zur Kenntnis nehmen

English translation: duly noted (no agreement implied)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	zur Kenntnis genommen
English translation:	duly noted (no agreement implied)
Entered by:	British Diana

10:04 Feb 18, 2011

German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management / office communication - a reaction to a memorandum

German term or phrase: zur Kenntnis nehmen

I have been sent the following cry for help from people in an office. I think it is in the academic administration of a university in Switzerland :
"We have a Memorandum of understanding to which we do not full heartedly agree. Therefore we would like to make a note in front of the signature where it says that we have taken notice of the text, therefore implying that we do not agree. In German this would be: zur Kenntnis genommen. In English we thought it might be: taken notice."

They go on to say that they are not sure if "to take notice" would imply non-agreement with the content of the memo., which is obviously important in this case. I rather doubt it - but what is the English equivalent? I would like to be of assistance, but am stumped myself, so Kudozers, please help!
Diana
P.S. I couldn't find a suitable field for this, there seems to be no provision for "office communication".

British Diana KudoZ activity Questions: 100 (1 open) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 740 Germany
Local time: 12:10

duly noted

Explanation:
'duly noted' would not, however, express the lack of agreement, so how about something like:
duly noted, no agreement implied ... or
duly noted, without agreement

Selected response from:

Katie Croxall
Local time: 12:10

Grading comment

My client decided on this one, with the option of "no agreement implied" in cases where it is really necessary to emphasise the disapproval. Not knowing the context myself (and its possible legal implications), I am going along with this.
Thanks to all for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +5

noted

Lynda Hepburn

3 +4

duly noted

Katie Croxall

3 +2

receipt acknowledged, response to follow

Johanna Timm, PhD

fully aware of

Ramey Rieger (X)

Discussion entries: 11

British Diana

Germany

ASKER

@Andrew

17:22 Feb 18, 2011

Why not post your suggestion?

Lancashireman

United Kingdom

Response pending

15:18 Feb 18, 2011

Because from the impression you have given, they are not ruling anything in or out at this stage.

784512 (X)

Germany

Agree with Allison, Phil and Mack

15:12 Feb 18, 2011

Duly noted is too subtle a sign of objection if this is a legal issue.
Allison is right, it does sort of imply agreement (albeit begrudgingly).

Allison Wright (X)

Portugal

Agree with Mack

15:09 Feb 18, 2011

"Noted" or "Duly Noted" implies agreement, to my mind.
As regards MoUs, there cannot be an MoU until both (or all) parties understand and agree with each other on all content of the MoU. There is no such thing as "half-signed".

phillee

Agree with Mack

14:36 Feb 18, 2011

If this is a critical contractual or legal situation make it clear!

British Diana

Germany

ASKER

Zwischenbilanz

13:16 Feb 18, 2011

This speedy reaction is great! Thanks!
Unfortunately I know nothing about the nature of the memorandum in question, least of all about the reasons behind my asker's wish to indicate that they have reservations. Thus I'm afraid we must continue to imagine a hypothetical situation and what could be written in this situation.
BTW it isn't an academic department but the Swiss Bundesamt für Berufsbildung und Technologie.

Mack Tillman (X)

Why lack of clarity?

12:12 Feb 18, 2011

If I were to sign the MoU, I would write the following: 
We have read and understood the above and disagree with the following ... 
or 
We have read and understood the above and cannot endorse the following...

 Be specific! It would help to speed the process up and so on.

Lancashireman

United Kingdom

11:48 Feb 18, 2011

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12503686

784512 (X)

Germany

10:30 Feb 18, 2011

True. Or just, "acknowledge" on its own. I have seen it in this context, I am sure. It depends how formal or direct the translation needs to be, and how the rest of the sentence is formed. I think noted/duly noted both denote receipt and not necessarily their agreement. I wonder if acknowledge might be stronger.

Lynda Hepburn

United Kingdom

10:25 Feb 18, 2011

"Acknowledge receipt of" does not necessarily imply that you've read it, but only that you have received it.

784512 (X)

Germany

how liberal can you go?

10:21 Feb 18, 2011

I've often seen "We acknowledge the receipt of..." in this situation in the UK.

Answers

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

duly noted

Explanation:
'duly noted' would not, however, express the lack of agreement, so how about something like:
duly noted, no agreement implied ... or
duly noted, without agreement

Katie Croxall
Local time: 12:10
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Katie, also very swift!

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

noted

Explanation:
You can say "we have noted" whatever e.g. "the content of the document" or "the points raised" which means that we have read it and understood it, but does not imply agreement. It *can* imply disagreement but that would rather depend on the context.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2011-02-18 10:23:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I don't think there is a single English phrase which indicates that you have read but do not agree with something. You might say something like "Acknowledgement of this document does not imply agreement with its contents" - or some such wordy expression.

Lynda Hepburn
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:10
Native speaker of: English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you Lynda , that was quick!

53 mins confidence:

fully aware of

Explanation:
This definately implies disagreement

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 12:10
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Ramey!

8 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

receipt acknowledged, response to follow

Explanation:
would be an option that covers both aspects: the receipt and the reservations about the content

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 03:10
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 25

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thank you, Johanna, an answer worth waiting for!

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English translation: duly noted (no agreement implied)

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