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  3. Psychology

sich in der Familie unterordnen

English translation: submit/bend to family rules

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:sich in der Familie unterordnen
English translation:submit/bend to family rules
Entered by: Gudrun Maydorn (X)

15:34 Jan 7, 2011
German to English translations [PRO]
Medical - Psychology / child psychiatry
German term or phrase: sich in der Familie unterordnen
From the psychiatric report on a teenage boy (who complains about the strict rules in his foster family).

In der Vergangenheit habe er immer seine eigenen Entscheidungen treffen müssen, weshalb es ihm schwer falle sich jetzt in der Familie unterzuordnen.

In the past he has always had to take his own decisions which is why he now finds it difficult to ....

Can someone help me with this sentence, please. Knuckle under sounds far too colloquial for a psychiatric report and I can't think of an appropriate expression instead.
Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 01:44
bend or bow to family life
Explanation:
or a broader translation: integrate himself into family life
Selected response from:

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +6bend or bow to family life
Wendy Streitparth
3 +3to abide by family rules
Inge Meinzer
4 +2to fit in with the family
Sarah Bessioud
3 +2accept the authority of others within the family
Armorel Young
4submit to the family structure
Ramey Rieger (X)
4adapt to the structure of family life
Mary McCusker
4to integrate himself into the family
Pauline Alexiou
3Take up his rightful place in the family;
Andrew Bramhall
3accept a subordinate status within the family [hierarchy]
Lancashireman
3do what is expected of him in this family
British Diana
3find his (proper/appropriate) place...
Cilian O'Tuama
2subordinate himself to the family
Nicole Backhaus


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Take up his rightful place in the family;


Explanation:
Literally, to subordinate himself into the family.

Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Kim Metzger: I don't think this has anything to do with "rightful place."
15 mins
  -> I think it has everything to do with fitting in to his rightful place
neutral  Thayenga: With Kim.
55 mins
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
bend or bow to family life


Explanation:
or a broader translation: integrate himself into family life

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 31
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Wendy


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Or submit to
1 min
  -> Thanks, Kim
agree  philgoddard: I prefer your last suggestion - "bend" and "bow" suggest subjugation to me, whereas this is just about fitting in with others' needs.
7 mins
  -> Thanks, Phil, though I do think unterordnen has an element of subjugation.
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): I would prefer (w/ Kim) to submit to the structure of family life maybe/ the rules in a family etc.
40 mins
  -> Thanks Ingeborg. Out of interest, submit to what?
agree  Thayenga: yes, it does have an element of subjugation. So it's, to bow to...
43 mins
  -> Many thanks Thayenga.
neutral  Andrew Bramhall: To integrate ,yes, to bend or to bow, no.
1 hr
  -> I take that as an agree!
agree  adamgajlewicz: German prose translated into English poetry. I like it.
5 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Adam
agree  Michalsuz: With kim, here submit to family rules would be more colloquial than bend or bow.
18 hrs
  -> Thanks Michalsuz: I actually prefer my second suggestion to the first.
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
to abide by family rules


Explanation:
a commonly used phrase that might fit into your context


    Reference: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=abid...
Inge Meinzer
United States
Local time: 16:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BrigitteHilgner: I find this the most suitable suggestion.
40 mins
  -> Herzlichen Dank, Brigitte!
neutral  Andrew Bramhall: I don't. Although abiding by family rules is probably part of it, it isn't the main thrust.
1 hr
agree  Lisa Miles
4 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Lisa!
agree  Gisela Greenlee
5 hrs
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
submit to the family structure


Explanation:
been there

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 60
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
accept the authority of others within the family


Explanation:
since taking a subordinate role basically involves accepting other people's authority.

Armorel Young
Local time: 00:44
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 108

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  phillee
2 hrs
agree  Lancashireman: ... within the family
19 hrs
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
accept a subordinate status within the family [hierarchy]


Explanation:
accept a subordinate status within the family
accept a subordinate role within the family hierarchy
accept a subordinate position within the family hierarchy

http://tinyurl.com/38s9voo

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2011-01-07 16:25:28 GMT)
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within > in

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-01-07 16:38:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IMO, this goes beyond "family life".

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 51
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
do what is expected of him in this family


Explanation:
I agree that it is not just about adhering to rules, it is also about the role he is supposed to fill. So my attempt puts the onus on him DOING something.
Whereas he was used to doing what he felt like (=making his own decisions), he now has to do what the new family expects of him

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
subordinate himself to the family


Explanation:
AS in sub (unter) ordinare (ordnen)

I am not too sure about *to*

Nicole Backhaus
Local time: 16:44
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 8
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to fit in with the family


Explanation:
"Fitting in" immediately sprang to mind, in the sense of conforming to expected roles and belonging to the family structure.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fit in
2. (intr, adverb) to belong or conform, esp after adjustment he didn't fit in with their plans

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2011-01-07 21:06:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In light of the "negative" tone required, perhaps "to fall in line" would be more suitable than the more positive "fit in"

Sarah Bessioud
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mech White: yes and it does not sound so negative
1 hr
  -> Thanks Mech
agree  Cilian O'Tuama: it's along them (positive) lines I'm thinking too
8 hrs
  -> Thank you Cilian
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
adapt to the structure of family life


Explanation:
Implicit in this translation is the 'unterordnung' to the plans/wishes of the family, as opposed to the previous level of independence

Mary McCusker
Local time: 19:44
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
find his (proper/appropriate) place...


Explanation:
... in the family

a late suggestion

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 01:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 18
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19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to integrate himself into the family


Explanation:
he is finding it difficult to integrate himself into the family, to fit in, to take his place

Example sentence(s):
  • Family integration is a popular concept in sociological research on the family.
Pauline Alexiou
Local time: 02:44
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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