bei denen nichts ankomme

English translation: who are difficult to reach, detached, alienated

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:bei denen nichts ankomme
English translation:who are difficult to reach, detached, alienated
Entered by: Hilary Davies Shelby

18:29 Jun 8, 2005
German to English translations [PRO]
Government / Politics / politics
German term or phrase: bei denen nichts ankomme
Hello all,
This is from a speech on global domestic policy - can anyone help me with the bit in asterisks? Many thanks!

Weltinnenpolitik sei für sie ein Handlungsauftrag auch gegenüber den Bürgern, **bei denen nichts ankomme**.
Hilary Davies Shelby
United States
Local time: 23:41
who are difficult to please or reach
Explanation:
etwas "kommt an" means that something is readily accepted or well received; in your sentence, it might relate to the fact that some people/constituents are simply too lethargic to take an active interest in Weltinnenpolitik
Selected response from:

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 21:41
Grading comment
these were all so good! I actually went with "difficult to reach" but also liked "detached" and "alienated". Many thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3tone-deaf to all appeals / detached / not interested in politics of any kind
silfilla
3 +3public indifference
Lancashireman
3 +3who are difficult to please or reach
Johanna Timm, PhD
4who reject everything
swisstell
3who are left out (of the economy)
Dr.G.MD (X)
3who are ignorant to certain/several /all issues
vptrans
3who do not understand
Raghunathan Rajagopalan


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
who are left out (of the economy)


Explanation:
Instantly popped up in my mind

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2005-06-08 18:38:26 GMT)
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[PDF] DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OUT OF THE \"NEW ECONOMY ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OUT OF THE \"NEW. ECONOMY\", SAYS UNCTAD
... actively in the emerging global information economy\", he stressed. ...
www.idlo.int/texts/IDLI/mis5798.pdf - Similar pages



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2005-06-08 18:39:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

THE YEAR IN BUSINESS / Economy growing but many workers left out ...
THE YEAR IN BUSINESS <BR> Economy growing but many workers left out <BR> Relentless
cost cutting slows hiring, sends job overseas.
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/ c/a/2003/12/28/BUGE03U34Q1.DTL - 38k - Cached - Similar pages

Left Out of the Boom Economy: UI Recipients in the Late 1990s
Left Out of the Boom Economy: UI Recipients in the Late 1990s (2002). Abstract:
This study examines the characteristics, labor market experiences, ...
wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/document.cfm?docn=6195 - 22k - 6 Jun 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

UFE - Press Room: The Racial Wealth Gap: Left Out of the Boom
United for a Fair Economy is a national, independent, nonpartisan organization
that puts a spotlight on the dangers of growing income, wage and wealth ...
www.faireconomy.org/press/ archive/1999/racial_wealth_gap.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages



Dr.G.MD (X)
Local time: 06:41
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
public indifference


Explanation:
(They said that) they had a duty to pursue (global domestic policy) even where the public at large were broadly indifferent to the issue.

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:41
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 208

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: or ignorant of?
2 mins
  -> Thanks, Cilian. Politician-speak: Think ‘ignorant’, say ‘indifferent’. It doesn’t pay to slag the voters off!

agree  silfilla: indifferent was on the tip of my tongue but refused to reach the keyboard :-) // six hours!? that's very generous... :-)
3 mins
  -> Thanks, Sil. (Re: fatigue. You are allowed six hours’ sleep plus one hour’s exercise per day in the recreation yard :-) )

agree  Francis Lee (X): also with your note to Cilian
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Fran
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
who are difficult to please or reach


Explanation:
etwas "kommt an" means that something is readily accepted or well received; in your sentence, it might relate to the fact that some people/constituents are simply too lethargic to take an active interest in Weltinnenpolitik

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 21:41
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
these were all so good! I actually went with "difficult to reach" but also liked "detached" and "alienated". Many thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cilian O'Tuama
4 mins

agree  MMUlr: with "difficult to reach", as the "ankommen" does not provide any cause of the problem (maybe indifference? people don't read newspapers or watch TV news? etc. :-) ....) - so the translation IMHO has to use also a rather neutral formulation.
12 hrs

agree  Deborah Shannon: also with MMUlr's rationale
1 day 3 hrs
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
tone-deaf to all appeals / detached / not interested in politics of any kind


Explanation:
:-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2005-06-08 18:51:04 GMT)
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*[totally] disinterested* is another option :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2005-06-08 18:58:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

please scratch disinterested! :-)

silfilla
Local time: 00:41
Specializes in field
PRO pts in category: 34

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: could be, or who are oblivious to/unaware of ... / (even) more context needed
2 mins
  -> thanks

agree  Lancashireman: Just posted mine before yours appeared on screen. Same general idea.// PS Sil: ‘disinterested’ would mean that they were impartial and had nothing to gain. It’s not the same as ‘uninterested’ or ‘lacking in interest’
2 mins
  -> thanks // you're right ... i'm close to braindead :-)

agree  Francis Lee (X): "detached" would be a convienent solution to this weiterhin somewhat vague context (i.e. how subjective?) / dein "detached" lässt mich auf "alienated" kommen ...
3 hrs
  -> *alienated* is a great suggestion! thanks, Francis :-)
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
who reject everything


Explanation:
who reject all

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 06:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 32
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
who are ignorant to certain/several /all issues


Explanation:
The DGAP is part of the discussion with regard to foreign policy, and world home affairs for them is a mandate also in view to/of the citizens, who are ignorant to certain/several /all issues.

My understanding of “bei denen nichts ankomme“ means that no matter what you do, they just do not care, their mind is closed. When I say to someone “ du bei dem Fritz kommt eh nix an” – I am saying in a negative manner that Fritz is either not capable of understanding, is stupid, is ignorant, stubborn. Depending on the issue it could be any or all of them at the same time.

vptrans
Local time: 06:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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2 days 7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
who do not understand


Explanation:
or do not understand the implications

Raghunathan Rajagopalan
Local time: 10:11
Native speaker of: English
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