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Mutterboden

English translation: fertile ground (fig.)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Mutterboden
English translation:fertile ground (fig.)
Entered by: mill2

12:55 Dec 5, 2007
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Philosophy
German term or phrase: Mutterboden
From a lecture on visuality in Descartes and Leibniz:

In kaum einer anderen Epoche ist die Emphase für das okulare Wahrnehmen, für die Sichtbarkeit, für die Gesetze der Optik, für Teleskop und Mikroskop als technische Instrumente der Fern- und der Nahsicht so ausgeprägt, wie im 17. Jahrhundert. Das Sehen avancierte zum *Mutterboden* von Erkenntnis, zur sinnlichen Schwester der Vernunft.

I don't think we use topsoil in this metaphorical sense in English, do we? Frankly, I can't think at all right now. motherlode? Bit strong...Any ideas?
mill2
Local time: 13:26
native soil/ground (fig.)
Explanation:
is what the big Muret-Sanders suggests

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2007-12-05 13:01:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

as well as "matrix"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2007-12-05 13:03:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Grimm=
"MUTTERBODEN [Lfg. 12,15], m. mütterlicher boden, land das uns geboren:
das recht, das jedem offen läszt
den zug in alle welt,
das uns allein durch liebe fest
am mutterboden hält.
UHLAND ged. 86;
boden auf dem sich etwas erzeugt: wenn wir als einzelne einen besonnenen entschlusz fassen wollen, so suchen wir die vernunft gleichsam von dem mutterboden der begierden loszulösen. TRENDELENBURG kl. schriften 2, 32. "

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2007-12-05 13:05:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"fertile soil/ground"?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2007-12-05 13:07:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"fertile ground of ideas" gets its share of googles
Selected response from:

Jonathan MacKerron
Grading comment
Thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions. This was a hard decision, but in the end I went with fertile ground, which fits the tenor and the meaning of the sentence best, I think.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3seedbed
Kim Metzger
4cradle
Derek Ferrari-Frankland (X)
2 +2foundations/groundwork/basis
Francis Lee (X)
4(fertile) source
Tilman Lichter
4spawning ground
Tilman Lichter
3breeding ground
Lilia Shtakser
2 +1native soil/ground (fig.)
Jonathan MacKerron
3fertile ground
Elisabeth Moser
3verbalize it
Paul Cohen


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
cradle


Explanation:
English figurative description of a place of nurture, even of ideas

Derek Ferrari-Frankland (X)
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: English
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
breeding ground


Explanation:
How about "breeding ground" as in Nährboden, or is it something completely different?

Lilia Shtakser
Germany
Local time: 13:26
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
native soil/ground (fig.)


Explanation:
is what the big Muret-Sanders suggests

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2007-12-05 13:01:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

as well as "matrix"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2007-12-05 13:03:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Grimm=
"MUTTERBODEN [Lfg. 12,15], m. mütterlicher boden, land das uns geboren:
das recht, das jedem offen läszt
den zug in alle welt,
das uns allein durch liebe fest
am mutterboden hält.
UHLAND ged. 86;
boden auf dem sich etwas erzeugt: wenn wir als einzelne einen besonnenen entschlusz fassen wollen, so suchen wir die vernunft gleichsam von dem mutterboden der begierden loszulösen. TRENDELENBURG kl. schriften 2, 32. "

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2007-12-05 13:05:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"fertile soil/ground"?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2007-12-05 13:07:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"fertile ground of ideas" gets its share of googles

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thanks so much for all your helpful suggestions. This was a hard decision, but in the end I went with fertile ground, which fits the tenor and the meaning of the sentence best, I think.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  KARIN ISBELL
4 hrs
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
seedbed


Explanation:
seedbed
1. A bed of soil cultivated for planting seeds.
2. An area or source of growth or gradual manifestation: a seedbed of revolution.

http://www.answers.com/topic/seedbed


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 05:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 33

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Woodstock (X): I like this, Kim. A little bit quaint, so fits well with the context.
36 mins
  -> Liebe Grüße.
agree  Kcda: The seedbed of mother earth (mutter erde)
4 hrs
  -> ?
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: I immediately liked this one (whatever that means)
11 hrs
  -> It's almost Miller time.
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
foundations/groundwork/basis


Explanation:
Here's an example:

http://www.shop.com/Categorical_Perception_:_The_Groundwork_...

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 13:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Cohen: definitely on the right track
2 hrs
agree  Kieran McCann: I don't see how 'topsoil' etc can be relevant here, I read this as a constructed word with 'Mutter' meaning main/chief eg 'principal foundation', 'bedrock'
22 hrs
  -> "bedrock" !
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
fertile ground


Explanation:
vielleicht als fruchtbarer Boden, wo Erkenntnis wachsen, sich entfalten kann?!

Elisabeth Moser
United States
Local time: 07:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
verbalize it


Explanation:
Not sure how you're translating "Das Sehen" (seeing, sight, vision, the act of seeing, etc.) or "Erkenntnis" (cognition?), but a verbal construction would sound natural in English. Let's allow that "topsoil" to play a more active role in nurturing new insights!

The act of seeing thus paved the way for cognition...

The act of seeing thus opened the door to cognition...

The act of seeing thus laid the cornerstone for cognition...

The act of seeing thus became a catalyst for cognition...

etc.



Paul Cohen
Greenland
Local time: 10:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
(fertile) source


Explanation:
<Source> stresses the causal connection between *sehen* und *erkennen*.

Tilman Lichter
Canada
Local time: 07:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
spawning ground


Explanation:
The choices are mostly really good so far, but I thought I'd add this one anyhow.

Tilman Lichter
Canada
Local time: 07:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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