weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt

English translation: took the long-term view

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	haben weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt
English translation:	took the long-term view
Entered by:	Steffen Walter

07:12 Apr 28, 2007

German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / history of liberalism

German term or phrase: weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt

Dass sich aber der Liberalismus verfassungsgeschichtlich zu Tode gesiegt habe, kann man allenfalls von den Vereinigten Staaten sagen, weil deren Verfassungstexte weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt haben als den Rechtsstaat und die Gewaltentrennung.

Understand the words but not what they might signify here in historical terms. Perhaps, not only did the constitution stress freedom, but a number of other ideas as well??
So far:
The perception that Liberalism has triumphed in its own demise in terms of constitutional law could be said of the United States, since their constitution permanently established exceedingly more than just a state under the rule of law and a system of checks and balances.

Jonathan MacKerron

took the long-term view

Explanation:
since its constitution made long-term provisions / took the long view with regard to many more aspects than merely the state under the rule of law and the separation of powers.

(I think 'checks and balances' is one element of the separation of powers, not the whole thing)

This needs polishing, but I give the whole thing to show how I understand weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2007-04-28 15:06:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I should have written 'took the long view' and 'its constitutional documents'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2007-04-29 10:06:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I should add that I did mean 'took the long view', as in the answer, but I made a slip in the title.
Btw, Jonathan, I'm very impressed with 'triumphed in its demise'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2007-04-29 11:07:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The perception that - in constitutional law terms - Liberalism has triumphed in its own demise applies IF AT ALL [only] for the United States, since its constitutional texts took a long-term view NOT ONLY with respect to the constitutional state and separation of powers BUT also with respect to (in respect to?) many other matters"
i.e. the "many more" meaning "weit mehr" has to go in somewhere.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2007-04-29 12:22:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes, the Amen version looks good ('at best' is excellent).

Now, what is the procedure for us to give you the points?

Selected response from:

Margaret Marks
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:15

Grading comment

Many thanks to Margeret and y'all for your thoughtful input. I'm going with "at best", but will ask the author whether this reflects what he was trying to say.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

took the long-term view

Margaret Marks

continuity

Francis Lee (X)

Discussion entries: 14

Bernhard Sulzer

United States

22:02 Apr 29, 2007

I like the Amen version above, would maybe write "because" instead of "since" ; and I agree with "at best" (= if at all then, really only) for "allenfalls."

MMUlr

Germany

14:13 Apr 29, 2007

Allenfalls has the meaning of 'höchstens' in this sentence, so ---> at best in my German understanding.

Paul Cohen

Greenland

12:32 Apr 29, 2007

Margaret wrote IF AT ALL (only). Why not write "perhaps only" ??

Paul Cohen

Greenland

12:31 Apr 29, 2007

Langenscheidt: allenfalls Adverb (höchstens) at most, at best; (vielleicht) perhaps; (auf alle Fälle) at all events.

Paul Cohen

Greenland

12:29 Apr 29, 2007

I'm still unsure how to translate "allenfalls". My suggestion would be to write "...applies perhaps...". That would be easier to understand. Then - Amen! Btw in US English, we would tend to write "applies to". I assume UK English is your target language.

Jonathan MacKerron

ASKER

12:16 Apr 29, 2007

Can I get an Amen or are we still passing the plate?
"The perception that - in constitutional law terms - Liberalism has “triumphed in its own demise” applies at best for the United States, since that country’s constitutional texts adopted a long-term view not only in terms of constitutional state and separation of powers, but for a host of other matters as well. "

Jonathan MacKerron

ASKER

12:02 Apr 29, 2007

@Paul. Thanks, but not my creation I'm afraid, it came from Francis Lee if I remember correctly

Paul Cohen

Greenland

11:26 Apr 29, 2007

Margaret has made some very good suggestions here. Is she correct in assuming that "weit mehr" will take us somewhere? Does her idea of "many other matters" fit in with the subsequent text? Btw, I'm also impressed with your "triumphed in its own demise."

Jonathan MacKerron

ASKER

10:59 Apr 29, 2007

am I getting closer here??
"The perception that - in constitutional law terms - Liberalism has triumphed in its own demise surely applies for the United States, since its constitutional texts took a long-term view with respect to the constitutional state and separation of powers"

Paul Cohen

Greenland

10:01 Apr 29, 2007

Hi, Jonathan. Just a minor grammatical point from an American concerning your provisional text. Although the Germans use the plural with the US, in common US usage, it is only one country and thus singular, i.e. "...since its constitution..." (not their)

Jonathan MacKerron

ASKER

12:07 Apr 28, 2007

preceding text
Umgekehrt wird der Liberalismus oft auf ein politisches Ordnungsprogramm reduziert, beson-ders auf den Konstitutionalismus, wobei die Entwicklung der liberalen Ideen ausgeblendet wird. Darauf stützt sich das zweite liberalismuskritische Argument, das liberale Programm sei durch die Konstitutionalisierung im Wesentlichen erfüllt. Liberalismus erscheint dann wie in dem Formelbegriff „Liberale Demokratie“ als der gemeinsame Verfassungsboden der demokratischen Parteien – oder er wird als Schrumpfform verstanden, als „bloßer Wirtschaftsliberalismus“.

MMUlr

Germany

08:06 Apr 28, 2007

No, forget my first note, this is really used in social / political context today - search "Dauer" --> http://www.dasblaettchen.de/Aktuell.htm

MMUlr

Germany

08:01 Apr 28, 2007

@Jonathan, this part is not quite clear to me: "... weil deren ...texte .... *auf ... gestellt haben*? (weil die USA ihre Verfassungstexte weit mehr auf Dauer *ab*gestellt haben??) - Would you pls. ckeck this part? Does it appear like that?

Jonathan MacKerron

ASKER

07:30 Apr 28, 2007

or is "weit mehr auf Dauer" here to be understood as " in a much more permanent sense"?

Answers

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

took the long-term view

Margaret Marks
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:15
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Many thanks to Margeret and y'all for your thoughtful input. I'm going with "at best", but will ask the author whether this reflects what he was trying to say.

Notes to answerer

Asker: thanks Margeret, "took the long view" sounds like a good point of departure

Asker: Thanks for dealing with the "allenfalls" issue, it's been nagging me for days now...

1 day 23 hrs confidence:

continuity

Explanation:
I'll admit straight out that I haven't read the entire discussion above, but this is what immediately sprang to (my) mind.
i.e.:
The US constitution was geared more to continuity than to (accommodate) principles such as the rule of law or the separation of powers.

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 09:15
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 88

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt

English translation: took the long-term view

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

weit mehr auf Dauer gestellt

English translation: took the long-term view

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language