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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

sich in der Familie unterordnen

English translation:

submit/bend to family rules

Added to glossary by Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Jan 7, 2011 15:34
13 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

sich in der Familie unterordnen

German to English Medical Psychology child psychiatry
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.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 bend or bow to family life
3 +3 to abide by family rules
4 +2 to fit in with the family
3 +2 accept the authority of others within the family
4 submit to the family structure
4 adapt to the structure of family life
4 to integrate himself into the family
3 Take up his rightful place in the family;
3 accept a subordinate status within the family [hierarchy]
3 do what is expected of him in this family
3 find his (proper/appropriate) place...
2 subordinate himself to the family
Change log

Jan 9, 2011 15:40: Gudrun Maydorn (X) changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/831340">Gudrun Maydorn (X)'s</a> old entry - "sich in der Familie unterordnen"" to ""bend or bow to the family/family rules""

Discussion

Lancashireman Jan 9, 2011:
Hi Gudrun Thanks for the additional context. Or is it? (But if a family consists...)
Gudrun Maydorn (X) (asker) Jan 9, 2011:
Hi Andrew Sich der Familie unterordnen or sich in der Familie unterordnen may have slightly different meanings and does have something to do with pecking order. But if a family consists of 2 adults + 1 child, then it is pretty irrelevant whether the in is there or not. It could equally say sich den Eltern unterordnen.
Lancashireman Jan 8, 2011:
in der Familie Hi Gudrun. The preposition 'in' seems to have been relegated to a non-existent (let alone subordinate) role in this sentence. I don't see any reference to 'rules' (let alone 'life') in the source text. IMO, this is about 'pecking order': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecking_order
Gudrun Maydorn (X) (asker) Jan 8, 2011:
@ Andrew Swift I have rejected my own thought knuckle under only because it is too colloquial, nevertheless I am looking for a slightly less colloquial term that conveys the same meaning. Bend to the family rules probably comes closest.
Gudrun Maydorn (X) (asker) Jan 7, 2011:
What a wide range of meanings for this expression. Thanks to all who have contributed their ideas. From the context this is the viewpoint of a rebellious youth who feels that he is being bossed around. So in this particular context it does have a negative tone.
Gudrun Maydorn (X) (asker) Jan 7, 2011:
It means that the family is the boss and that he has to obey. Bend or bow goes in the right direction. However, the report does not state where the patient lived before he came to the foster family, so "bending to family life" may or may not be suitable (in case he lived in his biological family before being fostered).

Proposed translations

+6
17 mins
Selected

bend or bow to family life

or a broader translation: integrate himself into family life
Note from asker:
Thank you Wendy
Peer comment(s):
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.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
2 mins

Take up his rightful place in the family;

Literally, to subordinate himself into the family.
Peer comment(s):
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
Something went wrong...
+3
20 mins

to abide by family rules

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

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=abide+by+the+family+rules

Peer comment(s):
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
Something went wrong...
38 mins

submit to the family structure

been there
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

accept the authority of others within the family

since taking a subordinate role basically involves accepting other people's authority.
Peer comment(s):
agree phillee
2 hrs
agree Lancashireman : ... within the family
19 hrs
Something went wrong...
50 mins

accept a subordinate status within the family [hierarchy]

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)
--------------------------------------------------

within > in

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

IMO, this goes beyond "family life".
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

do what is expected of him in this family

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
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

subordinate himself to the family

AS in sub (unter) ordinare (ordnen)

I am not too sure about *to*
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

to fit in with the family

"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"
Peer comment(s):
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
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

adapt to the structure of family life

Implicit in this translation is the 'unterordnung' to the plans/wishes of the family, as opposed to the previous level of independence
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

find his (proper/appropriate) place...

... in the family

a late suggestion
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19 hrs

to integrate himself into the family

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

Family integration is a popular concept in sociological research on the family.

Something went wrong...
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