emptive [prý'ɛmptýv]
adjective
3 (Military) designed to reduce or destroy an enemy's attacking strength before it can use it
example: a pre-emptive strike
preventive [prý'vɛntýv]
adjective
1 tending or intended to prevent or hinder
2 (Med) a tending to prevent disease; prophylactic
b of or relating to the branch of medicine concerned with prolonging life and preventing disease
3 (in Britain) of, relating to, or belonging to the customs and excise service or the coastguard
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sven Petersson
32 mins
|
| agree |
Armorel Young
: preemptive is a much better word in this context. After all, what are you preventing in a preventive attack? - certainly not an attack, because you've just launched one.
1 hr
|
| agree |
Laurel Porter (X)
1 hr
|
| agree |
vixen
1 hr
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| agree |
Heidi Stone-Schaller
1 hr
|
5 mins
Gilbert Ashley
Accuracy and Clarity in your Translation
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
preemptive
Preemtive seems to be the usual term. It does mean preventive though, at least in this context.
+2
9 mins
leaving politics aside ("old" Europe!)....
I think you need to look closely at your context. "pre-emptive" is a word often used in set phrases like "pre-emptive strike" and, according to the dictinary (Oxford), means serving to pre-empt or forestall something e.g. especially to prevent attack by disabling the enemy.
"Preventive" action is also designed to prevent something undesirable from occurring.
It therefore all boils down to whether the US struck first, to get in the first blow in before the Iraqis struck them or whether they were simply taking preventive measures.
Much as I like "pre-emptive", I would hesitate over its use precisely for the above reason. It may however be better to avoid a straight translation such as "preventive" and to turn your sentence into one in which you can use the verbal form (to prevent...).
HTH
"Preventive" action is also designed to prevent something undesirable from occurring.
It therefore all boils down to whether the US struck first, to get in the first blow in before the Iraqis struck them or whether they were simply taking preventive measures.
Much as I like "pre-emptive", I would hesitate over its use precisely for the above reason. It may however be better to avoid a straight translation such as "preventive" and to turn your sentence into one in which you can use the verbal form (to prevent...).
HTH
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Charlie Bavington
: agree entirely with your analysis of the difference between the two.
1 hr
|
| agree |
i8a4re
: Also agree on the analysis... I think that Madeline might want to interpret the political stance of her text and choose between these two terms accordingly.
3 hrs
|
11 mins
same but preemption ther term in use for this situation.
While they are synonomous the 'doctrine of preemption' is a political device that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq so 'preemption' is the correct term in this context.
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Note added at 13 mins (2003-12-16 08:19:06 GMT)
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same but preemption [is the] term in use for this situation.
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Note added at 49 mins (2003-12-16 08:55:00 GMT)
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* or preemptive as your sentence may dictate
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Note added at 13 mins (2003-12-16 08:19:06 GMT)
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same but preemption [is the] term in use for this situation.
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Note added at 49 mins (2003-12-16 08:55:00 GMT)
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* or preemptive as your sentence may dictate
Discussion